License Plate Question.

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importfan1

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Alright, so yesterday me and my father had a little arguement yesterday while working on my new car. The front license plater holder, which is noting but two screws, what to you expect from a 1991 honda civic, holding the plate on. The main problem that we had with it was that one of the screws that hold the plate on was striped and the holes that holf the plate on was destroyed. I told him that since the holes were destroyed, I would just put the front plate in the front window, like every other kid wo wants to save his front end in NJ does. Well, according to him, putting the license plate in the front window is improper displaying of plates and I will get a ticket for doing so. I've searched the internet and came up with nothing. So, I was wondering if anyone from the New Jersey Area, knew anything about this law. I've seen it dozens of times everywhere I go and still can't figure it out. Can you guys help me out and tell me if it's illeagel or not?
 
I dont know about New Jersey, but all the yo-boys around here in Wisconsin stick them in their front windshield... the cops don't give them **** for it unless they have been pulled over for something else. They probably wont pull you over just for that.

I have a front Euro plate on my 3 and I've never gotten pulled over for it.

DSC00468-1.jpg
 
If a cop needs an excuse to pull you over, i'm sure he could say you had an improperly displayed front license plate.

On the other hand, I know people who don't have front plates at all and have never gotten in trouble.
 
Kentucky doesn't use front plates so I don't know how this works exactly. Currently my front plate holder has a University of Kentucky plate. When I had a rusted plate holder on the rear I was able to display my plate in the back window until I got it fixed, but it isn't a legal permanent thing to do as it isn't properly lit at night and not easily read.
 
It is legal to display your front license plate in your window. Not your rear one. If ever asked about it by a police officer, just tell him you haven't been able to attach it to the front of your vehicle. You WILL NOT receive a ticket for putting the front plate in the window.

That said - you might receive a ticket for putting the front plate in the window and attaching something else, like a stupid European plate, to the front bumper.
 
You can get a ticket for having it in your window, sure.

"Obscured View"

Same ticket you can get for hanging stuff off of your rearview mirror.

When I was pulled over in the Z28, the cop who had pulled me over went out of his way to walk to the front of the car to make sure I had the front plate on it.

I know people who have gotten tickets for not having a front plate. But if you get that ticket just stick the front plate on the car and go to court with pictures. It'll get dropped.

The only reason you can use for not having a front plate, is owning a Lamborghini Countach.
 
NJ MVC
Standard issue plates

When you title and register a vehicle, you will receive two license plates – one for the front and one for the rear of the car (trailers, motorized bicycles and motorcycles only receive one).

They must be clean and visible at all times. Even though the rear plate is reflectorized, it must be illuminated to make it visible from 50 feet away at night. If your license plate holders obscure or conceal any lettering on the license plate, you are subject to a fine.
Click to expand...

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Vehicle/StandardIssue.htm

If the plate is in your front window, it may not neccesarily be visible at all times. Could you not get some kind of double sided tape to hold it on?
 
I know around here you will get a ticket. Either way...Id rather not have a Lic plate in my window if I got into an accident...it would be a flying blade inside the car.
 
consider yourself lucky you even HAVE a front plate locator...only 5 of my vehicles even had the mounting holes, let alone a full bracket
 
The Solstice is the only consumer-market vehicle I'm aware of on which it is impossible to display a front license plate. I've seen a lot of Solstices by now, and even back in Colorado which requires two plates, I never saw one displaying both plates.
 
BTW: Whats the point of the front-plate? So cops can identify the vehicle easier?

...Its silly that it is so different state-to-state, and worldwide as well...

(In Michigan we only use the rear plate)
 
yeah. i know that Britan assigns the plate to the CAR...while here in the US...it goes to the DRIVER (i believe the exception is US government vehicles, which are car assigned?). i'm not sure what the rest of the world does, really. it also seems that half of US states require ONE plate, the other half, two
 
M5Power
The Solstice is the only consumer-market vehicle I'm aware of on which it is impossible to display a front license plate. I've seen a lot of Solstices by now, and even back in Colorado which requires two plates, I never saw one displaying both plates.
Click to expand...

I thought it was funny that when I searched for front license plate mounting laws, it led me to a bunch of Solstice forums. Pontiac does make some strange device that clips into the grill and uses double sided tape to display the front plate like in the picture John posted, but it destroys the look of the car.
 
YSSMAN
BTW: Whats the point of the front-plate? So cops can identify the vehicle easier?
Click to expand...
So the cops can go in reverse really fast and pull in fornt of you and read your plate. Honestly, aside from a parked car type situation, I have no clue. It's kind of like how when I was in college if your parking pass wasn't visible because you pulled in differently some of the parking attendants would ticket you just to be annoying. So, I guess it allows cops to see the plate no matter how you park.

...Its silly that it is so different state-to-state, and worldwide as well...

(In Michigan we only use the rear plate)
Click to expand...
I agree. Kentucky only uses rear plates. I pay enough everytime they issue a new plate. I would hate to have to cough up even more money.
 
YSSMAN
BTW: Whats the point of the front-plate? So cops can identify the vehicle easier?
Click to expand...

Honestly, aside from a parked car type situation, I have no clue
Click to expand...

Of course not. Think logically. Law enforcement is smart; they'll get your plate number no matter what. It's for your average joe who gets hit by a car and only sees it from one direction. There are alterior benefits as well: a law enforcement officer can pull you over for not having a front plate, which may lead to other offenses (like illegal weapons or contraband), or front plates may be used to catch people for photo enforcement of red lights or speeding. I strongly support the use of front license plates despite what it does to the look of the vehicle.

Sniffs
yeah. i know that Britan assigns the plate to the CAR...while here in the US...it goes to the DRIVER (i believe the exception is US government vehicles, which are car assigned?). i'm not sure what the rest of the world does, really. it also seems that half of US states require ONE plate, the other half, two
Click to expand...

In some states it goes to the vehicle, while in some states it goes to the owner. California, for example, is notorious for having the plate go with the vehicle - often in used car ads in California people will list cars as being "black plate cars" ('63-'69) or "blue plate cars" ('69-'80s) which means they've been registered in California for at least several decades and display the "correct" license plate for their age. Check out this site for more info about that.
 
M5: so THAT'S the Black Plate reputation. i know here they go hrough every combination in a bloody hurry. they go through all 676 housand combos for ONE letter in a few months. i'm still in the G plate group (currently at the halfway point...the Gl's)...we're on H plates allready, and I bet the dealer plates are in I allready...all since they changed our plate format to AXX * 0000 ,a little over a decade ago (and recalled yellow plates that had been on cars since 1972!)

thinking of...two plate states are "to the car", mabey, while one plate states are "to the licence holder"?
 
I for one have recieved 1 ticket for no front license plate, it was in my 3000GT VR4--and there was NOT a spot for one. You know what the d*ckhead cop told me? DRILL HOLES IN MY EXPENSIVE SPORTS CAR. I literally said this: "you are ****ing crazy give me the ticket and I will see you in court". You know what I did? I took a Polariod camera and tooks pictures of the EMPLOYEE parking at the municipal court / police station and took the developed pictures to the clerk and asked for a cop to give every one of these people tickets. You know what they did? Dismissed my ticket--and I didn't even have to pay the dismissal fee. I clearly was right and won that battle. But don't expect that to ever happen to me or anyone else ever again. The front license plate law in any state is more excuses for cities to get money out of us the public. I have zero respect for any cop who nitpicks on something stupid like front license plates. Every car I've owned since my VR4 if it came with a plate on the front I've purposely removed it as a point of public protest. And my Focus didn't have one installed by the dealer and I am NOT drilling holes in my car...period.

Bull**** like this really gets me worked up. I've recieved or been a passenger on some stupid BS cop excuses for "violations". Want an example? Try one taillight is dimmer than the other...even though both lights were CLEARLY lit and visible. Want another? Try one license plate light in the rear was out even though the other light CLEARLY lit the ENTIRE plate. I have more but I digress. God I hate cops.

*edit*
Offtopic, slowman dispite what M5 says I think that Euro plate is sweet. Thumbs up from me. 👍
 

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