CARFAX: Nearly 17 Million Vehicles on U.S. Roads Have Expired Registration Tags

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Jun 04, 2025, 09:00 ET

Drivers With Expired Tags Could Face Thousands in Fines, Impoundment, and Even Jail Time

CENTREVILLE, Va., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New CARFAX data found nearly 17 million vehicles on U.S. roads started 2025 with expired tags. Driving with outdated tags can lead to serious consequences, including costly fees and fines, and in some cases, having the vehicle towed or impounded. In instances with either repeat offenses or significantly overdue registrations, drivers can even face jail time. Expired tags can also complicate issues in accidents, potentially affecting insurance claims.

The average lag for most drivers with expired tags is about four months, CARFAX data shows, more than enough time for fines or other penalties to accumulate.

"As summer kicks off and more families hit the road, a simple missed renewal can quickly spiral into a costly legal or financial headache," said Paul Nadjarian, General Manager of CARFAX Car Care. "The free CARFAX Car Care app helps drivers avoid surprises by sending timely reminders for key deadlines — from registration renewals to maintenance like recalls and tire rotations."

These 10 states had the most expired vehicle registrations at the start of the year:

Top 10 states that had the most expired vehicle registrations at the start of the year

*Note: California's figures are a recent monthly average of expired tags provided to CARFAX by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Some states have penalties that can run up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. In some instances, drivers can face jail time for repeat offenses, including in New York state, Florida, Washington, and Georgia, according to their DMV sites.

For example, in California, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) says that if a vehicle's registration has been expired for more than six months, law enforcement may order it towed or impounded. And although jail time isn't typical, that decision "would be up to a judge".

And in Massachusetts, one out-of-state driver learned the hard way just how crucial it is to keep vehicle registration up to date, after a state trooper impounded his car and he was left stranded on the roadside. "Just a warning to others," he said. "Don't let something like this, that can be quickly taken care of, slip through the cracks."

Editor's note: Local estimated numbers for expired tags in your state can be made available upon request. Interviews with a Carfax expert are available anytime. Please contact Em Nguyen at [email protected].

About CARFAX

CARFAX, part of S&P Global Mobility, helps millions of people every day confidently shop, buy, service and sell used cars with innovative solutions powered by CARFAX^® vehicle history information. The expert in vehicle history since 1984, CARFAX provides CARFAX Car Listings, CARFAX Car Care, CARFAX History-Based Value and the flagship CARFAX Vehicle History Report to consumers and the automotive industry. CARFAX owns the world's largest vehicle history database and is nationally recognized as a top workplace by The Washington Post. Shop, Buy, Service, Sell – Show me the CARFAX^®.

S&P Global Mobility is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity and automotive markets.

SOURCE CARFAX