ok i have an idea of the laws here in texas but i need to really know, so just let me know if i really know

* you have to have a front plate where the insert normally goes?
* can you put the plate on the air dam underneath?
* can the plate be in the window or on the dash?
*can you cut or bend your license plate to make it fit on the air dam better (be more visible)

ok i think thats all, i just really want to keep the front insert on my T/A, but i alway really dont want any stupid no front plate tickets
-thanks alot guys

 

I've been pulled over before for not having my license plate on the front bumper. The Officer gave me a warning and even told me I had a "nice car". <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> I had the front plate cover on and I asked if I can throw the license plate on the dash and he said as long as it's clearly visible from the front of the car. So I bought some suction cups and stuck the plate on the lower part of the windshield. One year later and and cops just pass me by. I've even been pulled over twice for "other" reasons and they didn't mention the front plate. It might look a little funky, but it gives the cops one less reason to pull you over. <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

 

Something like that is going to depend completely on the cop that pulls you over at the time. Texas law actually state that the license plate must be on the forward most part of the vehicle. I personally don't have one on my t/a, and yes, I got pulled over by a stae trooper and ticketed for it last year ($92). I friend of mine has his on the air dam and hasn't had any problems yet. Another thing you might think about doing is putting it on the bumper where it goes and covering it back up with the insert. When you get pulled over, just tell the cop you were at a car show or something and forgot to take it off. Then take it off in front of him, so he sees the plate IS there. BUT!... Like I said, its all going to depend on the particular cop you get the missfortune of getting pulled over by.

 

Do not have one on the front and NEVER will <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />

 

I know for a fact that cuttingor bending your plate to a certain extent is a felony! A little bend here and there would be fine but to bend one part underneath or to cut it is a big mistake. Just like Moby said it also depends on the cop, if he sees how the plate is bent or cut you could be looking at some court dates and lawyer fees. Putting the plate on the lower air dam is also illegal. The police and by the state would like to see the whole plate visibly in it's right place and position. I have a friend who cut his plate and he got pulled over and the cop noticed and he was arrested for it under a felony. I dont have a front plate on my car and wont put one on. My friend who is a cop told me to put the bracket and plate in the backseat and and if pulled over show then that you have it and that will be that. I even broke the braket to make it look like I got hit and it broke so i would have a more believable story and havent had any problems.

 

thanks guys, i figured cuttin or bendin the plate was a no no but i had to atleast ask, and the suction cup thing is a good idea thanks again

 

Just keep the plate in reach and if you get pulled over throw it on the dash before the officer comes up to your car.

 

lol yet another genius idea <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

 

I'm glad I live in Florida! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

 

I had to put my on! <img border="0" alt="[bang head]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_banghead.gif" />

I live in east texas, where you know the city and county cops.(which is cool) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> But, every now and then you have a Trooper come and work your county and it messes everything up. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" /> I was pulled over 3 times in one month by the same trooper for not having my front LP on. I kept giving him the same story, which was.... The front bracket was on back order from the chevy house, I would also show him the plate.
The last time he pulled me over he told me "He didn't care if I had to buy a cheap one from wal-mart, to put one on!!" He gave me 24hrs. to get it.
That's bad when you work for the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice. But, This trooper don't care..

There's only one word for him....... HATER!!! <img border="0" alt="[evil]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_devil.gif" />


Christian

 

Hey Blown 346
just wondering if you are from TX. I asked about cutting my front plate when i picked up my personalized plates and they told me that as long as i didnt cut the bar code (new ones have bar codes) i would be OK. They just want the bar codes shown to prove they were DOT issued. I have had mine on my front air dam for a couple months now with no problem and when approached looks like it is on the front of the car just a little lower.

Mobe
I have heard about the front most part of the car like a hundred times but have never seen it in a actual law. After looking for some time here is all i have been able to find remotely related to license plates. It is long but might be useful as i carry this in my car

§ 502.404. Operation of Vehicle Without License Plate or Registration Insignia
(a) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle, other than a vehicle assigned license plates for the registration period, that does not properly display the registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the license plates have been validated for the period.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license plate, attached to the rear of the vehicle, that has been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a dealer operating a vehicle
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
Texas Traffic Law Book
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________
The Texas statute governing license plate display makes it an offense to display a license plate that among other things:
1) has letters, numbers, or other identification marks that because of blurring matter are not visible during daylight;
2) is a sticker, decal, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on the plate; or
3) has a coating, covering, or protective material that distorts angular visibility or detectability.

Hope this helps--If anybody does have the actual law about specific location pleeeeaaaaase let me know. Thanks <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

 

I drove my Formula for 5 years and NEVER had the front plate in its proper place. For the first two years, I got pulled over three times and got a ticket each time. I'd show up in court and show them a photo of the plate on the car and it would get dismissed. I think I paid a small court fee.

But, that got old.

So, I put the plate on my airdam with two woodscrews. Drove the car for three years and never got pulled over for no front plate. Cars coming toward you can see the plate. If I was ever pulled over for something else, and the cop walked to the front of the vehicle, I would inform him on where the plate was. I guess they figured it was an honest effort since it *was* on the car.

<img src="http://users.ev1.net/~ynot_dv8/shootout1sm.jpg" alt=" - " />

"Walk up front about 60 feet officer, I'll throw her in gear and show ya!"

Tony

 

The only thing that looks worse than a plate on the front of the car is one placed on the dash so it can be seen through the wiindshield. <img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" />

<small>[ April 08, 2003, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: minivette ]</small>

 

Well i guess there is one good thing about living in Michigan. But that is about it.

 

yea i know, the plate in the front window is really gay <img border="0" alt="[rainbow]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_rainbow.gif" /> lookin, im just trying to figure out where to put is so i can keep my insert thingy

 

I'm in Texas and was ticketed for no front license plate. So I put the license plate back on and about a year later when the court date finally arrived the JP went out and looked at my car. The front plate was on an she dismissed the ticket. Another guy was there for the same thing, but did not put his plate on and it was not dismissed. As I walked outside with the JP and she looked at my car she mentioned that she thought the law was stupid. They are likely enforcing the front license plate thing more due to the usage of more and more video cameras at stop lights and other places.

Flordia doesn't require a front license plate? That is good to know, thinking about checking it out for a while.

 

Here's what I found for California. It's not Texas, but someone else may be curious. I see NOTHING about having the plate in the very front of the car, just visible:


4851. Every license plate shall have displayed upon it the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, together with the word "California" or the abbreviation "Cal." and the year number for which it is issued or a suitable device issued by the department for validation purposes, which device shall contain the year number for which issued.


5200. When two license plates are issued by the department for a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear. When one license plate is issued for use upon a vehicle, it shall be attached to the rear thereof.

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 and shall be mounted in a position 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:

(a) The rear license plate on a tow truck may be mounted on the left-hand side of the mast assembly at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(b) The rear license plate on a tank vehicle hauling hazardous waste, as defined in Section 25117 of the Health and Safety Code, or asphalt material may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(c) The rear license plate on a truck tractor may be mounted at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(d) The rear license plate of a vehicle designed by the manufacturer for the collection and transportation of garbage, rubbish, or refuse and which is used regularly for the collection and transportation of that material by any person or governmental entity employed to collect, transport, and dispose of garbage, rubbish, or refuse may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(e) No covering shall be used on license plates except as follows:

(1) The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to protect it from the weather and the elements does not constitute a violation of this subdivision. Any peace officer or other regularly salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws, including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle.

(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or impair the recognition of the license plate information, including, but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate security cover shall rest over the license plate number.

(f) No casing, shield, frame, border, or other device that obstructs or impairs the reading or recognition of a license plate by a remote emission sensing device, as specified in Sections 44081 and 44081.6 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be installed on, or affixed to, a vehicle.


5202. Every license plate issued by this State or any other jurisdiction within or without the United States shall remain attached during the period of its validity to the vehicle for which it is issued while being operated within this State or during the time the vehicle is being held for sale in this State, or until such time as a vehicle with special or identification plates is no longer entitled to such plates and no person shall operate, nor shall an owner knowingly permit to be operated, upon any highway any vehicle unless the license plate is so attached. Special permits issued in lieu of plates shall be attached and displayed on the vehicle for which issued during the period of their validity.


http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/...#licenseplates

 

Also, I have had my Hawk for a couple weeks now, driven it several times around cops, and I have NO tags and they never even pay attention. All I have is a small strip of a registration card in the right side windshield and the paper Dealer advertising type tags....not dealer tags, but the paper ones that just have their logo.

 

i dont know if anyone mentioned it above but someone makes a clear plate for the front so the license plate is visible but you still have that bird plate on there. they say that the ram air will not function properly without that piece in place due to turbulance.

 

So does anyone know where to order the ones that you mount under the car? I know they have spring loaded ones and electric ones, but they are for vettes. I haven't been able to find them anywhere.