Georgia License Plate Lookup

How To Lookup Georgia License Plates

Using a free service, you can easily look up a Georgia license plate for mechanical and model details. However, you won't see any vehicle owner information as state and federal DPPA statutes strictly regulate those personal details. Georgia's Department of Driver Services allows companies, law enforcement, and other types of businesses to create an account and pull license plate records. There are only a few limited purposes that Georgia allows for access to driver records such as insurance, employment, credit, licensing, and car rentals.

When requesting records from the government, you will need to pay fees and supply information about the vehicle such as the driver's license number, VIN, or plate number.

Georgia License Plate Regulations

The state of Georgia requires only one license plate affixed to the rear of the vehicle, and they do not allow any license plate covers that may restrict the visibility of it. License plates may not be covered by any type of material unless it is colorless and transparent.

Some specific types of vehicles need to display the license plate on the front. Anyone who covers their license plate or violates other license plate laws in Georgia will be found guilty of a misdemeanor.

Any lost or stolen license plates must be reported to the police. Replacement costs for new plates range from $8-$43.

Whether you move to Georgia from another state or move from county to county, you have only 30 days to register your vehicle in the new county of residence. When registering a new car, you will need the title or a title application, proof of insurance, a clean emissions test, the appropriate fees, and taxes, along with a valid Georgia driver's license and proof of vehicle ownership.

Registration renewals may be completed online or in-person at the County Tag Office during the month of renewal.

Georgia License Plates

Most vehicle owners will use Georgia's standard license plates (called tags), which has peaches on it with a light blue sky. They also offer personalized plates for all their different specialty plates. Georgia also has disability plates, prestige plates, and a standard alternative that has a white background. Some other Georgia license plate options are:

• Military plates.
• University plates.
• Veteran plates.
• Wildlife license plates.
• National Guard.

Georgia also offers dozens of organizational license plates that help to sponsor foundations and causes. The extra fees for these types of plates go towards helping fund those businesses. Some of these specialized plates sponsor firefighters, police, the Rotary club, and other things like that. All tags can be purchased at the local County Tag Office.

The state also has special trailer plates for truck users who haul things in a trailer.

How Does the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) Work in Georgia?

Georgia's driver protection laws (O.C.G.A. § 40-2-130(c); O.C.G.A. § 40‑3‑23(d); O.C.G.A. § 33-34-9.) specify how the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2721-2725 (DPPA) works in regards to private information contained in motor vehicle records collected and stored by government agencies. Georgia's law states that motor vehicle records are "exempt from the provisions of any law of this state requiring that such records be open for public inspection". O.C.G.A. § 40-2-130(c) The law states that records may be provided for use that is consistent with the federal DPPA and for the following five purposes:

• by any licensed dealer of a new or used motor vehicles
• by any tax collector, tax receiver or tax commissioner
• by the director of the Environmental Protection Division
• by any private person, meeting strict code requirements, who will use the information for registration or renewal purposes and where the information is limited to the VIN, license number, expiration date and taxes owed.
• by an authorized individual for purposes of towing and impoundment

Additionally, the law states that "personal informationobtained by a business under this code shall not be resold or redisclosed for any purpose other than those permitted" under the federal DPPA, without the "written consent of the individual".

Georgia License Plate Search Frequently Asked Questions