Ready, Set, Tag!
New Pre-Registration Process for Recently Purchased Vehicles
Starting September 1, 2024
All vehicles purchased at a dealership or through private sale have two business days to pre-register with the state. Oklahomans will then have ten days from the date of sale to get a metal license plate with pre-registration decals on their vehicle. Oklahomans will still have two months from the date of sale to fully register their vehicle.
*The pre-registration process does not apply to vehicles purchased before September 1, 2024.
Three steps to vehicle registration:
Pre-Register Your Vehicle
Pre-register your vehicle with the state within two business days from the date of sale. If purchasing from a dealer, the dealer will process the pre-registration for vehicle buyers. For private vehicle sales, the pre-registration information must be submitted by either the buyer or the seller.
Receive a Plate & Pre-Registration Decals
Two pre-registration decals will arrive in the mail. If you do not have an existing metal license plate, a new one will be sent with the decals attached. Ensure you have a metal license plate with pre-registration decals on your vehicle within ten days of the purchase.
Fully Register Your Vehicle
You still have two months from the date of purchase to complete your full registration by obtaining the vehicle title, paying sales and excise tax and getting the receipt of registration in-person with a licensed operator.
Have questions?
Skip to our Frequently Asked Questions for quick answers!
Note
Oklahomans have two business days from the date of sale to submit pre-regisration information.
Step 1:
Pre-Register Your Motor Vehicle
The pre-registration process will be initiated by the dealer in a commercial sale or by the buyer or seller in a private sale.
To pre-register your vehicle, you'll need the following:
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- Vehicle year, make, model and type
- Plate number (if transferring a plate)
- Date of sale
- Buyer name, address, city, state, zip, email and phone number
Note
The pre-registration process applies to all vehicles purchased in the state of Oklahoma regardless of whether the vehicle will be fully registered in another state, jurisdiction or with a tribe. To register a vehicle that was transferred from or purchased outside the state of Oklahoma, please visit our Out-of-State Transfers page.
Step 2:
Place Pre-Registration Decals on Your Motor Vehicle
You'll receive two pre-registration decals and, if needed, a metal license plate in the mail. A metal license plate and the two pre-registration decals should be affixed to your newly purchased vehicle within ten days of the sale to indicate the vehicle information has been sent to the state, but the vehicle has not yet been fully registered.
Did You Know?
Oklahoma license plates are assigned to people, not vehicles. Many buyers will transfer their existing metal license plate and associate it to their newly purchased vehicle.
If you are transferring your existing metal plate, you will receive two pre-registration decals in the mail. Simply add the pre-registration decals to your existing metal plate and place the plate on your vehicle within ten days of purchase.
Buyers who are not transferring an existing metal license plate will receive a standard metal license plate with two pre-registration decals in the mail that should be placed on their vehicle within ten days of purchase.
Step 3:
Register Your Motor Vehicle
After pre-registration, you still have two months from the date of purchase to obtain the title, pay sales and excise tax and fully register the vehicle. Full vehicle registrations can be completed at Service Oklahoma Headquarters in Oklahoma City or a licensed operator location (formerly called a Tag Agency). Receipt of registration is required to be kept in the vehicle at all times.
Gather the necessary documents and follow the steps below based on your recent purchase
- Obtain a title within 2 months of purchase
For a New Vehicle Purchase:
- Proof of Oklahoma insurance
- Form 701-6 - Application for Oklahoma Certificate of Title
- Oklahoma title
- Vehicle purchase agreement
- Manufacturer Statement of Origin (MSO) from the dealer (if applicable)
- Valid driver license
- Form 729 - Odometer Disclosure Statement
- Only required for vehicles made in 2011 or newer with an odometer*
For a Used Vehicle Purchase:
- Proof of Oklahoma insurance
- Oklahoma Title
- Properly Assigned Purchase Agreement (or Form 722-1 if purchased from a private seller)
- Valid driver license
- Form 729 - Odometer Disclosure Statement
- Only required for vehicles made in 2011 or newer with an odometer*
At Your Visit
Your fees will be finalized. Once payment is made and your documents are processed, you will be given the standard month and year decals to be placed on your license plate signifying your vehicle has been fully registered.
In the case of a lien, your title will be sent to your lienholder. If there is no lien, your title will be mailed to you within 2 business days as part of your registration.
Receipt of registration is required to be kept in the vehicle at all times.
Visit Service Oklahoma on N Classen in Oklahoma City or a licensed operator location
Note
If you would like to purchase a specialty plate, one will be ordered for you at your visit and mailed to you. Please allow up to 20 days for shipping and processing. Learn more about specialty plates.
New Iconic Oklahoma Plate is Here!
Starting Sept. 1, 2024, Oklahoma’s standard issue license plate will have a new design. Unlike previous plate redesigns, Oklahomans will not automatically be reissued the newly designed plate. Anyone who would like the new Iconic Oklahoma Plate can pay a $4 plate replacement fee with their annual vehicle registration renewal or $9 outside of their annual renewal at a local licensed operator.
Are you a Dealership?
Resources to support dealers are available on our Ready, Set, Tag Auto-Dealer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following vehicle registration types are not subject to pre-registration under SB2035:
- ATV / UTV
- Boat and outboard motor
- Commercial trailer
- Commercial rental trailer
- Construction machinery
- Farm trailer
- Forest trailer
- Manufactured home
- Mobile chapel
- Off-road motorcycle
- Private trailer
- Special mobilized trailer
- Trailer exempt
Starting on Sept. 1, 2024:
- Dealers and those participating in private vehicle sales will have two business days from the date of sale to submit pre-registration information. Business days are defined as Mondays through Fridays excluding state holidays.
- A licensed operator (selected during pre-registration) will then process the pre-registration transaction within two business days and send a metal license plate and two pre-registration decals to the customer.
- If the customer is transferring an existing metal license plate onto their newly purchased vehicle, the licensed operator will only mail the decals.
- The customer must affix the metal plate and pre-registration decals onto their vehicle within ten days of purchase.
- The customer will then have two months from the date of purchase to fully register their vehicle.
- The pre-registration process applies to all vehicles (new or used) purchased in the state of Oklahoma on or after Sept. 1, 2024, regardless of whether the vehicle will be fully registered in another state, jurisdiction or with a tribe.
- Vehicles purchased in Oklahoma prior to Sept. 1 do not have to be pre-registered and their temporary paper tags will remain valid for two months rather than ten days. The buyers of those vehicles must still complete full registration within two months of purchase.
The dealer will handle pre-registration. All the customer has to do is affix the metal plate with the pre-registration decals onto their newly-purchased vehicle within ten days of the sale.
To go into more detail:
- The dealer will have two business days from the date of sale to submit pre-registration information to Service Oklahoma. The dealer selects the licensed operator that will process the information.
- The customer will then receive an email confirming that the dealer submitted the pre-registration.
- Next, the selected licensed operator will mail a metal license plate with two pre-registration decals attached, to the customer.
- All the customer has to do is affix the metal license plate onto their vehicle within ten days of the purchase date, replacing the temporary paper tag.
If the customer chooses to transfer their current metal license plate to their newly purchased vehicle, the licensed operator will only send the pre-registration decals. The customer will then attach the decals onto their existing metal license plate. This must be done within ten days of buying the car.
- The buyer and the private seller decide who submits the pre-registration information on the OkCARS website. The submission must be completed within two business days from the date of sale.
- If the private seller submits the pre-registration information, the buyer will receive an email asking them to confirm the info. But if the buyer submits the pre-registration information, no additional confirmation will be necessary.
- During online pre-registration, the submitter will be asked to pick a licensed operator, who will mail a metal license plate and two pre-registration decals to the buyer once the information is processed. If the buyer is transferring a metal license plate, they will recive only the pre-registration decals in the mail.
- Alternatively, the buyer can complete pre-registration in person at a licensed operator location within two business days from the date of sale. Taking this route means the buyer will also receive the metal license plate and pre-registration decals in person rather than through the mail.
- The buyer will then have ten days from the date of sale to affix the metal license plate and pre-registration decals onto their newly-purchased vehicle, replacing the temporary paper tag. The ten-day window remains the same regardless of whether the pre-registration was completed online or in person.
Buyer Completes Pre-Registration Process:
Private Sale Pre-Registration Request Without an Account:
Yes. The pre-registration process applies to all vehicles (new or used) purchased in the state of Oklahoma on or after September 1, 2024, regardless of whether the vehicle will be fully registered in another state, jurisdiction or with a tribe.
Vehicles purchased in Oklahoma prior to September 1, 2024 do not have to be pre-registered and their temporary paper tags will remain valid for two months rather than ten days.
- During a private sale, the buyer and the private seller decide who submits the pre-registration information on the OkCARS website. The submission must be completed within two business days from the date of sale.
- If the private seller submits the pre-registration information, the buyer will receive an email asking them to confirm the info. But if the buyer submits the pre-registration information, no additional confirmation will be necessary.
- During online pre-registration, the submitter will be asked to pick a licensed operator, who will mail a metal license plate and two pre-registration decals to the buyer once the information is processed.
- The private seller will keep the license plate that was previously affixed to the vehicle because in Oklahoma, plates are assigned to people, not automobiles. The buyer will be responsible for attaching a new plate to the vehicle, by either transferring an existing plate or getting a new plate through the pre-registration process.
How to Submit Documentation for Customer Account Approval:
Creating a Customer Account on OkCARS:
Disassociating a Vehicle from the Customer Account:
How to Associate a Vehicle with a Customer Account:
Private Sales: Pre-Registration as the Seller:
Pre-registration decals indicate that vehicle sale information has been sent to the state, but the vehicle is not fully registered. Buyers must get a metal license plate and pre-registration decals on their vehicle within ten days of the date of purchase and will then have two months from the date of purchase to complete full registration.
Buyers will receive two pre-registration decals: one that shows the month the decals expire (two months from the date of vehicle purchase) and another decal that says, “TEMPORARY.” The month decal should be placed on the top left corner of the metal license plate while the “TEMPORARY” decal should be placed on the top right corner.
Once the buyer completes registration, they will receive the standard month and year decals to place over the pre-registration decals on the metal license plate.
The month decal should be placed on the top left corner of the metal license plate (where the standard month decal typically goes) while the “TEMPORARY” decal should be placed on the top right corner of the plate (where the year decal typically goes).
Once the buyer completes registration, they will receive the standard month and year decals to place over the pre-registration decals on the metal license plate.
Instead of getting a new metal license plate during the pre-registration process, the buyer can transfer their current plate to their newly-purchased vehicle. The existing plate information will be submitted to Service Oklahoma and the buyer will only receive the two pre-registration decals, which must be affixed to the buyer’s existing metal plate within ten days of the vehicle purchase.
Oklahomans will still have two months from the date of purchase to complete their vehicle registration and will then replace the pre-registration decals with the standard month and year decals.
If a customer purchased their vehicle in a private sale, they could skip pre-registration and immediately register their vehicle by visiting a licensed operator or Service Oklahoma’s headquarters at 6015 N. Classen Blvd. in Oklahoma City.
Oklahomans who purchased their vehicle at a dealership cannot skip pre-registration because the dealer completes the pre-registration process.
Yes, Oklahomans are free to choose their preferred licensed operator for each transaction.
Pre-registration is required for all vehicles purchased in Oklahoma on or after Sept. 1, 2024, even if the customer plans to complete full registration with their respective tribes. Customers with existing Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation license plates can transfer their plates to their newly purchased vehicles during pre-registration.
All other tribal nation members will need to get new plates during pre-registration rather than transfer their existing plates. This means dealers will need to provide temporary paper tags for their vehicles while they wait for licensed operators to mail out their Oklahoma metal plates and pre-registration decals.
All vehicles purchased in Oklahoma before September 1, 2024, will not have to be pre-registered because their temporary paper tags will still be valid for two months rather than ten days. This means that someone who bought a car in Oklahoma on August 31 will not have to get a metal license plate and pre-registration decals in ten days. However, that person must still complete full registration within two months of purchase.
Out-of-state sales are not required to undergo the pre-registration process. Visit our Vehicle Registration page for steps on how to register a vehicle in Oklahoma after buying it from another state.
No, a vehicle buyer does not pay anything during pre-registration. Only once they fully register their vehicles within two months from the date of purchase will they have to pay the tag, title and tax.
There is no fee associated with pre-registration.
Once the law takes effect on September 1, 2024, failure to affix a metal plate and pre-registration decals within ten days of the vehicle purchase may result in citations, fines, and/or penalties at the discretion of law enforcement.
Vehicles purchased in Oklahoma prior to September 1, 2024 do not have to be pre-registered and their temporary paper tags will remain valid for two months rather than ten days. The buyers of those vehicles must still complete full registration within two months of purchase.
Senate Bill 2035, also known as the Mason Treat Act, transforms the way license plates are issued in the state. The legislation, which went into effect on Sept. 1, 2024, limits the amount of time that temporary paper tags are on vehicles, with the goal of improving road safety.
The law is named after Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat’s son, who was critically injured in January 2024 during a routine traffic stop. Canadian County Deputy Jose Tayahua-Mendoza was also seriously hurt.
SB2305 requires all vehicles sold in Oklahoma on or after Sept. 1 to be pre-registered with the state. Dealers and those involved in private sales must submit pre-registration information within two business days of each sale. A licensed operator will then use the information to mail a metal license plate and pre-registration decals to the customer (or just the decals if the customer is transferring over an existing plate). The customer has ten days from the date of purchase to affix the plate and pre-registration decals to their vehicle.
While the new law adds a pre-registration process, Oklahomans still have two months from the date of purchase to complete their full vehicle registrations. They will then replace their pre-registration decals with the standard month and year decals.
Customers should contact the licensed operator selected by the dealer during the submission of the pre-registration information. The contact details for that licensed operator will be in a confirmation email that the customer receives after the pre-registration information was submitted. Alternatively, customers can contact Service Oklahoma at (405) 522-7000 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Yes, a customer can choose another licensed operator for full registration if the location is more convenient for them.
While a suspended or revoked driver license restricts driving privileges, it does not impact an Oklahoman’s ability to purchase a vehicle. You can use se your existing driver license number during pre-registration after you purchase a vehicle.
