TxDMV begins rollout of new paper license plates in effort to prevent counterfeit temporary tags

Beginning today, if you buy a car in Texas, it will come with a new temporary tag much more complex than existing tags, making them more secure.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles began rolling out new paper license plates Friday as part of on-going effort to stop criminals from making counterfeit temporary tags.

In 2021, officials estimated at least 1.8 million fraudulent paper plates were on the roads in Texas.

READ MORE: Fake paper plates causing real problems on the road and costing Texas millions

The new tags include additional data and security features to make it easier for law enforcement to spot a fake.

SEE ALSO: Fake paper car tags cost Harris County more than $80M in past 6 years, new report finds

TxDMV released a photo of what the new tags will look like but noted that certain security elements were modified so they cannot be digitally replicated.

Here are some of the new features:

• Texas flag watermark

• Enhanced depiction of tag expiration date, vehicle year and make, and name of issuing dealer

• Identification of the specific type of tag issued

• Font selection and size that maximize readability of primary components

• Active and passive security features identifiable by law enforcement

• Numerous pieces of embedded data and text, linked to law enforcement databases, that can be created only by internal TxDMV computer systems

Previously, TxDMV took other measures to reduce fraud by limiting the number of tags Texas dealers can create and denying access to the temporary tag system when fraudulent activity is identified.

RELATED: Sugar Land man accused of using fake car dealership to sell 700,000 fake paper car plates