Verified O.C.G.A. §40-2-8 · Checked July 2026 · 2 sources
What an expired-registration ticket costs in Georgia
Citation data · First offense O.C.G.A. §40-2-8
Misdemeanor, fine set by county court
Operating a vehicle without a properly validated plate (current revalidation decal) is a misdemeanor in Georgia (O.C.G.A. §40-2-8), but the statute sets no statewide dollar figure for the ordinary expired-decal case, so the actual fine comes from your county court’s schedule.
Verified July 2026
By Mario Bailey
What to do now
- 1
Check the statutory protections first
You are not subject to penalties during the period allowed for registering, including 30 days after becoming a Georgia resident, or if you properly applied and the decal has not been delivered.
- 2
Renew and contact the county court
Georgia sets no statewide fine for the ordinary expired decal; the amount comes from your county court schedule, so the court listed on the citation is the authority on what you owe.
Note: amounts vary by county, Georgia sets no statewide fine for the ordinary expired decal, the figures above are the statutory frame, not a quote.
Is driving on expired tags a crime in Georgia?
Technically yes, a misdemeanor. In practice it is fine-only for the ordinary expired decal, at an amount set county by county. The statute does name specific dollars for the separate county-decal offense: $25 first, $100 subsequent.
Can it be dismissed?
The statute protects two situations outright: you are not subject to penalties during the period allowed for registering (including 30 days after becoming a Georgia resident), and not if you show you properly applied but the plate or decal simply hasn’t been delivered yet.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an expired-tag ticket in Georgia?
There is no statewide amount: O.C.G.A. §40-2-8 makes it a misdemeanor and leaves the fine to county court schedules, so the same expired decal costs different amounts in different counties.
Is there a grace period for expired tags in Georgia?
You are not subject to penalties during the period allowed for registration, including 30 days after becoming a resident, or if you properly applied and the plate or decal has not been delivered (O.C.G.A. §40-2-8).
Sources
This summary was checked against the following sources on the date shown above. Fines and fees change, verify before relying on specifics.
Read next
- Va. Code 46.2-646, plainly: what Virginia's expired registration law says and costs
- How to Get an Expired Registration Ticket Dismissed
- How much is a ticket for driving without registration? Eight states, from the statutes
- ARS 28-2532: Arizona Expired Registration Law, Explained
Other tickets in Georgia
Driving Without Insurance in Georgia
Expired Registration: other states
TexasFloridaNorth CarolinaOhioPennsylvaniaMichiganTennesseeArizonaVirginiaIndianaMissouriCaliforniaIllinoisNew Jersey All states
General legal information, not legal advice. Statutes and penalty schedules summarized from the sources above as of July 2026.