Florida lawmakers propose eliminating yellow registration tag on license plates

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida lawmakers could soon eliminate the yellow registration stickers on license plates, replacing them with an electronic system that supporters say would save taxpayers money.

Doral Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez and Miami Lakes Rep. Tom Fabricio filed bills to get rid of the yellow registration decal on license plates. Instead, registration renewals would be recorded electronically, according to the legislation.

Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez first floated the idea. He argues getting rid of the sticker will save taxpayers money by cutting down on paperwork and mailing.

Fernandez says law enforcement already uses real-time digital systems to verify registration.

"The idea that physical decals are necessary for effective enforcement is outdated," Fernandez said in a statement. "A sticker does not provide accuracy. It only provides the appearance of compliance and can be easily falsified, stolen, damaged, or overlooked."

Fabricio told the news website Florida Politics that eliminating decals is estimated to save Miami-Dade County $2.5 million every year.

FOX 4 reached out to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLSHMV) for comment, but did not get a response. FLHSMV oversees the Florida Highway Patrol.

People in downtown Fort Myers had mixed opinions on the idea.

"I definitely think it's the best thing we can do. I mean, it saves us money, it saves trees. There's no big mounds of paper they're going to be sending out," Bryan Chiron said.

"The current proposal to eliminate these stickers is a little odd to me, especially as a first-time driver," Alexis Davis said. "These stickers are definitely a very helpful reminder for me to get my registration updated."

"It really doesn't matter to us right now. It's just a sticker," Mitch Bailey said.

The legislative session starts on Tuesday.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.