Georgia Temporary Tag Requirements & How To Get One
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Pretty much every state has some kind of temporary tag available for vehicle owners, but exactly how they handle temporary tags, and when owners need to get one, can vary from state to state. Georgia temporary tags are called temporary operating permits, usually abbreviated as TOPs, but generally, work the same way as other states.
TOPs in Georgia are an important part of getting a new vehicle, but that’s not the only time you might need one.
Don’t worry if you’ve never gotten a Georgia temporary tag before, we’ll go over everything you need to know, including when you need one and how you can get a TOP in Georgia.
What Are Georgia Temporary Tags Or Temporary Operating Permits?
Basically, a temporary tag is used anytime you need to have your vehicle licensed with the state of Georgia, but either don’t have the documentation needed for a regular license or only need the TOP for a brief period.
The most common types of TOPs are dealer tags, which you’ll be issued when you buy a new vehicle while the dealer registers your vehicle and applies for a Title from the state. Once you have the title and registration, you’ll need to get a regular license plate for your vehicle.
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Getting a TOP
In Georgia, there aren’t a lot of reasons you’d need a temporary tag for your vehicle. They mostly only apply when you’ve got a new vehicle from the dealer. In other situations, you’ll typically either need a regular license or won’t need either a TOP or a regular license.
Dealers in Georgia are required to supply a Georgia temporary tag anytime the new vehicle owner needs one.
However, if you buy a vehicle in a private sale you may need to go directly to the DMV with the title and other proof of ownership. Private owners usually cannot provide a TOP, and most don’t want to let the new vehicle owner leave with their old license either, which means you’ll need to get a license issued as soon as possible.
Requirements For A Dealer-Issued TOP
There are a few requirements you and your dealer have to meet to get a Georgia temporary tag for your new vehicle.
For the most part, consumers don’t need to worry about these requirements (other than making sure they get a regular license before the temporary tag expires!) but it’s still good to know them just in case.
First and most importantly: Dealers can only issue temporary tags for vehicles they sell themselves.
You cannot work with a dealer to get a temporary tag for a private vehicle sale unless you’re willing to first sell the vehicle to the dealer, in which case they can resell the vehicle at their chosen price and to any interested customer, not necessarily the person you intended to sell the vehicle to.
Another requirement is that the dealer isn’t allowed to charge you for a TOP. That’s important for you to know because you can absolutely contest the charge if your dealer tries to charge you.
According to Georgia dealer temporary permit training, owners have 45 days to get a regular license after buying a vehicle, and the dealer must get the title within 30 days of the sale.
Do You Need A New License For A New Vehicle?
In some cases, you might not want to get a new license just because you’ve bought a new vehicle. For instance, if you just got a license recently, it might not make sense to get a whole new license plate if you can transfer the license from your old vehicle to the new one.
This is most common when you’re either:
- Selling your old vehicle
- Scrapping the old vehicle
- The vehicle was totaled in an accident, but the license plates were undamaged
However, you do have to apply to transfer a valid license plate from one vehicle to another. In some cases, you may be required to get a new license plate for your new vehicle, especially if the older vehicle is still going to be in use.
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When Can Georgia Dealers NOT Issue A Temporary Operating Permit?
There are some situations when a dealer won’t be able to issue a temporary operating permit for a vehicle, even if they would otherwise be able to.
The most common reason is that they’re asked to provide a temporary operating permit for a vehicle they didn’t sell themselves.
Permitting a vehicle the dealer didn’t sell mostly isn’t allowed because they have no way of proving that the supposed owner of the vehicle owns it and has the right to sell the vehicle, and they may not be able to tell if the vehicle has already had one temporary operating permit issued.
In general, Georgia only allows one temporary operating permit per transaction and doesn’t allow the permits to be renewed.
Dealers also cannot issue a Georgia temporary tag if the vehicle is going to be registered under the International Registration Plan. If you’re planning to register your vehicle with the IRP, you need to inform the dealer.
Lastly, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue, dealers cannot offer TOPs for a vehicle with a salvage title.
Additionally, dealers are not allowed to issue additional TOPs for a vehicle they’ve sold, and customers cannot legally operate a vehicle with an expired TOP without getting a valid license plate to replace it.
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What Happens If The Dealer Doesn’t Get Me The Title Before My TOP Expires?
Some consumers might be worried that, since they can’t get their Georgia temporary tags renewed, they’re in a vulnerable position if the Dealer doesn’t get them a title in time, or if the title gets lost in the mail.
Thankfully there are alternatives if you’re nearing your tag expiration and don’t have what you need for a license yet.
You can go to your County Tag Office and provide some documentation to prove that you own the vehicle and need a license.
You’ll need three things:
- Your dealer-issued TOP
- Your valid Georgia driver’s license
- The dealer invoice as proof of ownership
With that information in hand, you’ll be able to fill out a form to extend your temporary registration.
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