Calif Front Plate Requirements for Visitors

[ElGuano]

We had a goofy situation in Pennsylvania about 8 years ago. PA used to issue an annual sticker that you put on your plate to show you renewed your registration. They stopped that because the stickers were being stolen. The message regarding terminating the stickers didn't get out to neighboring states. Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland police were pulling people over for what appeared to be expired Pennsylvania registration since there was no current annual sticker. ?

Weird, don't most states require stickers? Was there any reason it was either worse in PA, or why PA decided to throw their hands up because of it?

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[Zoidz]

Weird, don't most states require stickers? Was there any reason it was either worse in PA, or why PA decided to throw their hands up because of it?

There were several reasons. In Philadelphia, thieves were cutting the metal license plate corner off and then using a heat gun to remove the sticker and put it on their cars. Politicians claimed that PENNDOT would save at least $3M a year by eliminating the sticker.

Since then, there have been other politicians trying to bring the sticker back ..... ?‍

 

[sub]

I agree with those who say there is no risk to visitors coming from one-plate states. But what about people like the OP who are visitors from other 2-plate states?

Can the <2-plate-state-#1> police issue you a ticket for not following <some-other-2-plate-state>'s rules?

 

[ElGuano]

I agree with those who say there is no risk to visitors coming from one-plate states. But what about people like the OP who are visitors from other 2-plate states?

Can the <2-plate-state-#1> police issue you a ticket for not following <some-other-2-plate-state>'s rules?

If I'm reading correctly, no. Each state enforces its own laws, not that of other states. So if PA requires 2 plates but you only have one driving in CA, the California police don't cite you for violating PA's laws.

 

[SANZC02]

There were several reasons. In Philadelphia, thieves were cutting the metal license plate corner off and then using a heat gun to remove the sticker and put it on their cars. Politicians claimed that PENNDOT would save at least $3M a year by eliminating the sticker.

Since then, there have been other politicians trying to bring the sticker back ..... ?‍

I learned my lesson years ago on the sticker, I used to just place it on top of the old sticker until some stole the sticker of my boat trailer and I found out how easy it was to remove. I now remove the old sticker with a razor blade and an affix the sticker directly to the plate. No more stacking for me.

 

[NeedSumCoffee]

Sadly a cop absolutely can give out of state visitors a ticket for no front plate and force you to go to court to get the ticket dropped. Cops can write tickets for just about anything they want if they feel like it. It is very unlikely to happen unless you piss off the cop.

 

[defcon888]

I do know that toll bridges in the Bay Area use your front plate for billing purposes. I travelled over the Martinez-Benicia Bridge(I-680) a couple of years ago. I received a toll bill by mail with a picture of my front plate. So one would deduce it is needed. However, maybe they will use your rear plate if your front plate is absent. Not sure.... that is why I'm asking.

I take the Benicia bridge every week and they take a picture of the front and back. Before I had registered my car with Fastrak, the transponder didn't log the car and we got a bill along with a charge. I called them and let them know and they noted it and charged the account instead.

In California and while it is "required" to have a front plate, a lot of people don't. I have had our R1T for almost 2 years and drive 145 miles to work and I don't have a front plate and have had no issues.

The law enforcement usually will pull you over if:

1. They are bored and want something to do
2. Act like having a badge makes them a god.
3. You look suspicious and want to do a traffic stop to have a closer look.

Most of the time they don't care.

I have only been pulled over 1 time for no front plate when I had my Dodge Magnum and it was a fix-it ticket and cost me $25......it is probably more these days, it was about 15 years ago.

california accepts the sticker plates you can apply on the front instead of a plate.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Sadly a cop absolutely can give out of state visitors a ticket for no front plate and force you to go to court to get the ticket dropped. Cops can write tickets for just about anything they want if they feel like it. It is very unlikely to happen unless you piss off the cop.

Ever hear of malicious prosecution? A cop writing me a ticket for a plate my state doesn’t even provide will be getting sued and the department won’t be doing it again.

 

[NeedSumCoffee]

Ever hear of malicious prosecution? A cop writing me a ticket for a plate my state doesn’t even provide will be getting sued and the department won’t be doing it again.

Cops don’t prosecute. You can’t sue either, as Supreme Court already ruled in Heien vs NC that police conducting traffic stops are not required to know the law while enforcing the law. 99.9% of the time, cops will exercise discretion to let out of state people off, but a cop can write a ticket if they have a stick up their butt.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Cops don’t prosecute. You can’t sue either, as Supreme Court already ruled in Heien vs NC that police conducting traffic stops are not required to know the law while enforcing the law. 99.9% of the time, cops will exercise discretion to let out of state people off, but a cop can write a ticket if they have a stick up their butt.

I absolutely can bring a civil suit, whether or not I'd win is another discussion but you can sue. Malicious prosecution is a thing.

 

[NeedSumCoffee]

I absolutely can bring a civil suit, whether or not I'd win is another discussion but you can sue. Malicious prosecution is a thing.

Yes, you technically can sue, but it obviously would be dismissed immediately. I am not saying its write for cops to write out of states people tickets but just saying they absoultly can do it (and sometimes do). I personally received a ticket in New Hampshire about 15 years ago for illegal tint on my Maryland registered vehicle while there on vacation. It was legal within my state, but not NH. It was dismissed by the court... but again nothing stops a cop from doing it.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Yes, you technically can sue, but it obviously would be dismissed immediately. I am not saying its write for cops to write out of states people tickets but just saying they absoultly can do it (and sometimes do). I personally received a ticket in New Hampshire about 15 years ago for illegal tint on my Maryland registered vehicle while there on vacation. It was legal within my state, but not NH. It was dismissed by the court... but again nothing stops a cop from doing it.

The point of the suit is to give the department bad publicity and force them to punish the officer. Dismissed or not, it isn't a good look. Sometimes the only thing you can do is be as big of a pain in the ass to them as they have been to you. A lawsuit over an illegal ticket doesn't look great in that officer's jacket, especially during review time.

 

[NeedSumCoffee]

The point of the suit is to give the department bad publicity and force them to punish the officer. Dismissed or not, it isn't a good look. Sometimes the only thing you can do is be as big of a pain in the ass to them as they have been to you. A lawsuit over an illegal ticket doesn't look great in that officer's jacket, especially during review time.

I wish I lived in your dream world where officers are punished for doing things wrong. An officer could bust into your house without a warrant, beat your ass, shoot you, charge you with resisting arrest without any reason... and still not ever get punished. You have better odds winning the next Powerball than having an officer held accountable for giving you a bad traffic ticket.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I wish I lived in your dream world where officers are punished for doing things wrong.

It's not a dream if you're willing to go the extra mile and have the ability to be a significant enough pain in the ass. Officers don't get punished because too many people don't stand up for what's right. I've been fortunate in my life to have enough resources. If people like us don't do what we can, who will?

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