Front license plate laws suck in CA

K. Roman · K. Roman's Garage

I've received two $100 tickets in a week. I don't have holes in the front bumper to add a plate either, so I guess I'm just going to pay the tickets. It could be a fixit ticket but there is no way I'm going to drill holes in my bumper. Damn Meter Maids.

DasBoot · 03-26-2009, 12:32 PM

We not only don't have front plates in FL, but the state sends us a brand new (rear) plate every four years...included in the cost ($35) of our registration.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Can't you just take photos of your plate on someone else's car of the same color and take them to court? I've been nailed several times in VA for no front plate. Not required in AZ though.

DasBoot · 03-26-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Can't you just take photos of your plate on someone else's car of the same color and take them to court?

You must have the ticket signed-off in person, after inspection, by an LEO or DMV employee. I've seen the judge send the court deputy out to the parking lot to inspect a car that has been "fixed".

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Can't you just take photos of your plate on someone else's car of the same color and take them to court? I've been nailed several times in VA for no front plate. Not required in AZ though.

Make sure you park it sideways, across the lanes, near the tunnel at Powell and Broadway so they know it's really you!

Randy

Heel n Toe · 03-26-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K. Roman

I've received two $100 tickets in a week. I don't have holes in the front bumper to add a plate either, so I guess I'm just going to pay the tickets. It could be a fixit ticket but there is no way I'm going to drill holes in my bumper.

What about drilling holes in the bottom of the bumper and make some "L" brackets that come forward and up, and attach the plate to that?

Other than that, velcro would be another solution:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f3/industrial-strength-velcro-front-license-plate-11189/

Heel n Toe · 03-26-2009, 01:00 PM

Hmmm... looked around a little more and it looks like my "L" bracket idea has already been thought of and made:
http://www.skenedesign.com/FPBracket/index.htm

carreraken · carreraken's Garage

There are front license brackets in the market that use the front eye-bolt tow hook mounts if you car has one. Sorry, not for P cars...

http://gominigo.com/NOHOLES-audi.html
http://www.cravenspeed.com/index.php?productID=202

Buckterrier · 03-26-2009, 01:03 PM

There was a guy here in Ct. pulled over for no front plate a year or so ago... He was a wanted murderer.

rammstein · 03-26-2009, 01:04 PM

I second the velcro idea. Cheap, reversible, easy. You could go to home depot and leave this nonsense behind you for $3 and 2 minutes.

911Freak · 03-26-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K. Roman

I've received two $100 tickets in a week. I don't have holes in the front bumper to add a plate either, so I guess I'm just going to pay the tickets. It could be a fixit ticket but there is no way I'm going to drill holes in my bumper. Damn Meter Maids.

I feel your pain!

Within the first month of moving down to SoCal from North Bay I received a hit and run on my newer Honda Accord while shopping. The car was parked in front of an Insurance companies office no less, and.... they saw nothing...

Then a day later got a ticket for no front license plate (still had the dealer plates)

Then in the P-car:

I parked in Santa Monica on Wilshire, dropped a bunch of coins into a street meter and .....

It never registered time for my coins!

So I call the # on the meter and report it, guy tells me they'll send someone out don't worry it... Uh huh

So I went shopping for 10 minutes. I get back to the car and sure enough there's a parking meter enforcement officer (meter maid) writing me up a ticket for not only the meter but "while she was there" a ticket for no front license plate!

All the while this is happening the City shows up to fix the broken meter! I schmidt you not!

Parking enforcement genius says "well I already wrote the ticket there's nothing I can do now, you'll have to contest it"

Freakin big city California baby

Danimal16 · 03-26-2009, 01:16 PM

Santa Monica is famous for this.

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

Move to OK. No front plate laws.

Monza_dh · Monza_dh's Garage

In MA we have front (Red) plates as well unless you were grandfathereed with the older single rear green plate. I am one of the lucky ones to have a single green plate on my 330i DD but have a front red on the 911.

I remember someone mentioning taking thier plate to Kinko's or something and making a copy of the plate on paper with an adhesive backing then sticking it to the front airdam. something to look into....

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Someone actually looked up the California Vehicle Code regulations, IIRC. There's a minimum height requirement for a front license plate. If you mount it under the front bumper, as Porsche did, you'd actually be below the minimum height. (Supposedly--I haven't looked this stuff up, myself. I just run a front plate.) So, the guy who looked it up mounts his front plate on the passenger sunvisor. Flip the visor down and the plate is displayed. Flip it up, and it's gone. I think he kept a photocopy of that page from the CVC to show any officer who would try to give him a ticket.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by K. Roman

I've received two $100 tickets in a week. I don't have holes in the front bumper to add a plate either, so I guess I'm just going to pay the tickets. It could be a fixit ticket but there is no way I'm going to drill holes in my bumper. Damn Meter Maids.

look up the law and see if it says "must be bolted"

if not, print it out; put the thing on with bungie cords and go to the DMV or whatever

if they give you a hassle, whip out your print out and raise hell

slodave · slodave's Garage

Quote:

Positioning of Plates

5201. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible, and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible. The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground, except as follows:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5201.htm

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Speaking of CA plate laws, what's up with all the cars I see there with no plates at all? I've seen countless cars in the hwy. in CA with no rear plate and no temp tags in the windows. How do they get away with this? Is there a grace period for even displaying temp. tags?

slodave · slodave's Garage

Temp tags are small and are usually in the lower right front of the windshield.

grudk · 03-26-2009, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Speaking of CA plate laws, what's up with all the cars I see there with no plates at all? I've seen countless cars in the hwy. in CA with no rear plate and no temp tags in the windows. How do they get away with this? Is there a grace period for even displaying temp. tags?

You can run with no plates for 6 months in CA, after purchasing a new car. I always take full advantage of that law.