Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez Statement On Filing Of Legislation To Eliminate Physical Vehicle Registration Decals In Florida
I am issuing this statement regarding newly filed legislation for the 2026 Florida Legislative Session that would eliminate the physical vehicle registration validation sticker and transition Florida to a fully electronic registration renewal and verification process.
The legislation was filed in December 2025 in both the Florida House and Senate and removes provisions authorizing physical validation decals on license plates. The House bill was filed by Representative Tom Fabricio and the companion Senate bill was filed by Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez. As of December 21, 2025, these bills have been filed and are pending consideration during the upcoming 2026 Legislative Session.
I want to sincerely thank Representative Tom Fabricio and Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez for their leadership and for filing this important legislation. I appreciate their willingness to advance a common-sense proposal that reflects the realities of modern technology and puts Florida residents first.
Weeks ago, I announced a proposal calling on the Florida Legislature and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to eliminate the physical yellow registration decal currently placed on Florida license plates. This proposal does not eliminate vehicle registration or the requirement to renew annually. It simply removes an outdated physical sticker while maintaining full compliance through the electronic verification systems already used statewide.
Respectfully, the idea that physical decals are necessary for effective enforcement is outdated. Today, law enforcement relies on real-time electronic verification through license plate readers and in-car systems that instantly confirm registration status. A sticker does not provide accuracy. It only provides the appearance of compliance and can be easily falsified, stolen, damaged, or overlooked.
Experience in other states that have eliminated physical decals shows that accountability does not disappear. It improves. Electronic systems provide exact registration status at the moment of a traffic stop, rather than relying on a small piece of plastic that may be expired or counterfeit. Physical decals are also a known target for fraud and can create a false sense of security.
Public safety should never depend on outdated tools. Today’s technology allows real-time, accurate verification. through systems already used every day, supporting lawful enforcement while improving efficiency and public trust.
Eliminating the physical decal would generate significant savings for Florida residents by reducing production, mailing, and replacement costs, while also improving efficiency and reducing fraud. Several states across the country have already transitioned to electronic validation systems while maintaining accountability and public safety.
This legislation aligns directly with the proposal I shared weeks ago. Eliminating the physical registration decal is a common-sense step forward that saves money, reduces fraud, streamlines administration, and embraces the technology law enforcement already uses every day.
Accountability is strengthened through data, not stickers. I am grateful to Representative Fabricio and Senator Rodriguez for their partnership, and I look forward to continuing to work with state leaders, the Florida Tax Collectors Association, and bipartisan partners across Florida as this legislation moves through the 2026 session.
God Bless Miami-Dade County , and God Bless the United State of America
Dariel Fernandez
Tax Collector, Miami-Dade County
