Idaho lawmakers move to ditch license plate registration stickers

BOISE (KIVI) — A bill moving through the Idaho Legislature would eliminate the requirement for registration stickers on license plates, a change supporters say reflects modern technology and could save the state hundreds of thousands of dollars.

House Bill 533, sponsored by Rep. Jon Weber, R-Rexburg, passed the Idaho House with strong support and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Under current law, Idaho drivers are required to display a registration sticker on their license plate indicating the month and year their registration expires. The proposed legislation would remove that requirement, though drivers would still be required to register their vehicles and pay the same fees.

Supporters of the bill argue the stickers often serve little purpose.

“This House Bill 533 removes the requirement to display a registration sticker on your license plate,” Weber told lawmakers during floor debate. “This came about this past summer when I registered a vehicle and was handed a sticker to put on my plate. And I got to thinking the purpose of the sticker and why do we do this.”

Weber said license plate frames, wear and tear, and poor visibility often make the stickers unreadable. He also pointed to law enforcement’s reliance on electronic systems rather than physical stickers.

“I further studied this out and realized that with modern technology and the use of real-time technology, that 100% of the time, law enforcement runs your plate and receives all the information they need on that vehicle,” Weber said.

“(The savings) which they can use for more effective and efficient ways,” Weber said.

The House passed the bill on a 67–2 vote, with one member abstaining.

House Bill 533 now moves to the Idaho Senate, where it will receive further consideration.