Have any of you removed the front license plate and frame? It's been bugging me, but will admit I don't have my plates yet so there is a white background card (on black XF) with the dealer's name on it. I just removed it.

Obviously the question is, have you received any tickets for no front plate? And if so, where did it take place?

Years ago I was at the Pasadena DMV belatedly getting my annual registration fee. There were two tickets on my windshield when I got back. Of course one was for an expired tag, the other for no front license plate. I was to go to a sheriffs station in another town (??). I showed the fellow there my new tag and registration and told him I never had the front plate (actually true). When the no front plate part came up he yelled out to another sheriff that 'she' did it again, give a ticket for no front plate. Apparently 'she' was the only one who gave them out. I believe it was a ten dollar fine - at that time.

I don't do much driving in the city (LA), but wonder if it's a big deal for the big brother cameras in my not having a front plate. Though I don't run red lights, but do make use of yellows.

 

I've lived in the Bay Area for 17 years now and have never had front plate on any of my cars. I've never been pulled over for it. Even when I've been pulled over for other moving violations, I've only had an LEO mention it to me once. It was more of a "your front license plate is missing, better get that taken care of" type of conversation, no ticket.

 

I talked about this before in another thread but CA vehicle code 5200(b) states that if the vehicle was originally purchased in CA without a front plate the owner is not required to attach one. I've been pulled over for it twice, and did my homework after the first time. The second time I was prepared and really ticked off the officer, but no ticket.

 

CA vehicle code 5200 reads as follows:

The State of California issues two plates for all passenger vehicles. Whether or not the car only had one on it when you bought it is immaterial. It would have been issued two plates and therefore should have two. I think you were lucky that a cop let you off so quickly, but then again it's not a big deal as it's a $25 fix it ticket. I know. I've gotten two of them, both times cited when pulled over for speeding (though in neither case was a speeding ticket issued - I just got warnings for those, lucky me). I just put the plate back on, go to our local cop shop and get the ticket signed off, pay the small fee (fine, tax, levy, whatever) and then to home and take the plate off again. I have two small plugs that are painted Aero Blue that I use to cover the mounting holes for the plate bracket.

 

That is the same thing I read. When only one is issued you put it on the back.

I was also talking original sale... You seem pretty determined to prove me wrong, come over to my house and show me any difference between the front bumper and the fenders.... If it were painted you could tell. It's in the exact same condition as every other body piece. No record in carfax for being changed (still could've) but was owned by older people who wouldn't. There were no holes... There was no bracket.... There was no front plate.

Maybe it was bought out of state with no front plate, brought over here, finally sold again therefor is exempt... Either way, original purchase was without. I have fought with two cops over this, I'll argue online all day.

That beginning of your paragraph you posted is almost exactly what the cop spout at my dad and then me. Almost word for word... and it's not true. My bike is a passenger vehicle. Same applies. I have been to dealerships in Beverly hills... Know which ones I'm talking about? Ferrari's, Mclaren's, Lambo's etc... No front plates... I have been to Chevy dealerships and seen the (new at the time) corvette's, no plates...

This is what I told the cop, along with the CA Vehicle section code.

 

Call down, no need to snap at me about this. The state of CA will always issue two license plates to passenger cars - your motorcycle is not a passenger car. If the Crossfire was originally sold out of state and that state did not require a front plate, or did not issue a front plate, it would not have had one. But once registered in CA it will be issued two plates. All those Ferraris, etc are issued two plates. The owners choose not to put them on. The state doesn't give a rats backside that it's a Ferrari, Bugatti or Kia - they issue two plates. Like I said, I don't run mine either.

Besides, new at the dealership means zilch. They don't set the law, the state does. It really is that simple.

 

Didn't mean to snap, and your right my bike isn't a passenger car but it is a passenger vehicle. Same law applies. If they accidentally gave me two, and I was asked about it I could get a ticket for only having the one on. I will never attach one Fix-it-ticket or not. I will fight it in court, and win. The law is flawed and I will take advantage of it. My car had no bracket therefor no plate, that's my argument and I'm stickin to it! It's got me this far lol.

 

Mike is right. You would probably lose in court. The law is not flawed, nor is the code hard to understand. Passenger cars fall under California vehicle code 5200 (a), NOT 5200 (b).... Simple as that. You don't need to argue this "all day long", because you are merely stating your opinion and what you're going to do, as opposed to the facts that fall under state law. The car was issued two plates when first registered in California. Just because the owner of the car chose not to mount the front plate doesn't change the law.

 

Where does it say "cars" fall under (a)?????????? It doesn't.

Both are written for the same type of thing... Vehicles.

If it means this much to some then I will go to the cop shop, DMV or wherever else I need to. I find it hard to believe that the cop would just drop it. He was pretty pissed at me, and seemed to take a long time at his car just to tell me I'm free to go...

You're right though, the law isn't flawed. It's straight to the point... Vehicles issued with... and Vehicles issued without.

 

V C Section 4850 Issuance of Plates Reflectorized Plates


Issuance of Plates: Reflectorized Plates

4850. (a) The department, upon registering a vehicle, shall issue to the owner two partially or fully reflectorized license plates or devices for a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, and one partially or fully reflectorized license plate or device for all other vehicles required to be registered under this code. The plates or devices shall identify the vehicles for which they are issued for the period of their validity.

 

I found this, (b) may be your loop hole, however it does not specifically say that Special Interest vehicles are exempt from running two plates:


V C Section 5051 Definitions

Definitions

5051. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) “Collector” is the owner of one or more vehicles described in Section 5004 or of one or more special interest vehicles, as defined in this article, who collects, purchases, acquires, trades, or disposes of the vehicle, or parts thereof, for his or her own use, in order to preserve, restore, and maintain the vehicle for hobby or historical purposes.
(b) “Special interest vehicle” is a vehicle of an age that is unaltered from the manufacturer’s original specifications and, because of its significance, including, but not limited to, an out-of-production vehicle or a model of less than 2,000 sold in California in a model-year, is collected, preserved, restored, or maintained by a hobbyist as a leisure pursuit.
(c) “Parts car” is a motor vehicle that is owned by a collector to furnish parts for restoration or maintenance of a special interest vehicle or a vehicle described in Section 5004, thus enabling a collector to preserve, restore, and maintain a special interest vehicle or a vehicle described in Section 5004.
(d) “Street rod vehicle” is a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured in, or prior to, 1948 that is individually modified in its body style or design, including through the use of nonoriginal or reproduction components, and may include additional modifications to other components, including, but not limited to, the engine, drivetrain, suspension, and brakes in a manner that does not adversely affect its safe performance as a motor vehicle or render it unlawful for highway use.

Amended Sec. 6, Ch. 574, Stats. 2006. Effective January 1, 2007.

 

My CA plates arrived yesterday. I'm not especially worried about it, but if pulled over, my story will be that the car arrived from Texas with no front license plate mounting/frame. After checking with Chrysler parts, they were unable to supply me with the correct frame for the front. And the two holes in the bumper are too far apart to mount the license plate.

Interesting in that the CA code specifies 'reflective' plates. If enough people send in their money, they'll start remaking the black on yellow; yellow on black; yellow on blue plates. And you can have them made as vanity plates.

At least the plates I received have an X in the middle. That's all I can remember.

Biba

 

For the same reason that ignorance is not an excuse, that story probably won't get you very far, either. It all depends on who stops you, I guess.

 

Just realize that TX is a two plate state also!

 

I'm not remotely implying my story is fool-proof. If pulled over for no front plate (highly doubtful) I'd expect to get a ticket - but would give the story a shot first.

This doesn't apply here but a number of years ago late one night I was driving my Alfetta GT in a residential area and was pulled over. First thing the cop said was, "Want to know why I pulled you over?" I said yes, of course. He said it was because my car is red. Then he laughed and just wondered where I was headed. I had a good (true) answer and he just said, "Have a good evening."

I only brought that up since XF's are very different looking, are they pulled over more than run-of-the-mill US/Asian cars?