State-by-state penalty table
Expired Registration: what the ticket costs in every state
There is no single national price for an expired-registration ticket. Across the 12 states verified so far, the frame runs from a ticket designed to be dismissed once you renew (Texas) to a $300 civil penalty with mandatory dismissal once you complete late registration (Arizona), and several states, including Georgia and Florida, set no statewide dollar amount at all, leaving the fine to county schedules.
By Mario Bailey
Driving on expired tags is one of the most common tickets in America, and one of the most fixable. What it costs depends on the state: some give a grace period, some dismiss the ticket once you renew, and some stack late fees on top of the fine. Each state page below covers the fine, the grace period if any, and whether the ticket can be dismissed, verified against statutes and DMV fee schedules.
| State | First offense | Classification | Dismissable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Fine set by court, dismissible if you renew | Fine-only offense | Yes, see page |
| Florida | Nonmoving infraction (≤6 months expired) | Infraction; criminal after 6 months | See page |
| Georgia | Misdemeanor, fine set by county court | Misdemeanor, fine-only in practice | Yes, see page |
| North Carolina | Class 3 misdemeanor (willful display) | Class 3 misdemeanor (willful) | See page |
| Ohio | Minor misdemeanor, up to $150 | Minor misdemeanor, $150 cap | See page |
| Pennsylvania | $25 if lapsed under 60 days; else $75+ | Summary offense, tiered fine | See page |
| Michigan | Civil infraction, court-set fine | Civil infraction (passenger cars) | See page |
| Tennessee | Up to $50 fine (Class C misdemeanor) | Class C misdemeanor, $50 max fine | See page |
| Arizona | $300 civil penalty, dismissed if you register | Civil penalty, dismissed on renewal | Yes, see page |
| Virginia | Prepayable fine (e.g. $25 in Fairfax) | Traffic infraction, prepayable | Yes, see page |
| Indiana | Class C infraction, up to $500 | Class C infraction (civil) | See page |
| Missouri | Infraction, $5–$500 fine | Infraction, not a misdemeanor | See page |
| California | $281 total bail, or $25 if cited correctable and you fix it | Infraction, 0 DMV points | Yes, see page |
| Illinois | $164 if you plead guilty by mail, more if you go to court | Petty offense (minor traffic) | Yes, see page |
| New Jersey | $55 payable, plus up to $33 court costs | Title 39 violation, 0 points | Yes, see page |
Can you go to jail for expired tags?
The direct answer, state by state, with the statutes. Read the full answer →
Each state links to a full penalty file with citations. Figures are the statutory frame, courts and counties can add costs and surcharges.
Not yet covered: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a ticket for expired tags?
It depends on the state and often the county. Of the 12 states verified here, some set a statutory fine, some leave it to county fine schedules, and several are built to be dismissed once you renew. Use the table above for your state.
Can you go to jail for expired tags?
Not for a first offense in the nine verified states where the offense is noncriminal or fine-only. Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee use low-level misdemeanor grades: Tennessee’s statute puts up to 30 days on its face but caps the fine at $50, and its registration cases are fine-driven in practice. See the full state-by-state answer.
Will the ticket be dismissed if I renew right away?
In several verified states, yes: Texas and Arizona both build dismissal into the statute once you complete late registration, and Virginia gives courts express discretion to dismiss on proof of compliance by the court date. Each state page documents the dismissal path where one exists.
General legal information, not legal advice. Every figure above traces to the sources cited on its state page.