North Carolina has now enacted the same modernization we proposed for Florida, and gone a step further. Beginning October 1, 2026, North Carolina drivers will no longer receive license plate stickers or printed registration cards, because law enforcement can already verify registration electronically in real time.
In December 2025, the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector's Office proposed eliminating Florida's outdated yellow registration decal for the same reason. Representative Tom Fabricio and Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez filed HB 841 and SB 982 to move Florida to electronic verification. The Florida House passed HB 841 by a vote of 93 to 17, but the bill did not clear the Senate.
Our proposal was simple: modernize government, eliminate an unnecessary physical requirement, reduce administrative costs, and use technology we already have. We estimate annual savings of approximately $2.5 million in Miami-Dade County and approximately $24 million statewide.
North Carolina shows this reform works in practice. Drivers there still renew every year, registration requirements remain in place, and law enforcement verifies status electronically. Florida should not fall behind. We will continue working with our legislative partners to get this done in the 2027 session.
Dariel Fernandez
Tax Collector
Miami-Dade County
