Front License Lawbreaker!

[Bobn57]

Anyone else (in states that require a front license) find themselves unable to sully the front of their cars with a front plate? I just put suction cups on my front tag and leave it under the front passenger seat. If I feel I need it I will slap it up but have never had to do so. I even got pulled over once (mistaken identity) and they never mentioned the front plate missing. If they had said something I would just say it fell off while merging into traffic and I need to slap it back up when I get a chance. Some people might say I am pressing my luck, but it has been about 20 years now that I have been non-compliant regarding the front tag.

PS: I deleted the last character from the plate to keep the nervous Nancys from having a stroke because someone can see my plates, but that is such a stupid thing when people blur their plates. You know who CAN see your plates? Everyone and anyone you ever drive past or park near.

I'm using this on mine.....no drilling required.
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[NightmareMoon]

Unfortunately, Texas requires one, so the dealership where I got the convertible drilled the front bumper. Those holes are now plugged. Colorado didn't drill the front bumper of my V6 and it's not going to get grilled. No front plates, not going to worry about it until I have to. Been cruising around since 2005 without one.

Mine came on a truck so I had enough time to make sure the dealer knew I didn't need any license plate holes or dealership decals or emblems, thank you very much.

In the big Texas cities, I don't think you're going to get stopped for no front plate, but in the rest of the state you better watch out, they'll take any excuse to pull someone over and bank a little more dough for their municipality. I've been stopped a handful of times outside of Austin, San Antonio, Houston, or DFW. Often enough I caved and bought a plate bracket for my tow hook mount that fits through the grill. When I need to take a longer road trip, plate gets mounted (but it never touches the paint)

 

[nrc]

Save your 2nd plate in a nice dry warm place. Use it when your current one goes to crap. I figure I can stretch them out 10 years til the next redesign.

Ha! Never thought of that. Now I just need to remember what I did with it. I was mainly worried that they might force a refresh on the plates at some point. That's something else that the 3M lobbyists push for. The reflective coating wears off doncha know.

 

[Johnnybee]

"Even though Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America, it has a relatively low homicide rate that fluctuated between 2.1 and 3.8, worse than most of Europe, but comparable to modern day New York per 100,000 people over the 2010s decade, which is lower than other major cities such as Atlanta (19.0), Chicago (18.5), Boston (9.0), San Francisco (8.6), New York City (5.1), and San Jose (4.6)."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_Toronto

Well, he did say shootings, not homicides, and the same wikipedia page indicates from 2016 onward that there have been in excess of 365 shootings in Toronto annually, although that does not necessarily mean one every day (but I imagine it is). I have a front plate because the dealership was outside of Toronto and drove the car to me, and admittedly, I did not think to ask them not to mount it. I was hoping when the province brought out the new plates that they would get rid of the front plate (as the government suggested that they were going to do) and I was going to simply go in and ask for a new plate and buy the filler plugs available from bumperplugs.com but they backed down on that and we still have front plates required.

We also have police who have ticketed people for "obscure plate" because the plate surround (typically the dealer installed type) block the "Yours to Discover" catch phrase on the bottom of the plate. I think that was an expensive ticket as well. In any event, I took those surrounds off both cars and replaced them with one that didn't block that.

 

[Sivi70980]

Only thing a LEO has ever told me about a front plate is it's the preferred place to laser oncoming speeders. Other than that, they're mostly useless. Saying this, I do like the hit and run camera perspective and angling it to act as an air duct.

 

[cactus_kid]

Free at last! I was shocked that somehow they overcame the 3M lobbyists and got that passed. I swore it would never happen.

I also went without for years. I figured that a ticket a year would be good value relative to most appearance mods. I probably got one every five years. Usually it was a consolation ticket for having too much fun when they couldn't prove anything.

Now we're getting ugly new plates. I'm thinking if I ever have to replace my plate I'll take a chance on one of those tinted covers to help mute the ugly.

Tinted plat covers are illegal in TX. I've never seen it enforced other than a probable cause excuse.

 

[Mr. Met]

So, get an address in another state (i.e. rent a shed somewhere in that state and make it your official home).
Or start a small company, or non-profit organization, or something like that, in another state, and register the car in its name.

Until a few years ago we had to pay a preposterous registration tax in Romania, which is why a lot of us, and I mean A LOT, were registering their cars in Bulgaria. Our politicians were grinding their teeth and tried their best to put an end to it, but to no avail. There was nothing they could do, because it was perfectly legal to have an address in an other EU country, or to drive a car that didn't belong to you, and there was no way they could make that illegal. Not until the tax was abolished did this phenomenon stop.

There are people who do that, but there is a very easy way to make that illegal, and many (all?) states already do. They require the car to be registered in the state if it is used there for some length of time, or you have some specific connection to the state. For example...

"In the state of Florida, a vehicle must have a valid registration to operate on Florida roads, and vehicle with out-of-state registrations are required by law to be registered within 10 days of the owner either becoming employed, placing children in public school, or establishing residency."

There also can be problems with insurance. Seems like a lot of headaches just to have 50% less license plates on the car.

 

[TheYankeeMarshal]

Car will not get a inspection sticker if the front plate is not on the front, and screwed to the car, no wire tires, or sucion cups.
Personally, I think all cars should have to have 2 plates, If I get rear ended, I want my dash cam to see a plate in case the tool takes off.
it is 2021, the oem's can make the bumper cover have a spot for a plate and not look out of place, The '99-02 Pontiac T/A had a removable panel just for this, if you needed a front plate you removed the panel with the firechicken molded into it. if no plate the center of the bumper had the firechicken molded panel .
Simple.
I am not one for big brother crap, but way to many hit and run, that had phone in face and rear end someone, I like my rear camera of the dash camera to have a clear view of a front plate, so when they run, they still can't hide.

Inpection sticker? I live in a free county. We don’t even have to do DEQ.

 

[LOL WUT]

IL requires a front plate and my dealer got me good by not only drilling the front bumper but because I have the off set stripes one hole is in a location that makes it very hard to plug cleanly….

 

[velocityblue5.0]

im in jersey and was paranoid about it. my old 2014 stang had it from when i got it used, but for when my 21 GT comes in, i told them do not drill the holes or install it…..i bought the sto n sho bracket that bolts in using the chin spoiler bolt. gonna run that because i’m paranoid about getting pulled over for it

 

[MikeHTally]

Alabama does not require a tag on front.

Nor does Florida.

 

[JoeSpeed]

Nj requires one....ill give them that over a speeding ticket and points since i cant bring myself to muck the front end with a plate. Typically, we have so many pa drivers in nj, its not a super big deal to not have one since none of the visiting drivers have them.

Havent had a plate on my old Mustang or Ram in forever and only time I ever got in trouble for it was when the cop HAD to give me something but was cutting me a break

Miss her, but got another pony on the way

 

[Prymetime1]

im in jersey and was paranoid about it. my old 2014 stang had it from when i got it used, but for when my 21 GT comes in, i told them do not drill the holes or install it…..i bought the sto n sho bracket that bolts in using the chin spoiler bolt. gonna run that because i’m paranoid about getting pulled over for it

Dont be paranoid dude....they should have bigger fish to fry. Where abouts in nj?

 

[velocityblue5.0]

Dont be paranoid dude....they should have bigger fish to fry. Where abouts in nj?

haha i’ve always been paranoid with the stangs lol. i’m in ocean county!

 

[Cobra Jet]

For the NJ vehicle Owners regarding license plates, NJ Statue 39:3-33 - keep a copy of the attached PDF in your glove box (last revision of this Statue was 2018).

You cannot be hassled or fined at all PER the written Law if your FRONT plate meets the requirements of NJ Statue 39:3-33.

I have not had a mounted front plate since 2015 (and have a framed covered rear plate), but I meet the DISPLAY criteria of the law - never hassled once (and that’s with daily driving 500 miles a week 24/7/365).

Pulled directly from the attached PDF, it’s stated:

39:3-33.
The owner of an automobile which is driven on the public highways of this State shall display not less than 12 inches nor more than 48 inches from the ground in a horizontal position, and in such a way as not to swing, an identification mark or marks to be furnished by the [division] commission ; provided, that if two marks are issued they shall be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle; and provided, further, that if only one mark is issued it shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle; and provided, further, that the rear identification mark may be displayed more than 48 inches from the ground on tank trucks, trailers, and other commercial vehicles carrying inflammable liquids and on sanitation vehicles which are used to collect, transport, and dispose of garbage, solid wastes, and refuse.

Motorcycles shall also display an identification mark or marks; provided, that if two marks are issued they shall be displayed on the front and rear of the motorcycle; and provided, further, that if only one mark is issued it shall be displayed on the rear of the motorcycle.

The identification mark or marks shall contain the number of the registration certificate of the vehicle and shall be of such design and material as prescribed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1989, c.202 (C.39:3-33.9).

All identification marks shall be kept clear and distinct and free from grease, dust, or other blurring matter, so as to be plainly visible at all times of the day and night. No person shall drive a motor vehicle which has a license plate frame or identification marker holder that conceals or otherwise obscures any part of any marking imprinted upon the vehicle's registration plate or any part of any insert which the [director] chief administrator as hereinafter provided, issues to be inserted in and attached to that registration plate or marker. This provision shall not apply to any license plate frame or identification marker holder provided that the frame or holder does not conceal, obscure, or in any way encroach upon the registration numbers and letters set forth on the motor vehicle’ s license plates.
Click to expand...

NJ License Plate Display for Dummies:
1) NJ issues 2 marks (plates) for front and rear

2) Plates must be horizontal

3) Plates must be DISPLAYED not less than 12” and not more than 48” from the ground on FRONT and REAR of a passenger vehicle

4) License Plate Frames can be used BUT must not block ANY lettering on the actual plate

5) Plates must be visible during day/night, must be clean and be free and clear of obstructions

Notice that the Law does not say it is mandatory that the FRONT plate must be mounted in a specified location or secured to the front of a vehicle via a manufacturers front mount or bracket. The Law states it must be DISPLAYED and meet the criteria in #2, 3 and 5 above, period.

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