Front License Plates| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

MG Bryan SuperDork
4/27/12 2:39 p.m.

I just put mine back on after having the front of the car torn apart for a couple of weeks.

I hate it and it's pointless. berkeley you, Maryland. That is all.

Streetwiseguy SuperDork
4/27/12 2:49 p.m.

A few years ago I got a ticket for not displaying a front plate on my shop truck, which has a push bumper on it. I had a discussion with the cop about how most jurisdictions had no front plates, it was a waste of steel, etc. He said they were usefull for catching car theives, as he could check the plates of vehicles coming towards him. I suggested that was bullE36 M3, and he identified stolen cars by looking for young men wearing bandannas driving cars with GM tilt columns. He didn't appreciate the truth.

They quit making front plates about 6 weeks later.

Javelin UltimaDork
4/27/12 2:53 p.m.

WA is a front plate state UNLESS your car is on a classic registration. Javelin has it, the 944 will be next in 4 years (30 year rolling exemption). Agreed that the law is freaking idiotic and wasteful.

failboat Dork
4/27/12 3:01 p.m.

I got a ticket for no front plate (VA), but it was displayed in the windshield, not the front bumper.

show up in court with a photo of it mounted on the bumper and the charges and fines are dropped.

waste of time.

Pete240Z UltraDork
4/27/12 3:17 p.m.

Illinois; you too ruin the front of our cars.

pinchvalve PowerDork
4/27/12 3:20 p.m.

Heck, in West Virginia you don't even need a front bumper.

DoctorBlade Dork
4/27/12 3:34 p.m.

Front Plate? Not here!

iceracer UltraDork
4/27/12 4:49 p.m.

Front plate in NYS.

RexSeven SuperDork
4/27/12 4:53 p.m.

A front plate is required in MA. I just got my Mustang but the front plate holder wasn't applied. There aren't any drill-less front plate mounts yet for the 2013s. If I don't get one by the time the 7 day grace period is over, it's drill, baby, drill.

I don't know how accurate this is, but aren't front plates mandated so that cops have a reflective surface to aim their radar/LIDAR gun at?

Apexcarver UberDork
4/27/12 4:55 p.m.

Yeah, I need to go install the one on my miata. tempting fate not having it on there.

Ranger50 SuperDork
4/27/12 4:56 p.m.

In reply to RexSeven:

Or signify fur-in-ears for revenue collection possibilities.

Apexcarver UberDork
4/27/12 4:58 p.m.

I saw where someone had a vinyl sticker of their plate.. wonder where I can get one done and if that could be "good enough"

BBsGarage HalfDork
4/27/12 4:59 p.m.

Joisey got-em too--------hate em!

mine is all bent to E36 M3.

Conquest351 Dork
4/27/12 5:10 p.m.

Texas has it, but I've seen a lot of guys without them not get any crap though. Usually only the DPS or big city cops will hastle you about them. The Vic has one though, not worth the hastle...

cwh UberDork
4/27/12 5:17 p.m.

Our Sentra has one. It says "Key West" and a picture of mile marker 0 underneath it.

Cone_Junky Dork
4/27/12 5:19 p.m.

Required here in CA, have gotten a ticket. My problem was that I had a custom Euro plate that said DNF DUB. I think that brought his attention to the fact that I didn't have one. Of course he made me pop my hood and went over the car with a fine toothed comb after that.

Import car with an exhaust is an instant assumption of a street racer around here. Never mind that it was 7:30 AM and I was commuting in traffic with a cup of coffee sitting on the dash.

mndsm UberDork
4/27/12 5:22 p.m.

Required in MN, got a ticket for it. Showed up to the police station with it ziptied to the lower grill of the ms3, good enough for the cops.

mad_machine MegaDork
4/27/12 5:24 p.m.

yea.. I hate them too. And they are BS. The only thing they are good for is giving the cops a way to write you up for a parking ticket without walking around the car.

Funny thing.. I went from Jersey to PA, which does not have front plates. I had gotten the paper plate from PA when I came back down to NJ.. so I had a PA paper tag and a NJ inspection sticker. Cop going the other way spied the expired inspection sticker and no front plate on my Hyundai Tiburon and spun around so fast I thought he was going to spin..

He got up on me.. was probably 2 seconds from lighting them up.. and spied the temp tag from pa... he quickly turned off and disappeared

ShadowSix Reader
4/27/12 5:34 p.m.

The front plate is required in OH, but I know lots of people (myself included) who have driven around without one for years.

Oddly, the only person I know of who has actually gotten a ticket for this in Ohio? My GF's 50 yr. old college professor mom in her Pontiac Vibe. I guess somebody had to make numbers for the month...

ThePhranc HalfDork
4/27/12 5:40 p.m.

MG Bryan wrote: I just put mine back on after having the front of the car torn apart for a couple of weeks. I hate it and it's pointless. berkeley you, Maryland. That is all.

I've been ticked for not having one once in the last 20 years and keep it behind my driver seat. They are mandatory for speed camera and red light camera reasons. Anything to turn cops into revenue enforcers.

Fit_Is_Slo HalfDork
4/27/12 6:24 p.m.

Hell here in Georgia people run other states expired plates on the front and don't get harassed lol

DukeOfUndersteer PowerDork
4/27/12 6:36 p.m.

I didn't last 2 days from getting my plates in Ohio to getting a ticket for no front plate.

Ian F UberDork
4/27/12 7:22 p.m.

Yeah, we deal with that in NJ. My g/f grew up with them so she doesn't understand my distain for them (being from pa and GA).

They do seem a bit more lax when it comes to classic cars. She runs a Euro plate on the front of her 1800ES (same personalized number) and has never been called on it. Another 1800 owner we know doesn't run a front plate at all and has been left alone.

There has been talk of getting rid of them in NJ to save money.