SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Starting in the new year, Californians will start to see paper license plates instead of dealer decals on the backs of vehicles.
A new law taking effect January 1, 2019, mandates that dealers give out temporary paper plates or permanent license plates issued by the California DMV.
The law is all part of an effort to aid law enforcement as well as limit toll evasion.
The plates will list information including a temporary license plate number, report of sale number, vehicle identification number, make and model.
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The temporary plate will expire 90 days after the sale.
There are several reasons California lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 516.
Currently, law enforcement isn't able to identify some vehicles that may have been involved in a crime, according to the DMV.
Having no temporary plate also makes it difficult to investigate crimes involving vehicles.
Another reason for the law is toll evasion. According to the DMV, people who purchase vehicles often delay attaching permanent plates, making it impossible to identify vehicles violating toll requirements.
The DMV says toll evasion costs local governments as much as $15 million per year.
