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Effective July 1st temporary paper license plates will no longer be issued when purchasing a new or used vehicle in Texas.

 

Metal Plates:

Dealers are now required to issue permanent metal license plates at the time of sale, or if a specific plate isn’t available, a temporary metal plate of a specific color. 

 

Temporary Metal Plates:

These plates are used in specific situations like:

Buyer Provisional (Purple): When a dealer doesn’t have the correct plate in stock. 

Out-of-State Buyer (Green): For vehicles sold to buyers outside of Texas. 

Dealer Temporary (Blue): For dealer transfers, test drives, etc. 

Temporary Registration (Red): For temporary registration purposes issued by the TxDMV or county tax offices. 

 

Fraud Concerns:

The change is intended to combat the fraudulent use of paper plates, which has been linked to various crimes, according to law enforcement. 

 

Grace Period:

Existing paper tags will remain valid for 60 days from July 1, 2025

 

Nic from Groves Asks- Officer Antoine I’m a black male and I’ve been stopped by the police more than times than I can remember. I’m not an opponent of law enforcement but I do believe I’ve been the target of Driving While Black on several occasions. I’m aware that this may be a sensitive subject and sometimes difficult to discuss but I’m tired of being stopped by the police for the same over and over again. They always say I’m stopping you because your tint is too dark, and I always have to explain to them I bought the vehicle with the tint on it. Officer Antoine I notice other vehicles with darker  tint than my vehicle, what can done about me being stopped by the police DWB- Driving While Black??

 

Answer- Good Question Nic! Before we address the claim of racial profiling, Nic I can instantly HELP you from being stopped over and over by law enforcement “‘remove the tint or get in compliance with state of Texas tint law”! Just because you purchased your vehicle with the tint on it doesn’t make it right with the state of Texas. Nic the state of Texas allows 25% light transparency on window tint and anything under that 25% level is a violation of state of Texas tint law. Nic before you claim you’re being racially profiled let’s try to come into compliance with the law! Nic I advise that you contact your local Police Department where you being targeted because there are strict guidelines on racial profiling that our Police Chief Tim Duriso will assure are being followed within the ranks of the Port Arthur Police Department. Nic Port Arthur Port Department and every law enforcement agency across the nation must continually report to the government traffic/pedestrian stops so that racial profiling can be extinguished! Nic try complying with the tint law before you make an outcry of racial profiling.

 

Brit from Port Arthur Asks- Officer Antoine I’m fixing to get my 11yr old granddaughter for some summer shopping. She loves riding with me as we go girl shopping, you know a lil retail therapy LOL! Is it legal to allow her to ride in the front seat with me, well not actually with me but in the front passenger seat?

 

Answer- Good Question Brit! Very concerning question for your granddaughter because I’m sure her safety is your number one priority, then come retail therapy! Brit your 11yr old granddaughter is more than legal to be company for you in the front passenger seat as long as she is secured by a safety belt that’s worn correctly. Many parents and grandparents have questions relating to their children legality as far as child seat, seat positions, and booster seat laws in Texas. I don’t look down on anyone that asks a question especially someone who wants to travel safely by securing children because I encounter so many that appear to not care about the safety of the children transported in motor vehicles. Backseat is the safest place to transport children in vehicles but as long as you transport a child in the correct safety system any seat is applicable except the drivers seat!!!

 

Harold from Port Arthur Asks- Officer Antoine I’m loving this column every Wednesday and Tuesday  the radio show is off the chain. Officer Antoine one day I was drinking some water and I laughed so hard I choked myself, you guys really be going at it, but in the end I always learn something. I wanted to know about my wife going to sleep in the passenger and seat on long drives. If we go to visit family in Louisiana or Dallas she can’t stay awake and always go to sleep. Now sleeping isn’t the concern, her sleeping position is the concern. She reclines her front passenger seat back so far till she’s almost laying down. Officer Antoine is this legal to sleep in this position in a car while traveling on the roads of Texas even if her seat belt is on?

 

Answer- Good Question Harold! It’s always good to hear that this weekly column and the weekly radio show is reaching our community in a positive manner! Harold the answer your question regarding sleeping position in a car may shock many. Harold it is totally acceptable to sleep in a moving motor vehicle on the roads  of Texas, but the seat position is the problem concerning wife. Harold the safety belt is not on properly if it’s not against the upper torso, and your wife could be issued a ticket for not wearing her seatbelt. I know this sounds crazy but you can go to sleep but don’t change your seat position which alters the protection that your vehicle seatbelt can provide. This goes for children as well, DO NOT lay your children on back seat so the can sleep even if you keep their seat belt on their lap. If you’re involved in a crash the seatbelt can cause more damage than help if it’s not worn correctly.

 

Join Me, Officer Antoine and the CREW Stephen “Buzzard Boots” Mosley, Lelo “mouth of Hwy 69/73” I Washington , Tejas “Lil Man”Morning Star & Reginald (Sir Reg)Trainer the Ask A Cop live, on KSAP 96.9 FM The Breeze radio station, every Tuesday for 2 hour from 1p-3p. Tune in and listen as Officer Antoine discusses in detail the newly released “Ask A Cop” article that’s printed in The News. You can also tune in via internet atwww.ksap969thebreeze.org. Feel free to call in and ask your question live to Officer Antoine at (409) 982-0247. Now you can make a comment or Ask a Question via TEXT(409)748-6106. Remember to email your questions torickey.antoine@portarthurtx.gov, or call 409-983-8673 and leave a voice mail question, or mail them to: Ofc. Rickey Antoine,645 4th Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640. If you happen to see me in public you can always feel free and comfortable to approach and “Ask A Cop”!