New Idaho bill would get rid of car registration stickers. Here's what to know

Hali Smith, The Idaho Statesman on Feb 25, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho could be changing the way it handles car registration. House Bill 533, which would end the legal requirements for vehicle registration tags on motor vehicles, has passed both the Idaho House of Representatives and the state Senate.

As of Tuesday, Feb. 24, the bill was headed to Gov. Brad Little’s desk.

If signed into law by Little, HB 533 would eliminate the color-coded vehicle registration stickers Idaho drivers attach to their license plates — saving the Idaho Department of Transportation money and motorists time, supporters say.

“This bill frees up an estimated $300,000 for the Idaho Transportation Department to use for other efficient and more productive programs in a year where money is a little dry,” Idaho Sen. Treg Bernt, R-Meridian, said during Tuesday’s Idaho State Senate hearing. “I think this can be a good thing for the state.”

Bernt, who sponsored HB 533, noted that law enforcement officers now use a digital system to identify vehicles with expired or nonexistent tags, so there’s no longer a need for physical stickers.

“Stickers aren’t necessarily needed anymore,” Bernt said. “This bill makes sense and will save the state money, adding revenue back to the general fund.”

How do Idaho police identify vehicles?

Idaho State Police use automated license plate readers to identify vehicle information.

Automated license plate readers “automatically capture images or videos” of a passing vehicle then detect the license plate number and immediately access all recorded information on that vehicle, according to the Library of Congress.

That includes the vehicle’s registration, make, model and color as well as whether it’s on a so-called “hot list” identifying vehicles of interest to law enforcement, the Library of Congress said on its website.

These plate readers provide “all the information” needed by law enforcement officers in real time, Bernt said during Tuesday’s Senate hearing, eliminating the need for adhesive car registration tags.

When would new vehicle registration rules go into effect?

HB 533 passed the Idaho State Senate 31-4 on Tuesday.

If Little signs the bill into law, Idaho’s new vehicle registration rules would go into effect July 1 at the start of the next fiscal year.

How do I register my car in Idaho? Update my tags?

Vehicle registration provides proof that your car, pickup truck, SUV or motorcycle is “allowed to drive on Idaho roads,” according to the Idaho Department of Transportation.

To register a vehicle for the first time, you must visit an Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles office in person.

In Boise, you can visit the state Division of Motor Vehicles office at 8655 West Franklin Road for new vehicle registration or registration renewal.

The DMV has office locations across the state that can assist with registration requests.

To register and title a vehicle in Idaho, you’ll need to provide the following:

—Your full legal name

—An Idaho driver’s license number, Idaho-issued ID card, social security number or employer identification number

—A verifiable physical address

—A verifiable mailing address

You can renew your Idaho vehicle registration online, the DMV said.

How much does vehicle registration cost?

Though eliminating license plate stickers might save the Idaho DMV money, it likely won’t reduce registration costs for Idaho residents.

Registration costs depend on the vehicle type, weight, age, inspection requirements and what county you live in, according to the DMV.

Registration and renewal costs for noncommercial vehicles — those weighing 8,000 pounds or less — can range from $24 to $140 for a standard Idaho license plate.

Personalized and specialty license plates require an additional annual fee.

It can cost $73 to $337 to register a commercial vehicle weighing more than 8,000 pounds, with costs affected by weight.

You can use the Idaho DMV’s online calendar to calculate your registration fees.

What are the penalties for driving an unregistered vehicle?

If you’re caught driving with expired tags, in Idaho, you could be pulled over and given a warning or a ticket, the Idaho Statesman previously reported.

The penalty for expired tags in Idaho is an infraction and a $101 fine, according to the Idaho Supreme Court’s infraction guide.

You could pay a $115 fine for driving with fake registration or borrowing or stealing a tag that isn’t your own, the Statesman reported. The true owner of the registration would be at risk of being fined the same amount.

If you provide false information when you’re registering your vehicle, you could face a $156.50 fine. That includes giving a name that is not legally recognized by the state of Idaho.

_____