Time-Sensitive Information for Dealers
July 1, 2025: From eTAG to ePLATE
Effective July 1, 2025, eTAG will be known as ePLATE.
Training on ePLATE and metal license plate assignments is available on demand or during one of our live webinars. Learn more about House Bill 718 (HB 718) and access information for dealers on our HB 718 page.
New webDEALER Requirement: July 1, 2025
As of July 1, 2025, all licensed dealers in Texas must use the TxDMV webDEALER system to electronically process title and registration for vehicle sales. Dealers without webDEALER accounts will not be able to complete sales transactions beginning July 1, 2025.
webDEALER training is available on demand online 24/7 or during one of our live webinars.
The webDEALER | ePLATE (formerly eTAG) system is designed to make processing license plates (previously dealer tags) fast and easy for dealerships throughout the state while making license plate information available in almost real-time to law enforcement.
Make sure you have printed your allotment of Internet Down tags in case they are needed when webDEALER is unavailable.
Dealers and Converters use the webDEALER|ePLATE system to assign plates. Effective July 1, 2025, dealer temporary tags, buyer’s temporary tags, internet-down temporary tags, and converter temporary tags are no longer in use.
Dealers may issue of use different types of plates for various purposes. Converters may use Converter License Plates for road testing and transporting vehicles of the type that they convert.
These plates are for use by dealers for business purposes only. A dealer may only use Dealer Temporary Plates on vehicles for which they hold a license to sell.
- Uses:
- Loaning a vehicle to a customer during vehicle repairs
- Transporting a vehicle to another dealer's premises
- Demonstrating a vehicle to a prospective buyer
- Transporting a vehicle from a state line/unloading point
- Transporting a vehicle between dealer premises
- Road testing the vehicle
- Allowing a vehicle to be used by a charitable organization
- Transporting a vehicle to a repair or service location.
- The Dealer Temporary Plate:
- CANNOT be used by dealership personnel for personal use.
- CANNOT be displayed on courtesy car on which a courtesy car sign is displayed.
- CANNOT be displayed on a commercial vehicle carrying a load.
- MUST be displayed and properly secured in the rear plate holder.
- Vehicles upon which the Dealer Temporary Plate is affixed do not need a current inspection.
- Dealer Temporary Plates are valid for the duration of time in which they are affixed to the vehicle and recorded in ePLATE.
The buyer’s tag is issued with a retail sale. The dealer must enter the vehicle’s and the buyer’s information into the e-TAG System. The system then assigns a vehicle-specific number to the transaction, which can be printed out in the form of a temporary registration tag.
- Issued to a retail purchaser
- MUST have current inspection
- MUST be displayed and properly secured in rear plate holder
- MUST keep Buyer’s Tag Receipt in vehicle until registered
- If tag is stolen or lost, replacement is reprinted with original expiration date
- CAN display signs and carry load on vehicle
- TAG is good for 60 calendar days
- Dealer is required to apply for title and registration within 20 working days of the date of sale or 45 calendar days if Seller financed
The law requires you to collect a $5.00 fee from each buyer that is issued a buyer's eTAG. This fee will be paid to the county at the time the title and registration is filed just like the TT&L. The buyer tag is the only tag for which this fee is charged. This fee also applies to out of state transactions.
Buyer tags are good for 60 days. Only one tag is allowed for one VIN/Buyer.
If the webDEALER System is unavailable at the time of a retail sale, you must assign the appropriate plate type and provide a buyer's internet-down receipt. You will enter sales information into the database once the webDEALER System is available again. This must be no later than the close of the next business day that you have access to the Internet.
- Used when Internet is down as an alternate Buyer’s Plate. Internet-Down receipts are preprinted by dealer with the assigned number. Buyer and vehicle info is hand-printed by the dealer.
- Dealer required to enter all information into webDEALER database within 24 hours of resuming Internet service.
- Issued to a retail purchaser
- MUST have a current emissions inspection if required
- MUST keep Buyer’s Internet-Down Receipt in vehicle until registered
- CAN display signs and carry load on vehicle
- Buyer's Internet-Down Receipt is good for 60 calendar days
- Dealer is required to apply for title and registration within 20 working days of the date of sale or 45 calendar days if Seller financed
All dealers should make sure they have printed their allotment of Internet Down tags in case they are needed when eTAG is unavailable.
These plates can be used by dealers for both business purposes and personal use. A dealer may only use Standard Dealer Plates on vehicles for which they hold a license to sell.
- Uses:
- Personal use on a vehicle the dealer owns
- Loaning a vehicle to a customer during vehicle repairs
- Transporting a vehicle to another dealer’s premises
- Demonstrating a vehicle to a prospective buyer
- Transporting a vehicle from a state line/unloading point
- Transporting a vehicle between dealer premises
- Road testing the vehicle
- Allowing a vehicle to be used by a charitable organization
- Transporting a vehicle to a repair or service location.
- The Standard Dealer Plate:
- CANNOT be displayed on courtesy car on which a courtesy car sign is displayed.
- CANNOT be displayed on a commercial vehicle carrying a load.
- MUST be displayed and properly secured in the rear plate holder.
- Vehicle upon which a Standard Dealer Plate is affixed must have a current inspection.
- Converter Plates may be used by licensed converters for transporting or road testing converted vehicles.
- A Converter must maintain a record of their Converter plates in the ePLATE system or their own recordkeeping system. The license plate record must contain:
- The license plate number;
- The year and make of the vehicle to which the license plate is affixed;
- The VIN of the vehicle, if one has been assigned; and
- The name of the person in control of the license plate.
Where They Go
eTAG is to be placed on all (new, used, and trailers) vehicles sold.
- eTAG needs to be placed in the rear license plate display area of the vehicle.
- Paper tags should be secured with double sided tape or with a license plate holder to keep the tag from flapping up in the wind.
- If the buyer wants to put their old plates on the “new” vehicle they buy, the eTAG must go on top of the old plate until the registration sticker is issued by the county tax office. As a service to the customer, the temporary tag may be placed over the metal plate so the buyer can simply remove the paper tag once they receive their registration sticker from you.
Transporting Vehicles To and From Auctions
When sending a vehicle to the auction, you may issue a vehicle-specific dealer tag for the specific vehicle that will be driven to the auction to be sold. If the vehicle is not sold, it can be brought back to the lot on that same tag. If the vehicle is sold, then the buying dealer will put a dealer agent tag on the vehicle.
If you are buying vehicles from an auction, you should take agent specific dealer tags with you to the auction to put on the vehicles you buy to be transported back to your lot. If you buy through an online auction, you can fax your agent specific dealer tags to the transport company for mounting on the vehicle if it is driven back to the dealer lot.
The webDEALER | eTAG System allows you to:
- Void tags
- Correct errors and reissue the tag
- Replace lost or stolen tags by reprinting the same tag
Here are a few tips:
- You do not have to print a dealer's tag every time a vehicle is demonstrated: With the Agent Specific eTAG you can issue an agent’s tag to a particular agent to be used by that person on whatever vehicle they drive for the dealer. The dealer is still responsible for that agent’s tag and can void it at any time.
- To reprint a specific numbered tag image: look under the Tags tab and select “Reprint Tag Images.” Enter the tag number, VIN, or Name of Purchaser and select “Search.” Follow the screen instructions to reprint the eTAG.
- To create an Agent Specific Dealer Tag: first add agent names to the list. Click on the Home Page select “Manage Agent” from the Account Maintenance section. Click “Create Agent” then type in the First and Last Name of the agent; then click “save”. The name will now appear on the list of agents when you create agent specific tags.
Please note: only one tag at one time can be issued for a VIN, whether it is a dealer tag or buyer tag.
The TxDMV board rules limit the maximum number of dealer temporary and standard dealer plates that can be issued to a new dealer or to existing dealers during their license term.
Standard Dealer Plates
For Standard Dealer Plates, the maximum number of plates TxDMV will issue to a new license application during their first term is as follows:
| If a vehicle dealer is: | Maximum number of dealer’s standard license plates issued per license term is: |
|---|---|
| A franchised motor vehicle dealer | 30 |
| A franchised motorcycle dealer | 10 |
| An independent motor vehicle dealer | 3 |
| An independent motorcycle dealer | 3 |
| A franchised or independent travel trailer dealer | 3 |
| A trailer or semitrailer dealer | 3 |
| An independent mobility motor vehicle dealer | 3 |
| A wholesale motor vehicle dealer | 1 |
The maximum number of additional standard dealer’s license plates issued with a demonstrated need through proof of sales is as follows:
| If a vehicle dealer is: | Maximum number of additional standard dealer’s license plates issued with a demonstrated need through proof of sales is: |
|---|---|
| A wholesale motor vehicle dealer | 1 |
| A dealer selling fewer than 50 vehicles during the previous 12-month period | 1 |
| A dealer selling 50 to 99 vehicles during the previous 12-month period | 2 |
| A dealer selling 100 to 200 during the previous 12-month period | 5 |
| A dealer selling more than 200 vehicles during the previous 12-month period | Any number of standard license plates the dealer requests. |
Dealer Temporary Plates
For Dealer Temporary Plates, the maximum number of Dealer Temporary Plates TxDMV will issue to a new license applicant during the applicant’s first term is as follows:
| If a new license applicant is: | Maximum number of dealer’s temporary license plates issued during the first license term is: |
|---|---|
Franchised Motor Vehicle Dealer |
200 |
Franchised Motorcycle Dealer |
50 |
Independent Motor Vehicle Dealer (i.e., Motor Vehicle GDN only) |
25 |
Independent Motorcycle Dealer (i.e., Motorcycle GDN only) |
10 |
Franchised or Independent Travel Trailer dealer (i.e., Travel Trailer GDN) |
10 |
Trailer or Semitrailer dealer |
5 |
Independent Mobility Motor Vehicle Dealer |
5 |
Wholesale Motor Vehicle Dealer |
10 |
The maximum number of Dealer Temporary Plates TxDMV will issue to an existing license holder who has a dealer license as of July 1, 2025: The number of plates in the section above, PLUS:
| If a vehicle dealer is: | Maximum number of additional dealer’s temporary license plates issued with a demonstrated need through proof of sales is: |
|---|---|
1. A dealer selling 26 to 50 during the previous 12-month period |
5 |
2. A dealer selling 51 to 100 during the previous 12-month period |
10 |
3. A dealer selling 101 to 150 during the previous 12-month period |
15 |
4. A dealer selling 151 to 199 during the previous 12-month period |
20 |
5. A dealer selling 200-299 during the previous 12-month period |
25 |
6. A dealer selling more than 300 vehicles during the previous 12-month period |
30 |
Additional Plates
If you need more Dealer Temporary or Standard Dealer Plates than allowed under the Board rules, you may submit a request for a waiver of the plate limits via your eLICENSING account. Log in to eLICENSING, navigate to the “Plates and Stickers” tile and click “Apply.”