I feel bad for California car owners--Front License plates

[Wuze]

Don't think this is state-specific. I know my city (Mission Viejo) doesn't require a front plate but if I drive on over to LA without one, a cop can knick me for it.

[Rubba Burna]

DMV laws are state specific..

[Surviver of the Fittest]

Originally Posted by Rubba Burna

im assuming that you are saying that the "ad" is on the frame and not on the plate itself.

The front plate is a dummy plate w/ only the dealer's name and phone number on it. That's why I want to get rid of it. Also I am thinking about putting clear bra on. But if my front bumper is already screwed due to the stupid plate holder i may skip it and when my front bumper gets really nasty later i will simply replace the whole bumper.

[Rubba Burna]

ah yes i know what your saying, i belive those are removable without risk, but then again, check with the authorities. i doubt it because how would the cop know the car came with it, eh? why put a clear bra when its gunna be covered by a shirt? lol jk yea its going to ruin the whole process and would be too hard to maintain because of air bubbles. buy the bumper in a sale, and put it to the side, one day you might need it

[meestersteph]

Haven't been ticketed for the front plate deal yet. I'm running no front plates on the fit and a german one on the m3, and i haven't been ticketed for either (i've been driving the m3 for 4 years now without a CA front plate). I guess its luck? *knock on wood*

[Fit4Pits]

I drove my civic for 2 years in CT without a front plate. Chances are they won't pull you over specifically for that, but if you get pulled over for something else, you know you'll be in shit for missing a front plate too. I carried the plate in the car at least, right next to the driver's seat. Used to be you didn't need it in CT, and enough people still don't wear the front plate that I didn't worry about it. Figured if I got pulled over I could try ignorance.

[TFB Designs]

I have not ran a front plate on my last 4 cars, since 2002. I got pulled over once in 02 for front window tint and was given a fix-it ticket for no front plate. All you have to do is put the plate on and show a cop, it costs $10.

I got two other tickets after that, both of which I had no front plate and the cop never even noticed.

[goodyonsen]

Haha Sid your a badass. I haven't gotten pulled over yet for anything

Originally Posted by Super Mario

My car looks stock but has illegal written all over it. No front plate, front window tint, and HID's. If I got pulled over at night I could get a fix-it for all three, but luckily I've been okay so far. I hated the front bracket from the dealer.

[Surviver of the Fittest]

I just removed the dummy front plate from my 09 Fit. No screw holes! Everything looks perfect. I am keeping the plate holder in case I will move to a state that requires front plate.

[Juliane]

In Texas we have to run a front and a rear plate. On my Camry, the drive-through car wash pulled my front plate off every time, and one time, I forgot to go back and get it. When I got ticketed for speeding in a school zone (long sad story) the cop also added the "no front plate" and bumped the cost of the ticket up $25 to over $125. I had to go and buy NEW plates, and that meant I got pulled over AGAIN the next day when another cop ran my plates and they didn't match the car! That was my week from hell, I'm telling you.

Pretty sure MO requires front plates b/c my Fit came to me with a nice big bracket already installed. That's OK w/me, it gives me 2 places to show off "FITFRK!"

[xaircooledx]

In California, we have to have front and back plates, but only the back plate has to be "licenced". That's why we only get one set of registration tags. The front plate technically can be a vanity type plate.

[CrystalFiveMT]

Here in L.A. I used to run my car w/o front plates. I cop in a motorcycle traveling the other direction saw that I didn't have one, made an illegal U turn, stopped me and ticketed me for it.

I also got a double ticket for an expired parking meter and no front plates.

I have front plates on my cars from then on. Not worth the hassle and once you put them on you're never aware of it again.

[TOOL]

Side mounted front plates look better then no front plate to me.

[Kazs]

i really dont mind the front license plate. I like to play it safe and not give the cop a excuse to pull me over; ex, loud exhaust, dark front tint, etc..,
I'm sure it also has to do with the addition of cameras on major cross streets. Easier conviction when you run a red light with a snapshot of your mug and license plate.

[Zangoose GD3 Blue]

mine is totally off...
so far im doing good for the past 2 months

[silverbulletfit]

I took my front plate off and stuck it under my front windsheild until i get the license plate re-locater off of ebay. i hate the way it looks when its right on the bumper. haha

[Fat Ping Cat]

yeah low side mounted plates are hott... if your state requires a front license plate get a plate relocater. all you need to do is drill two holes that will be out of sight if you ever decide to take the plate back off

[bdrake]

The center of the front bumper is an ugly place for the plate. One of my first mods to the car was to remove the front plate bracket (three screws: one in the bumper and two underneath), flip it over, and slide it to the side. My front plate is next to the passenger side foglight now-- much better. All it cost me was a little bit of time, and I'll have to fill and paint the original hole in the bumper. Fortunately I have a dark car, so it's not as obvious as it could be.

--Barry, 08 FS MT BBP

[SDGD3MRKID]

I never had my license plate screwed in the middle it was actually had a bracket from under the grill that made it stick out in the middle.

[superslurpee]

In Manitoba (Canada) we have plates on the front and back and there's never been a problem. Since I have a vanity plate, I like that people see me coming and going and when I'm parked at a restaurant!