How long can you ride around with expired tags

§ 46.2-646. Expiration and renewal of registration.

A. Every registration under this title, unless otherwise provided, shall expire on the last day of the twelfth month next succeeding the date of registration. Every registration, unless otherwise provided, shall be renewed annually on application by the owner and by payment of the fees required by law, the renewal to take effect on the first day of the month succeeding the date of expiration. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Commissioner may extend the validity period of an expiring registration if (i) the Department is unable to process an application for renewal due to circumstances beyond its control, and (ii) the extension has been authorized under a directive from the Governor. However, in no event shall the validity period be extended more than 90 days per occurrence of such conditions.

B. All motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers registered in the Commonwealth shall, at the discretion of the Commissioner, be placed in a system of registration on a monthly basis to distribute the work of registering motor vehicles as uniformly as practicable throughout the 12 months of the year. All such motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers, unless otherwise provided, shall be registered for a period of 12 months. The registration shall be extended, at the discretion of the Commissioner, on receipt of appropriate prorated fees, as required by law, for a period of not less than one month nor more than 11 months as is necessary to distribute the registrations as equally as practicable on a monthly basis. The Commissioner shall, on request, assign to any owner or owners of two or more motor vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers the same registration period. The expiration date shall be the last day of the twelfth month or the last day of the designated month. Except for motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers registered for more than one year under subsection C of this section, every registration shall be renewed annually on application by the owner and by payment of fees required by law, the renewal to take effect on the first day of the succeeding month.

C. The Commissioner may offer, at his discretion, an optional multi-year registration for all motor vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers except for (i) those registered under the International Registration Plan and (ii) those registered as uninsured motor vehicles. When this option is offered and chosen by the registrant, all annual and 12-month fees due at the time of registration shall be multiplied by the number of years or fraction thereof that the vehicle will be registered.

D. For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.

E. No law-enforcement officer shall stop a motor vehicle due to an expired registration sticker prior to the first day of the fourth month after the original expiration date. No evidence discovered or obtained as the result of a stop in violation of this subsection, including evidence discovered or obtained with the operator's consent, shall be admissible in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding.

Code 1950, § 46-62; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-63; 1972, c. 609; 1974, c. 170; 1988, cc. 701, 704; 1989, c. 727; 2013, c. 337; 2019, cc. 14, 57; 2020, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 45, 51.

Being issued a citation for driving with expired tags (stickers on the rear license plate) is more than just a nuisance if you fail to correct it. This is known as a correctable violation, or a “fix it” ticket, that can be resolved rather easily. If you pay a dismissal fee and show proof of correction, the court will dismiss the charge. If you fail to do so, you can be ticketed again and again, the fines will escalate and your driver’s license will be suspended.  That’s the time to call CheapTrafficAttorneys.com.

Why do I need registration tabs?

Driving a vehicle without registration tabs (also known as tags or stickers) is a violation of California Vehicle Code § 5204(a). This is a relatively minor offense that will lead to a $25 base fine plus a penalty assessment, a state tax multiplier of 4-9 times the base amount. Whether you were ticketed for driving with expired tags after paying for the registration fee and are waiting for the tags (stickers), or you forgot to put them on your car, you can be cited each time the police pull you over.

In other words, each time you are ticketed for driving with expired registration stickers (tags) in California, the penalties will be compounded, leading to hundreds (perhaps thousands) of dollars in fines. If you continue driving with expired tags for over 6 months, your vehicle can be impounded under California Vehicle Code § 22651(0)(1).

What happens if you fail to appear for driving with expired tags?

If you are ticketed for expired tags and fix the issue, it is also necessary to notify the court. Your citation will also include a date to appear in court to show the court the tags are current. In Los Angeles and Orange Counties, for example, this can simply be done without seeing a judge by going to the court clerk at a traffic court window.

If you fail to appear on or before the date on your citation, the ticket will be referred to Collections (GC Servives in Los Angeles County) and the failure to appear (FTA) charge will cause a hold to be placed on your driver’s license. This puts you at risk of a driving with a suspended license offense, being charged with a misdemeanor FTA, and additional fees and fines far exceeding the $25 base fine.

Why This Matters?

If you wish to preserve for driving privileges, and keep your California driving record clean, it is critically important to quickly resolve a ticket for driving with expired tags. By paying the Court correction fee and showing the court as copy of the ticket signed off by law enforcement as proof that you have current registration tabs on your car, you can avoid the negative consequences of a failure to appear charge.

At CheapTrafficAttorneys.com we have been successful at settling failures to appear, recalling traffic warrants, and even getting many FTA warrants dismissed. Call our office today to learn how we can help.

Can you drive around with expired tags?

In all states in the United States, it is illegal to drive with expired car registration tags. In some states, you can receive a fine for expired registration tags even if you are not currently driving the car. It is your responsibility to pay your tags on time to avoid being pulled over and paying a fine.

Is there a grace period for expired tags in Kentucky 2022?

Is there a grace period for car registration in Kentucky? Yes. On March 6, 2020, the Kentucky government made changes due to COVID-19. Now, there is a 90-day grace period given to all vehicle registrations.

Is there a grace period for expired tags in Ohio 2022?

Contrary to popular belief, Ohio doesn't have a grace period for expired tags. Once your vehicle registration expires, a police officer can cite you for expired tags. If you're pulled over for expired tags and issued a ticket, the fine is $150.

Is there a grace period for expired tags in CA?

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) does not offer a grace period for paying your annual vehicle registration fees. Be sure to pay your renewal fees on or before the expiration date shown on your current registration card, or DMV will charge penalties.