Federal & State Regulations | Vehicle registration requirements - Georgia

All motor vehicles and trailers used upon the highways of Georgia must be registered.

Georgia imposed a $50 heavy vehicle highway user impact fee for any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating from 15,500 pounds to 26,000 pounds. For vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds, the fee is $100.

Companies with fleets of 100 or more vehicles within Georgia can now register as fleets. Fleet registration must be completed online used Georgia DRIVES e-Services.

Any boat trailer, utility trailer, or noncommercial cattle and livestock trailer has the option of obtaining a permanent registration and license plate for such trailer, in lieu of an annual registration and license plate, upon the payment of a one-time fee.

Agency: Department of Revenue; see Regulatory Agencies for address(es).

License plate display

Every vehicle registered within Georgia and used on the highways must display the issued license plate at all times on the rear of the vehicle.

Georgia requires trucks and trailers to display the license plate on the rear of the vehicle. In cases where the vehicle’s use causes a rear-mounted license plate to be defaced, destroyed, or lost, the plate may be attached to the front of the vehicle.

Tractors must display the license plate on the front of the vehicle.

International Registration Plan

Georgia is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees, allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction.

Motor vehicles that qualify for apportionment consist of the following:

A power unit having two axles and a gross vehicle weight (GVW) or registered weight in excess of 26,000 pounds;
A power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight; or
A unit used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds a GVW or 26,000 pounds.

Georgia requires full payment of IRP fees before issuing a Temporary Evidence of Apportioned Registration (TA/TEAR) receipt and a cab card. Upon full payment, both the TA/TEAR and cab card will be emailed to the account on file.

Fleet registrations expire on the last day of the IRP expiration month. Fleet renewals filed during the IRP expiration month are assessed a mandatory 10 percent late filing penalty. Fleet renewal invoices paid after the last day of the IRP expiration month are assessed a mandatory 25 percent late payment penalty.

Temporary permit: A temporary apportioned permit will be issued for paid invoices.

Hunter's or unladen weight permit: The hunter's permit allows a truck's owner-operator to move his empty vehicle from place to place, as needed, in looking for employment. This permit is available for a vehicle owned by a Georgia-based owner-operator that was previously leased to a motor carrier and for which the current year tag was in the carrier's name but is no longer leased to the carrier. Such vehicles won't have a current IRP registration. The permit is available online for a fee of $30, and is valid for seven days.

Agency: Georgia Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division.

Fees: IRP fees will vary.

['Registration and Permits - Motor Carrier']

['Vehicle Registration Permits']

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Vehicle registration requirements - Georgia

License plate display

International Registration Plan