Front Plate Mounting

[EPIC SRT]

This is not a new topic, but figured I would bring it up again.

Here are some photos of the front plate on my ride (just put on today):






I use a double-sided body molding style tape. It is available at Lowe's (pics later), does not cost very much and one roll should allow you to mount your plate at least 4 times. It has worked well in the past, holds up to the elements, and can be removed by hand without chemicals.

Removal is not too complicated and usually does not take but about 15 minutes to get the tape off of the car. I can't park in any public parking in Merced without the risk of getting a ticket for no front plate, so this is easier for me than dealing with a fix-it ticket.

Now, a lot of you may have seen where I had the plate stuck before, and as you can see in the picture above, you are not able to see where the plate was.

Special Note On Fix-It Tickets: I am not sure about any where else, but the ones issued in Merced have an escalating fine. The first offense, the fine is $10. The second offense, the fine is $50. The third offense, the fine is $250. This is not to be confused with getting the ticket "signed off" as that is free. This is the fine you have to pay for the violation. READ THE BACK OF YOUR TICKET!

[CarGuySkye]

You can always throw it on your dash too... it just has to be "visible" from the front. Oh and fix it tickets by me are the same way

[speedy00one]

Originally Posted by CarGuySkye

You can always throw it on your dash too... it just has to be "visible" from the front. Oh and fix it tickets by me are the same way

last few times I have been pulled over, cops have mentioned that the dash is no longer acceptable and has to be actually mounted in the front.

[EPIC SRT]

^^^^ x2! I was told that it has to be on the front most part of the vehicle - on the dash is no good.

[Shad Did It]

X3...mounted. No window.

[CarGuySkye]

I'd tell the cop to go F!CK themselves! LOL I've never gotten that though... of course I haven't been hasselled about it in two years.

[Centurion]

A question I still have... in MN, you can have LIC# & registration painted on off-road vehicles... Why can't we do it in cars... Letters have to be XYZ font in ABC colors... Not that difficult... Then you can keep a more custom look for the car and be legal... /sigh

[BCHN HME]

The vehicle code of the State of California does not specify an exact location for the placement of the front license plate. VC Section 5200 (display of license plates) states; and I quote When two license plates are issued by the department for a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for whaich 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 displayed on the rear thereof.

5201. (Positioning of Plates); and I quote only the part pretaining to passenger vehicles, light PU's etc; License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued 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: et seq.

There ya have it...I'm just saying. There is no exact location specified. You can read into it all you want, this is what the vehicle code says, black letter law. Now, there is the spirit of the law and case law that is what really matters. One is objective the, other subjective. You decide.

BCHN HME
20 year LEO
Fresno SO
Madera PD
Retired 1998

[CarGuySkye]

Originally Posted by BCHN HME

The vehicle code of the State of California does not specify an exact location for the placement of the front license plate. VC Section 5200 (display of license plates) states; and I quote When two license plates are issued by the department for a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for whaich 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 displayed on the rear thereof.

5201. (Positioning of Plates); and I quote only the part pretaining to passenger vehicles, light PU's etc; License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued 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: et seq.

There ya have it...I'm just saying. There is no exact location specified. You can read into it all you want, this is what the vehicle code says, black letter law. Now, there is the spirit of the law and case law that is what really matters. One is objective the, other subjective. You decide.

BCHN HME
20 year LEO
Fresno SO
Madera PD
Retired 1998

So it hasn't changed... thanks for settin it straight! Everyone should take a copy of that section of the vehicle code and keep it in the car. LOL

[EPIC SRT]

Thank you for the clarification Tom!

Unfortunately, in my experiences it is always the officers interpretation of the code that causes the issue. Even the officer that stopped to BS with us at the Dublin M&G said the plate needs to be on the front of the vehicle and the windshield is no good. Keep in mind that he has a 300 SRT and when asked if he has the front plate on his vehicle he replied, "Uh...I lost it."