Iowa adopts SICPA secure temporary tags to curb counterfeits

Iowa has launched a statewide secure temporary tag system with SICPA to make vehicle tags harder to fake and easier for police to verify. The move is meant to reduce fraud, protect drivers and officers, and stop expired tags from being reused.

Why it matters: - Counterfeit and expired temporary tags can help drivers evade enforcement, insurance rules and fees. - Iowa’s switch to secure tags is meant to improve roadside verification and reduce safety risks for law enforcement and the public. - The change also aims to stop disreputable actors from making or selling fake tags.

What happened: - SICPA launched a statewide system for issuing secure, verifiable temporary vehicle tags in partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation on Jan. 1. - Iowa DOT selected SICPA’s temporary tag solution to replace paper-based tags previously issued by car dealers. - The new system is designed to boost officer and public safety.

The details: - The earlier paper tags were easy to counterfeit and were often laser-printed or hand-written. - Each new temporary tag is linked to the specific dealer issuing the tag, not to the vehicle’s driver. - SICPA maintains the database of dealer distribution for the Iowa DOT. - The tags use SICPA’s multi-faceted optical technology for instant visual authentication. - The design lets officers quickly identify fake tags during stops. - A proprietary feature causes expired tags to become invalid when exposed to sunlight over time. - That feature is intended to make expired tags clearly identifiable and prevent reuse. - Fraudulent and expired temporary tags are used nationwide to avoid speed cameras, insurance requirements, fees and police detection in illegal activity. - The release cited fatal incidents in Grand Prairie, Texas, and New Orleans involving vehicles with fraudulent temporary tags. - SICPA is a Swiss private technology company founded in 1927 and known for protecting the majority of the world’s banknotes. - SICPA operates across five continents and works in digital identity and integrity, revenue mobilisation, natural resources, health and brand protection.

Between the lines: - Iowa is treating temporary tags as a security problem, not just an administrative one. - Linking each tag to a dealer changes the control point, which should make counterfeiting harder at the source. - The sunlight-based invalidation feature adds another layer of defense against expired-tag reuse, which is a common enforcement issue.

What’s next: - Iowa law enforcement and DMV-related systems will now rely on the SICPA-tag process for new temporary vehicle tags. - SICPA will continue managing dealer distribution data for the Iowa DOT. - The program’s effectiveness will likely be judged by how well it reduces counterfeit and expired tag abuse on Iowa roads.

The bottom line: - Iowa is betting that secure, dealer-linked temporary tags will cut fraud and make traffic enforcement safer and more effective.