A. The license plate and certificate of registration shall be issued to, and remain in the name of, the owner of the vehicle registered and the license plates shall not be transferable between motor vehicle owners. When a vehicle is sold or transferred in the state, the following registration procedures shall apply: 1. When a current and valid Oklahoma motor vehicle license plate has been obtained for use on a motor vehicle and the vehicle has been sold or otherwise transferred to a new owner, the license plate shall be removed from the vehicle and retained by the original plate owner; 2. In the event an owner purchases, trades, exchanges, or otherwise acquires another vehicle of the same license registration classification, Service Oklahoma shall authorize the transfer of the current and valid license plate previously obtained by the owner to the replacement vehicle for the remainder of the current registration period. In the event the owner acquires a vehicle requiring payment of additional registration fees, the owner shall request a transfer of the license plate to the newly acquired vehicle and pay the difference in registration fees. The fee shall be calculated on a monthly prorated basis. The owner shall not be entitled to a refund: a. when the registration fee for the vehicle to which the plate(s) is to be assigned is less than the registration fee for that vehicle to which the license plate(s) was last assigned, or b. if the owner does not have or does not acquire another vehicle to which the license plate may be transferred; 3. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this subsection, in the event the owner of a license plate or a dealer seller purchases, trades, exchanges, or otherwise acquires a vehicle for which a license plate has been issued during the current registration period, and the license plate has not been removed by the previous owner in accordance with this section, the new owner of the vehicle shall remove and destroy or otherwise discard the license plate. However, if the license plate has expired, the new owner shall not be required to destroy or otherwise discard the license plate; 4. When a lender or lender’s agent repossesses a vehicle and the license plate has not been removed in accordance with this section, the lender or lender’s agent shall not be subject to the provisions of this section and the license plate shall be considered removable personal property and may be reclaimed from the repossessed vehicle; 5. If a person purchases a motor vehicle from which the number plates have been removed pursuant to this section, the person may operate the motor vehicle for five (5) calendar days from the date of purchase without number plates if a dated, notarized bill of sale is carried in the motor vehicle. If the vehicle is subject to a lien, the person may obtain a ten-day temporary plate issued either from the dealer seller or by a licensed operator pursuant to the promulgation of rules by Service Oklahoma; and 6. a. Within two (2) business days of the date of sale or transfer of the motor vehicle, either the seller or the purchaser of the motor vehicle shall complete the pre-registration of the vehicle by submitting documentation to Service Oklahoma or a licensed operator identifying the motor vehicle subject to the sale or transfer, purchaser information, and any associated state-issued license plate on the vehicle. Pre-registration may be accomplished either in person at Service Oklahoma or a licensed operator location or by means of an electronic transaction or online system established by Service Oklahoma in accordance with Section 1132B of this title. Service Oklahoma or the licensed operator shall: (1) provide information and instructions to the purchaser to complete the registration transaction as required by the Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act, (2) if no license plate was transferred to the motor vehicle as a result of the purchase or transfer, issue a license plate with a temporary decal to the purchaser, and (3) if there was an existing license plate transferred to the motor vehicle, issue a temporary decal to the existing license plate, and b. upon the effective date of this act, Service Oklahoma is authorized to set the licensed operator compensation pursuant to Section 3-103 of this title for processing the documentation submitted and issuing the license plate and/or decal pursuant to this subsection. B. 1. The new owner of a motor vehicle shall, within two (2) months from the date of vehicle purchase or acquisition, make application to record the registration of the vehicle with Service Oklahoma or the licensed operator and shall pay all taxes and fees provided by law. 2. Any person failing to register a motor vehicle by timely transferring the license plate as provided by this section shall pay the penalty levied in Section 1132 of this title. C. A surviving spouse, desiring to operate a vehicle devolving from a deceased spouse, shall present an application for certificate of title to Service Oklahoma or the licensed operator in his or her name within two (2) months of obtaining ownership. Service Oklahoma or the licensed operator shall then transfer the license plate to the surviving spouse. D. Service Oklahoma shall be authorized to promulgate such rules as may be required to implement the license plate transfers authorized by this section including, but not limited to, such rules as may be required for a system under which the license plate is registered to an individual and not a vehicle for all license plates issued on or after July 1, 2019. E. Service Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Motor Vehicle Commission and the Oklahoma Used Motor Vehicle, Dismantler, and Manufactured Housing Commission are authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for the implementation of an electronic system to facilitate the entry of required vehicle purchaser information on new and used vehicle purchases and the issuance of temporary license plates. Service Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority are authorized to enter into contracts and agreements to facilitate the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's access to an owner's vehicle registration information used by the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to charge and collect tolls from owners of vehicles imaged using the turnpike system, and to charge the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for services in connection with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's need to access owner registration information at such rates and miscellaneous costs as may be agreed to by Service Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority. Service Oklahoma, in cooperation with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority as provided in this subsection, and appropriate state agencies, commissions, and other organizations, is directed to develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program to be utilized in making Oklahomans aware of the requirements of this section. Added by Laws 2018, c. 208, § 2, eff. July 1, 2019. Amended by Laws 2020, c. 29, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2020; Laws 2021, c. 10, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2021; Laws 2022, c. 282, § 126, emerg. eff. May 19, 2022;
‹ Prev All Oklahoma sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.