3 Major Tribes Come To Agreement With Oklahoma About Tribal Car Tags

What does the Cherokee Nation's car tag compact look like?

The Cherokee Nation approved a car tag compact with the state of Oklahoma on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. The agreement extends the existing compact by 10 years and revises vehicle registration rules for Cherokee citizens living in Oklahoma but outside the Cherokee Reservation.

Under the compact, Cherokee Nation citizens can still purchase tags on the reservation and now have the option to buy them at any Oklahoma tag agency. Funds from tags purchased on the reservation will remain in the reservation, supporting education, law enforcement, roads, and bridges. Revenue from tags purchased outside the reservation will go to the state.

Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the agreement ensures tribal tags remain available to Cherokee citizens statewide. “What we were able to do is to secure at-large tags for the next ten years, and that's so critical. Had we not done that, we may have lost at-large tags potentially forever, certainly for the next ten years. That wasn't something we could give up, I felt," he said.

The Cherokee Nation will also begin sharing driver information with the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority for PlatePay billing and to assist law enforcement.

The compact takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

What does the Choctaw Nation's car tag compact look like?

The car tag compact between the state of Oklahoma and the Choctaw Nation created the Choctaw license plate, which is available to tribal members who own vehicles in Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation can also provide partial reimbursement for registration and renewal fees.

Eligibility for the program is confirmed by the Choctaw Nation Car Tag Department, while registration, titling, and issuance of license plates are handled through state tag agencies. The compact is set to expire in 2034.

More information about the Choctaw Nation Car Tag Compact can be found HERE.

What does the Chickasaw Nation's car tag compact look like?

The car tag compact with the Chickasaw Nation is similar to the agreement between the state of Oklahoma and the Choctaw Nation. Chickasaw Nation citizens can present a tribal citizenship card at an Oklahoma tag agency to receive a tribal license plate.

Members are required to pay the standard fees and taxes when requesting a new plate or renewing an existing one. However, the Chickasaw Nation provides a rebate for a percentage of those fees and taxes. The fees, taxes, penalties, and fines paid by Chickasaw Nation citizens are identical to those required of non-citizens applying for state-issued licenses, registrations, or renewals.

More information about the Chickasaw Nation Car Tag Compact can be found HERE.

What tribes don't have car tag compacts? 

Of the major tribes, the Muscogee and Osage nations do not have car tag compacts with the state.

We have reached out to them for comment about whether they plan to negotiate a compact but have not heard back.