Front plate laws?
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Hey guys, I FINALLY finished my front grille. I sanded, primed, painted, and cleared the stock grille and put red Camaro letters in the indents. I am very proud of my work and can't wait to show it off.
But unfortunately, I don't quite understand the front license plate laws for Texas. If city matters im in Tomball northwest of Houston. I have it in my window now (driver side by inspection sticker) so cops will see it going the opposite way. Are we allowed to remove it completely? Or should it be over on the passenger side? There is a camaro in a neighborhood by my school that doesn't have a front plate at all and they've been driving it like that since I've seen the car. Probably 3 years.
Any info you guys have on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
But unfortunately, I don't quite understand the front license plate laws for Texas. If city matters im in Tomball northwest of Houston. I have it in my window now (driver side by inspection sticker) so cops will see it going the opposite way. Are we allowed to remove it completely? Or should it be over on the passenger side? There is a camaro in a neighborhood by my school that doesn't have a front plate at all and they've been driving it like that since I've seen the car. Probably 3 years.
Any info you guys have on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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I've got mine on the dash on the passenger side. I've never gotten hassled for it. I've seen people that aren't lowered attach it to the air dam below the bumper. As far as no plate at all, you may get in trouble if the cop feels like being a dick
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ive seen the air dam one be done before but it takes ALL my attention away from the car to look at the white thing hangin under the car lol. do you know of people who have just completely taken theirs off and haven't been hassled? and why passenger side and not the driver side?
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It doesnt say it has to be on the bumper just in the front of the vehicle.
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.u...02.htm#502.404
Sec. 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 as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
(f) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
(g) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (b) if the defendant:
(1) shows that:
(A) the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle was issued a registration insignia by the department that establishes that the vehicle was registered for the period during which the offense was committed; and
(B) the registration insignia described in Paragraph (A) was attached to the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1027, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.u...02.htm#502.404
Sec. 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 as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
(f) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
(g) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (b) if the defendant:
(1) shows that:
(A) the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle was issued a registration insignia by the department that establishes that the vehicle was registered for the period during which the offense was committed; and
(B) the registration insignia described in Paragraph (A) was attached to the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1027, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
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damn, so I guess i gotta keep it on, and whats up Jeane? I finsihed the grille finally.
And any reason for putting it on the passenger side? because that is how I mostly see it done.
And any reason for putting it on the passenger side? because that is how I mostly see it done.
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From what I've heard its against the law to have items in front of you blocking your view.
Last edited by JeaneZ28; 12-11-2009 at 12:06 AM.
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ill post pictures tomorrow of the grille. and I have a customs shop sticker going sideways down my passenger side, i guess i could have them take it off and put it down the back, and move the plate.
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I got pulled over years ago for not having the plate on the front. It WAS on the dash on the right side. Cop asked where I was going. I told him I was going to my dad's to put the plate onthe front of the car where it belonged. This happened while I was doing body work to get ready to paint the car. He let me go without a ticket.
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putting it on the dash is just as illegal as not having one. I never run one, neither do my friends with corvettes. Either accept the fact that you may get harassed or don't mess with it. I could care less, it's just a "fix-it" ticket, no limit to how many you get and they are like 20 bucks.
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There is no legitimate reason to get sited for a plate in the front window. If it is "block view" then all my cars are illegal for having cowl hoods.
Tell the cop the law stated you must have a plate displayed on the front of the vehicle and it must be visible from 2 and 20 feet.
Tell the cop the law stated you must have a plate displayed on the front of the vehicle and it must be visible from 2 and 20 feet.
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putting it on the dash is just as illegal as not having one. I never run one, neither do my friends with corvettes. Either accept the fact that you may get harassed or don't mess with it. I could care less, it's just a "fix-it" ticket, no limit to how many you get and they are like 20 bucks.
Its not a big deal at all.
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There is no legitimate reason to get sited for a plate in the front window. If it is "block view" then all my cars are illegal for having cowl hoods.
Tell the cop the law stated you must have a plate displayed on the front of the vehicle and it must be visible from 2 and 20 feet.
Tell the cop the law stated you must have a plate displayed on the front of the vehicle and it must be visible from 2 and 20 feet.
My thoughts exactly! and all a front plate is good for is a laser lock on so they can nail you for speeding.
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i thought there was a law passed in september that it wasnt required anymore? guess i misread something. ive got warnings for not having one a year ago but i dont have it in my window either, its on my floorboard visible to whoever rides in the back seat. tickets for it would be easily dismissed
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The one person I know who has gotten a ticket for it on the dash. The reason being the dash is not the "front" of the car. Maybe it works for you, maybe it doesn't. I dont run front plates and don't care about putting it on the dash. It's in the car, and if I get a ticket I get a ticket.
I got a ticket for no front plate and told the officer it was in the windshield(it was in the tint), he didnt care. So, a cop can give you a ticket for whatever he wants, doesnt mean he was right.
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I agree with your statement, what I'm saying is even if it's in the front windshield you can get a ticket, so why mess up your dash/line of site? I mean each to his own.
Also if you have it in your rear glass you can get one if it's not lit up. the rear one has to be lit up. (i got a ticket for it, just a fix it ticket, but still something I didn't want to do)
I would venture to say that if you went to a judge, or a cop or what ever, if they red the law and it said "Front" they would not read the windsheild as the front of the car. I know I wouldn't.
Oh well, any way you look at it, if you don't put it on the front of your car, your liable for harrassment...
Also if you have it in your rear glass you can get one if it's not lit up. the rear one has to be lit up. (i got a ticket for it, just a fix it ticket, but still something I didn't want to do)
I would venture to say that if you went to a judge, or a cop or what ever, if they red the law and it said "Front" they would not read the windsheild as the front of the car. I know I wouldn't.
Oh well, any way you look at it, if you don't put it on the front of your car, your liable for harrassment...
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I did a quick search on some LEO sites and some officers consider the dash ok, others don't. The one's that don't consider it illegal because in TX your not allowed to have anything "cover" the plate and they say glass is covering it.
Basically it sounds like it will just come down to the cop that pulls you over.
Basically it sounds like it will just come down to the cop that pulls you over.
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