At the beginning of each year, 105 elected representatives gather in Idaho’s Capitol building to pass new laws governing Idahoans’ daily lives. This gathering is called Idaho’s legislative session. The 2020 legislative session was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but lawmakers still managed to pass 232 laws (not including appropriations) — ranging from tiny technical corrections to brand new sections of Idaho Code.
Many of these laws have a built-in effective date of July 1, meaning they become enforceable starting just a few months after the governor approves them as the new law of the land. This year, one law that will go into effect July 1 will extend the time during which a license plate is valid.
Related: Legislators lengthened the validity of license plates from 7 years to 10 years.
Currently, Idaho license plates are valid for a period of 7 years. Effective July 1, Idaho drivers will only have to get a new license plate every 10 years. This 10 year period will likely not apply to current plates but will begin upon the issuance of new plates.
