# All You Need to Know About Digital License Plates | Omega Law Group ![What to Know About Digital License Plates](https://www.omegalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/know-about-digital-license-plates-300x300.jpg) Digital license plates are electronic displays that replace a vehicle’s rear metal plate, and only a few states let drivers register them. They can handle registration renewal through an app and flag a stolen car, but they cost far more than a metal plate and raise privacy questions worth weighing before you buy. A digital plate changes little about what happens after a collision. The other driver owes you the same duty of care, and you still need to identify the vehicle. Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys represents injured drivers, and a [car accident lawyer in West Hollywood](https://www.omegalaw.com/west-hollywood/car-accident-lawyer/) on our team can review claims involving an electronic plate. ## How Does an Electronic License Plate Work? An electronic license plate works by showing your assigned plate number on a low-power E Ink screen that stays connected over LTE cellular service and Bluetooth, according to [Reviver](https://www.reviver.com/rplate), which makes the RPLATE. As of October 2026, the RPLATE runs on a replaceable battery that Reviver rates for up to four years and carries a two-year limited warranty. Owners can switch between light and dark modes and show a short banner message under the plate number. The state limits what those banners can say, so the plate is not a screen you can fill with anything you like. The state also controls how the plate reports problems. The [Arizona Department of Transportation](https://azdot.gov/mvd/services/registration-plates-title/license-plates-placards) says a digital plate there displays “invalid” when registration expires and shows a stolen or detached message if someone removes it from the car. ## Where Are Digital License Plates Legal? Digital license plates are legal to register in Arizona and California as of October 2026, according to [Reviver’s state availability page](https://www.reviver.com/geographic-expansion). Reviver lists Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, and Nevada as states still working toward approval. California made its program permanent in 2022 with[AB 984](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id%3D202120220AB984), after a pilot that began under a 2013 law. The [California Department of Motor Vehicles](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/) (DMV) and the [California Highway Patrol](https://www.chp.ca.gov/) (CHP) must approve any device used in place of a metal plate. Some sources claim a digital plate is illegal in states that don’t issue them, but Reviver says one registered in an approved state is legal across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. A digital rear plate also leaves the front-plate rule in place under [Cal. Veh. Code § 5200](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode%3DVEH%26sectionNum%3D5200), which requires a car issued two plates to display one in front and one in back. ### Hurt in an accident? Our personal injury lawyers are here to help. [![Telephone Icon](https://www.omegalaw.com/wp-content/themes/omega-rebuild/assets/app/svg/telephone-white.svg)(310) 526-8383](tel:+13105268383) ## What Does an Electronic Plate Cost? As of October 2026, the RPLATE costs $899, and you need a paid service plan after the first 60 days, according to [Reviver’s product page](https://www.reviver.com/rplate). Reviver offers three California plans: - Essential, $35 per year: digital tags, light and dark modes, and stolen or detached plate reporting - Plus, $75 per year: adds in-app registration renewal and battery replacement - Premium, $125 per year: adds unlimited custom banners and help clearing a suspended registration State DMV renewal fees still apply when you renew in the app, so digital license plates add to your registration costs rather than replacing them. A replacement battery bought outside a plan costs $39. Before you buy, read the cancellation terms and ask what happens to the plate and the account when you sell the car. Reviver says a plate can typically move to a new vehicle through the state’s standard transfer process. ## Can Electronic Plates Track Your Location? Electronic plates in California can include location tracking only on fleet vehicles, commercial vehicles, and vehicles operating under an occupational license until January 1, 2027, under [Cal. Veh. Code § 4854](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode%3DVEH%26sectionNum%3D4854). That changes on January 1, 2027, when [AB 3138](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id%3D202320240AB3138) lets any vehicle be offered a plate with location technology. The driver must be able to switch tracking off from inside the car or disable it permanently, and the plate must show when tracking is active. Employers may monitor workers with these plates only during work hours, when strictly necessary, and after giving notice. However, there is a real privacy risk. In January 2023, security researchers [reported](https://www.vice.com/en/article/researchers-track-reviver-digital-license-plate-gps-location) that a flaw in Reviver’s systems let them see where plates were and mark them stolen, and Reviver said it patched the flaw within 24 hours. Read the provider’s privacy policy, use a unique password, and remove old account access when you sell the vehicle. ### Injured in an accident? Our personal injury lawyers are here to help. [![Telephone Icon](https://www.omegalaw.com/wp-content/themes/omega-rebuild/assets/app/svg/telephone-white.svg)(310) 526-8383](tel:+13105268383) ## What Happens if a Digital Plate Dies or Is Stolen? A digital plate whose battery dies generally keeps showing its plate number, because Reviver says its E Ink display holds an image without power. Physical damage is a different problem. If the screen cracks or becomes hard to read, contact the provider and the DMV about a repair or replacement. A plate that officers can’t read may not meet display rules, and a malfunction alone may not excuse it. If the plate is stolen in West Hollywood, report it to the [Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Station](https://lasd.org/west-hollywood/), which provides police services for the city. Reviver asks owners to file a police report and keep a copy before marking the plate stolen in the app. ### Have you been involved in an accident? [![Telephone Icon](https://www.omegalaw.com/wp-content/themes/omega-rebuild/assets/app/svg/telephone-white.svg)(310) 526-8383](tel:+13105268383) ## What Should You Do After a Crash Involving a Digital Plate? After a crash involving a digital plate, take the same steps you would after any collision, and photograph the plate before the other driver leaves. Once everyone is out of traffic: - Call 911 if anyone is hurt; the CHP usually handles freeway crashes, while West Hollywood Station deputies handle city streets like Santa Monica Boulevard - Photograph the plate, both vehicles, the damage, and the scene - Write down the make, model, color, and vehicle identification number if you can reach it safely - Note whether the plate looked blank, cracked, or unreadable, and tell the responding deputy or officer - Get checked at an emergency room such as [Cedars-Sinai Medical Center](https://www.cedars-sinai.org/), even if you feel fine California also requires a separate report. Each driver must file an [SR-1 form](https://dmv.ca.gov/portal/uploads/2024/10/SR-1-SR-1A-R1-2017-ASB-WWW.pdf) with the DMV within 10 days when a crash causes injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage, regardless of fault. Omega Law Group uses photos and notes like these to identify the other vehicle and its owner when a plate was hard to read. ## How a Digital Plate Can Affect Your Car Accident Claim A digital plate does not decide who caused a crash. Fault depends on how the drivers behaved, and a plate that malfunctioned does not make its owner responsible for your injuries. The plate mainly matters for identifying the vehicle and, in some cases, for the records it leaves behind. Until 2027, plates with location data in California sit mainly on fleet and commercial vehicles, so a crash with a delivery van or company truck may leave a data trail. That data can be deleted, so it may need to be preserved quickly. Omega Law Group can request those records alongside police reports, witness statements, and medical records. Omega Law Group has [recovered millions of dollars for its clients](https://www.omegalaw.com/results/). Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Our clients have our personal cellphone numbers, so you can reach your lawyer directly while the claim moves forward. ## Digital License Plates FAQs These answers cover common follow-up questions about electronic plates. ### Do You Still Pay DMV Fees With a Digital Plate? You still pay DMV fees with a digital plate, because Reviver’s service plans cover the plate’s connectivity and app features, not the state’s registration charges. The app can submit your renewal, but the state fee is due either way. ### Who Pays if a Digital Plate Is Damaged in a Crash? The at-fault driver’s liability insurer may pay if a digital plate is damaged in a crash, because the plate is part of your vehicle’s property damage. Keep the purchase receipt and plan records to show what the plate cost. The lawyers at [Omega Law Group](https://www.omegalaw.com/our-firm/) can include the plate in your property damage claim alongside your injury claim. ### Can You Drive Out of State With a California Digital Plate? You can drive out of state with a California digital plate, because Reviver says plates registered in an approved state are legal to drive across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. That statement comes from the manufacturer, so check local rules before a long trip abroad. ## Talk to Omega Law Group After a Crash Involving a Digital Plate Digital license plates bring new technology to your car, but the steps after a collision stay the same: get medical care, document the other vehicle, and protect your claim. If a driver with an electronic plate hit you, Omega Law Group can help you identify the vehicle and pursue the compensation your case supports. Contact Omega Law Group for a free consultation. --- Source: https://www.omegalaw.com/faqs/what-to-know-about-digital-license-plates/