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Possible Oklahoma license plate changes could raise $40 million a year for state

Posted: Mar 22nd 2018 By: Tyler Butler

Editor's note: Chris Burnham is the real name of pro wrestling personality C. M. Burnham/Mohammad burn Ham

By now, most Oklahoma residents should have the new scissortail license plate, but unlike other states, Oklahoma plates belong to the car and not the owner. However, that could soon change, and the changes bring the possibility of tens of millions of dollars more a year into the state.

"This is something the Used Motor Vehicle Commission has been pushing for years, and finally, we've gotten someone to see the benefit here," said Kerry Siegfried, a commissioner for Oklahoma Used Motor Vehicle and Parts Commission.

The biggest change will allow drivers to transfer their existing license plate to a newly purchased car.

What has been costing the state millions of dollars is the expiration tag that's often put on a new car. Many people wait until the car tag expires before paying registration and taxes, but there's another issue for Oklahoma, too.

"If a consumer trades in their car, they sell it to somebody else and that person then goes and runs a toll gate, or has a wreck, commits a felony, hit and run, it could come back to the other person. This really protects the consumers," said Siegfried.

By assigning tags to drivers instead of cars, like the other 42 states, Oklahoma could bring $35 to $40 million extra a year from people who have been cheating the system and about $14 million of that would help fund education.

"I mean, it's a pretty nice drop, but it's still a drop in the bucket overall. We're looking for, statewide, a $10,000 raise for all teachers," said Tulsa High School teacher Chris Burnham. That spends the $14 million pretty quickly, but still, he says it's something.

"Perhaps if another few somethings pop up, things might not get as drastic as they might become April 2, but things are definitely very desperate right now," said Burnham.