California waves goodbye to “auto dealership advertisement” license plates

California, (KIEM) Beginning January 1^st  new legislation is about to make paper license plates in California disappear. Governor Brown signed a bill this week that states when a new or used vehicle leaves a dealership lot it will now have a temporary license plate and not an “auto dealership advertisement” plate.

According to lawmakers, the new bill will also modernize California’s Vehicle Identification System by assigning temporary license plates at the point of sale before a vehicle drives off the lot.

One local dealership general manager said they see the point of the new law but it makes the business a little more plentiful than before, “In the past, we would put a tag in the windshield and it would have small numbers so if you were to go up to the car and actually read it you can get the numbers off of it.” said Trevor Harper, General Manager of Harper Motors. “But you certainly couldn’t see it from the back of the car.”

“As a Finance Director I can tell you it’s a pain, it adds about 20 minutes to my process and that’s if it runs smoothly,” said Antoine Johnson.

Car paper plates hinder the government’s ability to issue red light–camera tickets and toll-road fines.