Front License Plate in California?
06-27-2008, 06:50 AM
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Originally Posted by E60freak' post='611240' date='Jun 27 2008, 07:38 AM
I got pulled over by the police 7 days after I got my car because I didn't have a back plate (yet)...since I was legit (had a temp, 10 days license with me) they just let me go telling me to stick that temp on my back window.
I think the first police car that pulls behind you will pull you over and verify...in that case, you might be facing a few 100$ worth of fines for no license plate.
However, if you plan on speeding, burning red lights and steeling gas...then don't put it loooool
....good luck what ever you do
I think the first police car that pulls behind you will pull you over and verify...in that case, you might be facing a few 100$ worth of fines for no license plate.
However, if you plan on speeding, burning red lights and steeling gas...then don't put it loooool
....good luck what ever you do
Was that in California??? Or Canada??
I think the laws might be different here. In CA, no plates are issued when you buy the car- just dealer advertising. They are sent to you by mail, and you are expected to put them on within 90 days of your purchase. In this car culture, there are THOUSANDS of cars everywhere with no real plates on them.
06-27-2008, 07:29 AM
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Originally Posted by cosmosblau' post='611254' date='Jun 27 2008, 07:50 AM
Was that in California??? Or Canada??
In this Socal car culture, there are THOUSANDS of cars everywhere with no real plates on them.
In this Socal car culture, there are THOUSANDS of cars everywhere with no real plates on them.
06-27-2008, 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by cosmosblau' post='611254' date='Jun 27 2008, 10:50 AM
Was that in California??? Or Canada??
I think the laws might be different here. In CA, no plates are issued when you buy the car- just dealer advertising. They are sent to you by mail, and you are expected to put them on within 90 days of your purchase. In this car culture, there are THOUSANDS of cars everywhere with no real plates on them.
I think the laws might be different here. In CA, no plates are issued when you buy the car- just dealer advertising. They are sent to you by mail, and you are expected to put them on within 90 days of your purchase. In this car culture, there are THOUSANDS of cars everywhere with no real plates on them.
So in the first 3 months you could do traffic infractions and the cameras don't catch you...cooooool
06-27-2008, 07:43 AM
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I've spoken to a couple of my patients that happen to be CHP's and LAPD regarding this as I was in the same boat as you. All were on the same page: stopping just for no front plate is rare. There has/had to be something else for getting stopped, the plate was just another thing add'd or a way to check everything else out initially. And they all asked this question also, "But why would you want to give them a reason to stop you?" 
Funny thing is, they all agreed that my car's/an e60's front looks better without the plate.
Funny thing is, they all agreed that my car's/an e60's front looks better without the plate.
06-27-2008, 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by vegastrashed' post='611276' date='Jun 27 2008, 08:29 AM
Couple comments:
You can do what Vegastrashed and Torquey5 did and you can probably get away with it for a while. Just watch out for areas where you know cops will try to pull people over just to verify things or deter "cruising". Downtown San Jose is like that. On weekend nights, they pull anyone and everyone over for the littlest thing to deter people from cruising the downtown area.
If you put your back plate on and leave the front plate off, chances are also rare that you will get ticketed unless they pull you over for some other infraction. And these tickets are just fix-it tickets or correctable offenses that do not show on your driving record. I just got one for no front plate a couple months ago cause the cop thought I turned right at a corner that says no turn on red. I told him the light was green (he was standing/hiding behind a wall), he said "okay, but you have no front plate"... nice... at least he let me off for my tinted windows.
As for airports, because of 9/11, they will ticket any car without front plates even if you're parked. My brother just got one and I think he was parked at long term at either LAX or John Wayne Airport, just last week.
My suggestion is to put the back on and leave the front off. You should be okay but the biggest thing to keep in mind is if you're ever out drinking and driving in an area where cops look for reasons to pull people over. Not that I condone drinking and driving but getting pulled over with even a small bit of alcohol is a big inconvenience.
06-27-2008, 08:06 AM
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i think it all depends on the cop.....i got pulled over on LaBrea/Wilshire for not having front plate. I had it in the trunk and the cop didn't care and wrote me a $35 fixed ticket. LA area cops are more tougher on this issue than other cities, not sure why....i hang out in OC a lot and have never heard of anyone being pulled over or getting a ticket for no front plates. I would definitely put the rear plate though - with the LED lights looks bad ass.
06-27-2008, 08:10 AM
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What everybody else said.
The cities that have traffic cameras are more strict on the front plates. I have left mine off, without a problem - that being said I am sure I will get pulled over tonight.
I figured it was a fix-it type ticket and I like the look, but I am sure I will regret it at some point.
I think CHP will start getting more strict as they start using more laser detection, as they like to zero-in on the front plate.
I would put the back plate on for sure - that is really asking for trouble.
The cities that have traffic cameras are more strict on the front plates. I have left mine off, without a problem - that being said I am sure I will get pulled over tonight.
I figured it was a fix-it type ticket and I like the look, but I am sure I will regret it at some point.
I think CHP will start getting more strict as they start using more laser detection, as they like to zero-in on the front plate.
I would put the back plate on for sure - that is really asking for trouble.
06-27-2008, 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by EuroCarFan' post='611295' date='Jun 27 2008, 09:02 AM
Someone should arrest this guy. He's been driving around for close to a year now without front and back license plates; only with the "new" car registration sticker that's glued to his front windshield. Another offender is member Torquey5. Same story. Any of you guys law enforcements on here? I can tell you where they live. LOL
Couple comments:
You can do what Vegastrashed and Torquey5 did and you can probably get away with it for a while. Just watch out for areas where you know cops will try to pull people over just to verify things or deter "cruising". Downtown San Jose is like that. On weekend nights, they pull anyone and everyone over for the littlest thing to deter people from cruising the downtown area.
If you put your back plate on and leave the front plate off, chances are also rare that you will get ticketed unless they pull you over for some other infraction. And these tickets are just fix-it tickets or correctable offenses that do not show on your driving record. I just got one for no front plate a couple months ago cause the cop thought I turned right at a corner that says no turn on red. I told him the light was green (he was standing/hiding behind a wall), he said "okay, but you have no front plate"... nice... at least he let me off for my tinted windows.
As for airports, because of 9/11, they will ticket any car without front plates even if you're parked. My brother just got one and I think he was parked at long term at either LAX or John Wayne Airport, just last week.
My suggestion is to put the back on and leave the front off. You should be okay but the biggest thing to keep in mind is if you're ever out drinking and driving in an area where cops look for reasons to pull people over. Not that I condone drinking and driving but getting pulled over with even a small bit of alcohol is a big inconvenience.
Couple comments:
You can do what Vegastrashed and Torquey5 did and you can probably get away with it for a while. Just watch out for areas where you know cops will try to pull people over just to verify things or deter "cruising". Downtown San Jose is like that. On weekend nights, they pull anyone and everyone over for the littlest thing to deter people from cruising the downtown area.
If you put your back plate on and leave the front plate off, chances are also rare that you will get ticketed unless they pull you over for some other infraction. And these tickets are just fix-it tickets or correctable offenses that do not show on your driving record. I just got one for no front plate a couple months ago cause the cop thought I turned right at a corner that says no turn on red. I told him the light was green (he was standing/hiding behind a wall), he said "okay, but you have no front plate"... nice... at least he let me off for my tinted windows.
As for airports, because of 9/11, they will ticket any car without front plates even if you're parked. My brother just got one and I think he was parked at long term at either LAX or John Wayne Airport, just last week.
My suggestion is to put the back on and leave the front off. You should be okay but the biggest thing to keep in mind is if you're ever out drinking and driving in an area where cops look for reasons to pull people over. Not that I condone drinking and driving but getting pulled over with even a small bit of alcohol is a big inconvenience.
06-27-2008, 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by jsal' post='611299' date='Jun 27 2008, 09:10 AM
What everybody else said.
The cities that have traffic cameras are more strict on the front plates. I have left mine off, without a problem - that being said I am sure I will get pulled over tonight.
I figured it was a fix-it type ticket and I like the look, but I am sure I will regret it at some point.
I think CHP will start getting more strict as they start using more laser detection, as they like to zero-in on the front plate.
I would put the back plate on for sure - that is really asking for trouble.
The cities that have traffic cameras are more strict on the front plates. I have left mine off, without a problem - that being said I am sure I will get pulled over tonight.
I figured it was a fix-it type ticket and I like the look, but I am sure I will regret it at some point.
I think CHP will start getting more strict as they start using more laser detection, as they like to zero-in on the front plate.
I would put the back plate on for sure - that is really asking for trouble.
Hope you're doing well man.
06-27-2008, 08:21 AM
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It's only a $10 Fixing ticket if you get caught w/o plates in the front. Keep the front w/o 'em and leave the rear plates alone.
On a side note:
My neighbor keeps both his cars w/o plates all throughout the year! How does he get away??
He keeps the new car windshield sticker that holds the temp license on to make it seem like he just bought the car and he also leaves the dealer plates front and back on. Also, he makes sure the car is always lookin' like brand new!
I won't recommend this but it's another way around.
On a side note:
My neighbor keeps both his cars w/o plates all throughout the year! How does he get away??
He keeps the new car windshield sticker that holds the temp license on to make it seem like he just bought the car and he also leaves the dealer plates front and back on. Also, he makes sure the car is always lookin' like brand new!
I won't recommend this but it's another way around.