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A new law that transforms the way license plates are issued in Oklahoma is set to begin on Sept. 1 of this year. Because it will have a major effect on law enforcement, we want to provide you with resources to help you understand the legislation.
Who We Are
If you are unfamiliar with Service Oklahoma, we are a state government agency created by the Legislature in May 2022 to provide driver and motor vehicle services previously handled by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and the Oklahoma Tax Commission. When the Legislature passes laws impacting driver license and motor vehicle services, Service Oklahoma is the agency responsible for implementation. That's why we are reaching out to explain how Senate Bill 2035 will affect you and the communities you serve.
What is Senate Bill 2035?
SB2035, also known as the Mason Treat Act, limits the amount of time that temporary paper tags are on vehicles, with the goal of improving road safety for drivers and law enforcement. The law is named after Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat’s son, who was critically injured in January 2024 during a routine traffic stop. Canadian County Deputy Jose Tayahua-Mendoza was also seriously hurt.
SB2035 requires all vehicles sold in Oklahoma on or after Sept. 1 to be pre-registered with the state. Dealers must submit pre-registration information within two business days of each sale. A licensed operator will then use the information to mail a metal license plate and pre-registration decals to the customer (or just the decals if the customer is transferring over an existing plate). The customer has ten days from the date of purchase to affix the plate and pre-registration decals to their vehicle.
 While the new law adds a pre-registration process, Oklahomans will still have two months from the date of purchase to complete their full vehicle registration. They will then replace their pre-registration decals with the standard month and year decals.
Because all license plate information will be input into Service Oklahoma’s system in the pre-registration process, law enforcement will have quicker access to vehicle owner information once the law takes effect.
FAQ for Law Enforcement
To prepare you for interactions with drivers once SB2035 takes effect, Service Oklahoma created a list of frequently asked questions and answers. The document explains in more detail what drivers must do to be compliant with the new legislation and other details that law enforcement should be aware of.
Educating the Public
To ensure drivers understand SB2035 as well, we recently launched the Ready, Set, Tag! public awareness campaign, which includes a dedicated website, ReadySetTag.com. We have also created an online checklist to help Oklahomans understand the steps they need to take when buying, selling or transferring a vehicle starting Sept 1. Oklahomans can use the Ready, Set, Tag! Checklist to get a personalized list of the steps they need to take at ReadySetTag.com/Checklist.
 Should you have questions about SB2035, please reach out to Partnership Coordinator Ashley Bechtold at ashley.bechtold@service.ok.gov.
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