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**Related Video Above: See Ohio’s newest license plate.**

CLEVELAND (WJW) — Replacement is a necessary part of life, as is the case with the Ohio Gold license plates, the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) reports.

The gold and white license plates were first issued in 1996, and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) is now concerned many of these plates have long lost their reflectivity due to exposure to the elements.

Over the years, law enforcement agencies have also reportedly made complaints about how tough it is to read these plates because of wear and tear.

Photo courtesy Ohio BMV

For vehicle owners with these plates — which are reportedly affixed to about 1.5% of all Ohio vehicles — that means a change is coming:

“All holders of Ohio Gold plates will be required to get a new plate at their next regular renewal date,” ODPS Assistant Director of Communications Lindsey Bohrer confirmed to FOX 8 in an email. “A customer who has an Ohio Gold plate cannot renew their vehicle registration without doing so.”

While the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) recommends license plates get replaced every 10 years, the news comes at a time when Gov. Mike DeWine recently introduced a brand new license plate design. And ODPS says the Gold plate change is not an attempt to get drivers to purchase new plates, but rather all about readability.

“In fact, Ohio Gold plate customers who received the notification letter and renew prior to Dec. 29, will receive the current Ohio Pride license plate design that was implemented under Gov. [John] Kasich,” Bohrer said.

Find out more about Ohio license plate renewal right here.