2025 Georgia Codes – Page 242

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person purchasing or acquiring a vehicle shall register
and obtain, or transfer, a license plate to operate such vehicle from the county tag agent in their county of
residence no later than seven business days after the date of purchase or acquisition of the vehicle by pre-
senting to the county tag agent the following:
(1) If applicable, a motor vehicle certificate of title or an application therefor as provided in Chapter 3 of this
title;
(2) Satisfactory proof of owner’s insurance coverage as provided for in subsection (d) of Code Section 40-2-
26;
(3) If applicable, satisfactory proof of compliance with Article 2 of Chapter 9 of Title 12, the “Georgia
Motor Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance Act”; and
(4) Satisfactory proof that all fees, permits, and taxes have been paid.
(b) An application for registration shall be accompanied by check; cash; certified or cashier’s check; bank,
postal, or express money order; or other similar bankable paper for the required fee or any taxes required by
law.
(c) Upon application for renewal of a vehicle registration, a person unable to fully comply with the require-
ments of paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall receive a temporary operating permit that
shall be valid for 30 days.
(d) The commissioner may provide by rule or regulation for one 30 day extension of the initial registration
period which may be granted by the county tag agent if the transferor has not provided such purchaser or
other transferee owner with a title to the motor vehicle more than five business days prior to the expiration of
such initial registration period. The county tag agent shall grant an extension of the initial registration period
when the transferor, purchaser, or transferee can demonstrate by affidavit in a form provided by the commis-
sioner that title has not been provided to the purchaser or transferee due to the failure of a security interest
holder or lienholder to timely release a security interest or lien in accordance with Code Section 40-3-56.
(e) A conviction for displaying a license plate or temporary operating permit not provided for in this chapter
shall be punished as a misdemeanor.

(9) Any vehicle owned or operated by the state or a political subdivision thereof and that displays a valid
license plate issued pursuant to Code Section 40-2-37; or
(10) Any vehicle operated in the course of business by a person licensed or registered under Chapter 38 of
Title 43, relating to private detective and private security businesses.
(d) The Department of Public Safety may, upon application from a person required for medical reasons to
be shielded from the direct rays of the sun and only if such application is supported by written attestation
of such fact from a person licensed to practice medicine under Chapter 34 of Title 43 or a person certified
as an optometrist under Chapter 30 of Title 43, issue an exemption from the provisions of this Code section
for any motor vehicle owned by such person or in which such person is a habitual passenger. The exemp-
tion shall be issued with such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed by the Department of Public
Safety.
(e) No person shall install any material upon the windshields or windows of any motor vehicle, the installa-
tion of which would result in a reduction of light transmission or an increase in light reflectance in violation
of subsection (b) of this Code section.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section, commercial motor vehicles operated in this
state are subject to the specifications of or limitations relating to windshield or window glazing or the appli-
cation of light reducing or reflectance material to the windshield or windows as provided for in the federal
motor carrier safety regulations contained in 49 C.F.R. 393.60 and adopted by the commissioner of public
safety pursuant to Code Section 40-1-8.
(g) The Department of Public Safety is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be neces-
sary to carry out the provisions of this Code section.
(h) Any person who violates subsection (b) or (e) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

As used in this article, the term “motor truck” means any motor vehicle having a gross weight of 18,000
pounds or over which is designed and used for the transportation of merchandise or freight.