VelociRaptor

Hello everyone, I'm looking for some feedback regarding front license plates. I live in Los Angeles and own a 02 Firebird, but personally dislike the look of the front license plate. I wanna get a plate cover but was wondering:

1. If you don't have a front plate, have gotten police heat for it?

2. Do you have an alternative way of displaying the front plate?


Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Gary Wells

Yes, in some cities & county areas patrolled by Sheriff's Deputies are strictly enforced.
Some are not.
There are some hidden plate ideas on some forums.

CHP generally strictly enforces it also.

Good luck on this.

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

I used to live in a city where everyone could get away with this kind of stuff (no front plates, window tint, etc.). After moving about 10 minutes away, i got pulled over for no front license plates, window tint, no rear license plate light, and a few other dumb things like that. They were only warnings, but it just shows that some places are really **** about it, and other places actually have some real police work to do. A lot depends on the officer and your attitude if you do get pulled over.

I personally dont have tint anymore and removed my license plate cover strictly because i dont want to give cops any reason to stop me.

C5natie

iTrader: (1)

Dude just drive it like that. If they get you on it just slap it on and get it signed off. Carry the plate in the car and give them some bs about why its not on. Most officers dont care about that stuff.

Theres only a few situations where I see people get no front plate tickets. These are known as chicken **** tickets so I depends on a few things,

1) you fit the demographic in an area where the cops wanna pull you over to check you out and that gives them a reason. Minority in a not so good neighborhood? Yup, lightem up. If you look a certain way don't complain. Lol
2) cities and areas that make tons of revenue on code citations and bs like that. Pasadena is one that comes to mind. Theyll write you up when the car is parked. Front plates, tint, tires not turned towards the curb on a hill...chicken **** like that. Watch out in little yuppie towns and areas.
3) they pulled you over for something else, you gave the officer attitude so he's tacking on whatever he can.

Honestly, judge it by where you live and how you look, just being honest. Even then its a violation they can get you for anytime but at least keep your chances low.

C5natie

iTrader: (1)

If youre in Hollywood I wouldn't sweat it too much. Depending what side youre in its either gonna be LAPD or LASD. They usually dont mess with you on that type of stuff unless, as I mentioned before...

fruitsalad

iTrader: (5)

I'd say Hollywood LAPD won't bother you. I got stopped on the Walk of Fame on a Saturday night with 5% tint all around and no plates at all. They didn't even ask for my license, just let me go as soon as they talked to me. It all depends on the cop you get though, because I've had a couple that wanted me to sit there while they ran everything including the out of state title.

LASD might be a different story, but put the plate in your back seat and tell them the screws fell out and you keep meaning to get new ones and put it on. They'll threaten to give you a "persistent neglect" ticket if they see you again (if they're smart), and then they'll leave and no longer give a ****.

Worst case? You get the ticket and you slap the plate on, find your friendly neighborhood CHP station, get it signed off, and pay the $25. Then you're free to take it right back off the next day.

chevystyle

iTrader: (1)

No front plate is a secondary affence. Meaning you cant get pulled over just for that. There has to be a first offence i.e. tented windows, speeding, illigal u-turn, etc. Once pulled over for a first offence, the cops can check your car out more. I got pulled over one night for tinted windows. After telling about my tinted windows, the cop walked around my camaro checking and noticed no front plate, so I got a ticket for the tint and no front plate. I now have no window tint and no front plate and havent been pulled over for no front plate because I have no first offence....no tinted windows.

slogoat

I think you may be misinformed, but no front plate is enough to get you pulled over.

VelociRaptor

Excellent information, thank you all. By the way, I'm also trying to get white light turn signals, would any SoCal members know anything about the legality of this? As i understand it, in CA your turn signals must be amber or white (source:http://www.btpautoparts.com/californialaws.html).

fruitsalad

iTrader: (5)

I had clear corners on my Formula with the silver glazed bulbs and I never had a problem.

VelociRaptor

That looks bad-***, exactly the look Im hoping for

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

I agree with you, ive been pulled over for no front license plate before. No other reason.

Swapper

iTrader: (10)

ive owned about 35 cars now and have had maybe more then half of those that i either didnt have a front plate or i never mounted it and never had a problem (knock on wood). on some i would just put the plate in the passenger side of the front window.

some examples of some of my past cars:

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

You can definitely get pulled over for no front plate, I have been many times.

I have got a "no front plate" parking ticket being parked on the street in front of my own house, when I lived in Arcadia.

The LAPD on the West side is notorious for giving out "no front plate" parking tickets as well.

smileyou

iTrader: (1)

Ca is KNOWN for pulling people over and for ticketing for bullshit stuff... like no front plate. Or give you a ticket when your car is parking in a parking lot for no front plate.

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

My second to last front plate ticket was while my car was parked outside the Peterson museum while they were showing the new corvette.

silvea

iTrader: (1)

I heard LA parking enforcement (meter maids) are writing tickets for no plates these days on parked cars. Something to do with them being able to use front plates to identify vehicles for red light cameras.

Jeremy 92 RS

iTrader: (9)

All of the right answers are here.

Just roll with no plate. The 98+ Firebird and Trans Am look hideous when you remove the bumper filler and add the front plate. If you get it a ticket, no big deal. Just zip tie it on somewhere, take it to the PD, get it signed off, then cut the zip ties lol.

As for your chances of getting pulled over, it all depends on your location as mentioned by someone else. By my house, it is patrolled by Sheriffs. They love to pull over for all of the petty ****...license plate bulb burned out, no front plate, etc...just so they can scope you out and hope you have drugs or a warrant so they can bring you in. It has happened to me numerous times over the years, but they never write me a ticket.

LS1rob00

iTrader: (9)

In the 3 years I had my WS6, I never had the front plate on once. Never got bothered once for it, and when I was pulled over for other reasons they never mentioned it. I'm in Norcal.

As others have said it's all where you live and what the demeanor of the officers is. If you DO happened to get pulled over being courteous never hurts and usually helps your chances. I carried my plate in the trunk just in case, but I was lucky. And hell if you do get a ticket it's only $25.

No plate is my vote!

chevystyle

iTrader: (1)

I don't know. My SS and my wife's Jeep both have no front plate. I've been pulled over before for no front plate in L.A. 3 years ago. I told the cop it's a secondary offence. He looked at me, gave me my paper work back, looked kinda mad, than said 'get going.' I've been driving since 1997 and that was the only time I've been pulled over for no front plate. It's been countless years w/o being pulled over. Cops may pull cars over for no plate because they know that you won't do much if anything about it. Heck, I could be wrong this whole time.