[diamondbar]

does our license plates need to be displayed in the front bumper at all times?

[DoPedUpM3]

Originally Posted by diamondbar

does our license plates need to be displayed in the front bumper at all times?

Yes, try seaching for some frames that dont make holes if you dont want to always rock the f.plate.

[Baldur Abendroth]

Google your states dmv laws, even if they say it's required, most people ignore that including myself. I have heard that being parked in a city is most likely to get a ticket with that.

[Sean@PYSpeed.com]

Yes you do.

[Sebastian_e90]

Everything they said.

[hipnotic]

all the time unless you don't mind paying for a citation then you can leave it off

[TommyK]

If you don't want to drill holes, get a RHO tow hook plate holder. Looks a bit better than slapping it on your bumper.

[Kroy]

yes, you need front plates in CA. Even if your bimmer came stock without a front plate, you still need to put one on.

[LAfive0]

yes, but if you get caught its only a $10-$20 fix it ticket..

[McMuffin]

Originally Posted by LAfive0

yes, but if you get caught its only a $10-$20 fix it ticket..

25+ for court fees and 25+ for signing it off.

[Mrgameover]

Originally Posted by Baldur Abendroth

Google your states dmv laws, even if they say it's required, most people ignore that including myself. I have heard that being parked in a city is most likely to get a ticket with that.

yes i just dealt with a dynamic shaft. I got a ticket in san diego for having the BMW Plate in the front. Then a week later i had my car parked on a main street in LA and came back to not only a parking ticket but ANOTHER license plate ticket.

[WinoGregorio]

Originally Posted by diamondbar

does our license plates need to be displayed in the front bumper at all times?

According to the statute, NO. It does not need to be attached to the front bumper at all. However, it does need to be displayed at the front of the vehicle "someplace". In most of my cars I place it in the right corner of the dash so it is visible out the windshield whenever I park the car in a public place. I also display it anytime I am pulled over. Otherwise, it is stowed out of sight someplace inside. In 30 plus years I have been challenged maybe 5 times and received only one fix it ticket which I fought and won. The hardest part was getting a hearing on a fix it ticket.

From the California Vehicle Code:
V C Section 5201 Positioning of Plates
Positioning of Plates
5201. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible, and so that the characters are upright and display from left to right, 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:


(a) The rear license plate on a tow truck or repossessor’s tow vehicle may be mounted on the left-hand side of the mast assembly at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(b) The rear license plate on a tank vehicle hauling hazardous waste, as defined in Section 25117 of the Health and Safety Code, or asphalt material may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(c) The rear license plate on a truck tractor may be mounted at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, but not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(d) The rear license plate of a vehicle designed by the manufacturer for the collection and transportation of garbage, rubbish, or refuse that is used regularly for the collection and transportation of that material by ( )1 a person or governmental entity employed to collect, transport, and dispose of garbage, rubbish, or refuse may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.

(e) The rear license plate on a two-axle livestock trailer may be mounted 12 inches or more, but not more than 90 inches, from the ground.

(f) A covering shall not be used on license plates except as follows:

(1) The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to protect it from the weather and the elements does not constitute a violation of this subdivision. ( )2 A peace officer or other regularly salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws, including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle.

(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or impair the recognition of the license plate information, including, but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate security cover shall rest over the license plate number.

A casing, shield, frame, border, product, or other device that obstructs or impairs the reading or recognition of a license plate by an electronic device operated by state or local law enforcement, an electronic device operated in connection with a toll road, high-occupancy toll lane, toll bridge, or other toll facility, or a remote emission sensing device, as specified in Sections 44081 and 44081.6 of the Health and Safety Code, shall not be installed on, or affixed to, a vehicle.

(h) (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that an accommodation be made to persons with disabilities and to those persons who regularly transport persons with disabilities, to allow the removal and relocation of wheelchair lifts and wheelchair carriers without the necessity of removing and reattaching the vehicle's rear license plate. Therefore, it is not a violation of this section if the reading or recognition of a rear license plate is obstructed or impaired by a wheelchair lift or wheelchair carrier and all of the following requirements are met:

(A) The owner of the vehicle has been issued a special identification license plate pursuant to Section 5007, or the person using the wheelchair that is carried on the vehicle has been issued a distinguishing placard under Section 22511.55.

(B) (i) The operator of the vehicle displays a decal, designed and issued by the department, that contains the license plate number assigned to the vehicle transporting the wheelchair.

(ii) The decal is displayed on the rear window of the vehicle, in a location determined by the department, in consultation with the Department of the California Highway Patrol, so as to be clearly visible to law enforcement.

(2) Notwithstanding any other ( )3 law, if a decal is displayed pursuant to this subdivision, the requirements of this code that require the illumination of the license plate and the license plate number do not apply.

(3) The department shall adopt regulations governing the procedures for accepting and approving applications for decals, and issuing decals, authorized by this subdivision.

(4) This subdivision does not apply to a front license plate.

Amended Sec. 2, Ch. 626, Stats. 2003. Effective January 1, 2004.
Amended Sec. 6, Ch. 650, Stats. 2004. Effective January 1, 2005.
Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 273, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008.
Amended Sec. 107, Ch. 307, Stats. 2009. Effective January 1, 2010.
Amended Sec. 37, Ch. 491, Stats. 2010. Effective January 1, 2011.
The 2010 amendment added the italicized material, and at the point(s) indicated, deleted the following:
1. “any”
2. “Any”
3. “provision of”

[edelossantos]

So I head out to Santa Monica to check out Santa Monica Place and park on the sixth level of the parking structure on Broadway.

My daughter and I get back and there on my windshield is a ticket for $35 for not having a front license place. My daughter bought me a "BMW" logo plate for Christmas and she felt bad about the ticket. So the parking enforcement folks are cruising the parking structures as well???

I've owned other vehicles without a front plate (lived in Southern California since I was 7) and this is the first infraction I have recieved.

[McMuffin]

Sorry to bust your bubble people, but placing the plate on your dash or anywhere inside of the vehicle isn't gonna cut it.
The plate MUST BE MOUNTED to the front of the vehicle, meaning ONLY the front portion of the vehicle, bumper, grill etc.

[LACSTER]

no

[WinoGregorio]

Originally Posted by McMuffin

Sorry to bust your bubble people, but placing the plate on your dash or anywhere inside of the vehicle isn't gonna cut it.
The plate MUST BE MOUNTED to the front of the vehicle, meaning ONLY the front portion of the vehicle, bumper, grill etc.

Nope. Read the statute again. It says it must be mounted and displayed forward. It does not say where nor how only that it should not swing, etc. My argument was that on the dash in a locked vehicle was secure, did not swing, was clearly visible to the front and was not more than 60" high. The judge/arbiter agreed.

[McMuffin]

Originally Posted by WinoGregorio

Nope. Read the statute again. It says it must be mounted and displayed forward. It does not say where nor how only that it should not swing, etc. My argument was that on the dash in a locked vehicle was secure, did not swing, was clearly visible to the front and was not more than 60" high. The judge/arbiter agreed.

All I'm saying is you're gonna get cited, I guarantee you. I would, also argue that sitting on a dash isn't clearly visible since the dash doesn't sit upright.

Kinda how guys in bikes tilt their back plate, totally illegal. Do you see where I'm going with this?

[WinoGregorio]

It may not be foolproof because it would be up to the cop to decide if he or she felt it did not meet the letter of the law. I have been pulled over a few times and tossed the plate up there before the officer reached the window. Only a handful of cops said anything and a few challenged me. Politely, I explained that though I am not an expert in the law, I felt the placement met the requirements; displayed forward less than 60", secure, etc. Just about every one pulled out his fat little copy of the CVC but only one wrote me up because it was "not securely fastened". That was the one I took to court.

[McMuffin]

Originally Posted by WinoGregorio

It may not be foolproof because it would be up to the cop to decide if he or she felt it did not meet the letter of the law. I have been pulled over a few times and tossed the plate up there before the officer reached the window. Only a handful of cops said anything and a few challenged me. Politely, I explained that though I am not an expert in the law, I felt the placement met the requirements; displayed forward less than 60", secure, etc. Just about every one pulled out his fat little copy of the CVC but only one wrote me up because it was "not securely fastened". That was the one I took to court.

Well I talk from experience, three years in the CHP. If say I pulled you over for no front plate and noticed you had it up on your dash, I would still hammer you. And I guarantee you if you would take me to court, I would win.

[WinoGregorio]

Originally Posted by McMuffin

Well I talk from experience, three years in the CHP. If say I pulled you over for no front plate and noticed you had it up on your dash, I would still hammer you. And I guarantee you if you would take me to court, I would win.

Well count me lucky to have come across officers who were more lenient in their interpretation.

CHP huh? Active? Most of my friends on the force are in NorCal and are pushing 25 years.

[McMuffin]

Originally Posted by WinoGregorio

Well count me lucky to have come across officers who were more lenient in their interpretation.

CHP huh? Active? Most of my friends on the force are in NorCal and are pushing 25 years.

Yea in my book, no front plate is a chicken shit ticket!
25 years you say? They've been on the force as long as I've been alive

Still in the whole law enforcement gang, but not with the CHP.

[WinoGregorio]

Originally Posted by McMuffin

Yea in my book, no front plate is a chicken shit ticket!
25 years you say? They've been on the force as long as I've been alive

Still in the whole law enforcement gang, but not with the CHP.

Yeah, most of them went to LA Central right out of the academy and then left there ASAP! I got to know most of them when I was running a trucking company up here way back when. Most of them would agree with you too but the law is what it is, right? We take our chances bending it as far as we can but must be prepared to pay the price when we get ! Anyway, this is not the kind of violation that should get anyone on either side of the law bent out of shape. If the officer still disagrees after polite reasoning then move on.

Stay safe,
Greg