Anybody in the NW who is familiar with the law regarding the front license plate? I'm thinking of coating it with laserveil. I know that any cover is illegal, but will coating it with this neutral gray color "break" the law? Any feedback much appreciated!!

BTW, for those who do use this, do cops care about whether we coat it or not, just as long as the number and sticker are publicly visible?

 

Well, my friend at work got a $75 ticket for "obstructed plates" by having an ever so slightly tinted clear plastic cover over her plates. You could read everything on her plates easily (numbers, stickers, et cetera) but the cop said that since it was "tinted" it was considered an attempt to obscure her plates. Her covers were full plastic, non glare, and tight fitting to the plate itself but had the most minute "gray" color to it.

She went to court to fight this since she felt the cop was just being an *** after he pulled her over for speeding (85 in a 55) and the judge said ANYTHING over your "natural" plates can be deemed "obscuring" them and get you a ticket. Based on that view, it probably would be "illegal" since your plate would no longer be "natural."

 

You are really at the whim of the officer on this one. I've had covers over my plates for years, and never been hassled over it, but I hear stories like BunnyGirl's. It all depends on the attitude of the cop and the judge. I've had a few tickets that have gone to court, and the judge has always sided with the officer except for once, on a careless driving charge where the officer couldn't remember why he pulled me over or what I was driving.

 

The law is pretty clear. It's enforcement is random. Why risk it?

 

It almost seems equal or safer to run NO front plate than cover it. Which ticket is worse?

 

Yeah, I see plenty of cars out there that don't have front license plates..they have it behind their windshield, which technically isn't that "visible" by the public..yeah..don't see why having a clear cover is "illegal" while you have someone who don't even mount their front license plate..that is worse than the cover..but..yep..probably not worth it..damn law..doesn't make sense..oh, well..

 

It's not legal to not have a front plate, or to have it up on the windshield. But I bet the fine for not having one is identical to an "obscured" one, so why not just take it off?

Last time I was at the track I looked around and NOBODY had a front plate (or in the window). It's pretty rare to get pulled over for just that.

 

True. It's probably one of those things they get you for if they already have you for something else.

 

I don't have a front plate on mine and so far the only person to even question it was a complete asshat boarder gaurd when I was coming home from Vancouver a few weekends ago. He asked me, "Where is this car registered? It's illegal to not have a front plate in Washington".

I actually have the license plate and the tools necessary to put it back on sitting in my trunk in case anyone who matters starts to give me static about it. I drove around for years with no front plate on my MX6 when I was in high school/college and never got hassled about it.

 

Yeah I pulled my front Plate and mount off 1st thing. Made the RX8 look Buck toothed! Carrying it in the trunk with the needed hardware is a good idea though. Been through the border twice without it and no comment. Though leaving the State this last time I felt the need to slow down and give the Officer at the Terminal more time to write down my license number seeing as he only had the one shot at it.

I think tonight I will stow my front plate and the brackets in the trunk... Just in case.

But neither of the car has front plates on it and we (The Wife and I) haven't had any trouble in over 2 years. (Knocking on Wood)

 

As far as I know, front plates are not mandatory in WA. Some of the cops have just not caught up to the fact yet. I have not have any issues without it for over 2 years, and I have been stopped twice for speeding.

 

Front plates are mandatory in WA:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.16.240

They send you two, so you have to put one on the front and one on the back.

It says the same thing when you register our car. "We only send you one registration sticker. Put it on the back plate. The front plate is still required."

 

I will not have the plates in front until told otherwise. Like I said, I have been stopped twice and was never told by the cops to place the front plates. There are lots of cars, especially the high end ones, that do not sport the front plates.

That article you linked does not say thatit is mandatory in the front. Of course, I could have read it wrong since it is written in legalese rather than english.

 

First off, it's not an "article" it's a direct link to WA state law:

"The vehicle license number plates shall be attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle..."

What part of that English is hard to understand?

Trust us, it's mandatory. You're free to do what you want though.

 

I read..and there is no necessity to be 'holier than thou '. The only place you are placing your registration sticker is in the rear making that mandatory. They stopped requiring the front sticker some years back. As such, you will notice many car without front plates. Now, if you feel the need to place the front plates, that is your prerogative. I chose not to. Over two years and no problems. Trust 'us'....ummmm who is us? Trust you? why?

 

Front plates are required in Wa...By Law....PERIOD

 

That is very extremely true. I've also never personally had a problem with not having a front plate. I would imagine that it's something that the police are only going to tag you for if you're being a jackass to them when they pull you over. Which is also the time they will start to bug people about any number of other illegal modifications that are on so many cars/trucks.

For example: My Toyata Tacoma has over sized tires that protrude out from the body. Technically I should have fender flares to cover them. The mud flaps are also not technically long enough as they hardly cover any of the tire. My rear license plate doesn't have a light on it as the non-OEM bumper I have on it didn't come with one. I've been pulled over 4 times now for speeding in the 7 years that I've owned it and I've never been bothered about any of that stuff. It's all stuff that I could get a ticket for.

 

You just haven't been pulled over by a cop having a bad day yet. I had a broken tail light cover on my old RX-7 but had colored tape covering it. Got pulled over because there was an infinitesimal amount of "white light" showing in one corner where the tape didn't completely stick. Didn't get a ticket, but couldn't believe he pulled me over for that.

 

It is the Law to have a front license plate in the state of washington. It is arbitrarily enforced though. I have not had a front license plate on any of my vehicles for 15+ years though. When I get pulled over, I sometimes get a lecture about it, but usually only when they are pulling me over for the hell of it and have nothing else to prosecute me with. I have never received a citation for no front license plate though. I do average about 1-2 pullovers per month and about 1 speeding ticket per year. Seems they just want to pull me over for grins and giggles most of the time because i am usually doing nothing wrong.

 

FWIW, I received 2 tickets for no front license plate, both in U-District with my FD in the past 8 years. The RX-8 hasn't garnered much attention from the police though and is ticket free while having no front plates. =) I have since put back the front plates on the FD though =(.

Laters!
Edgardo

 

My daughter's BF just got a ticket for no front plate on his Mini Cooper. They live in the Bellevue area. I forgot to ask how much the ticket cost him. It got his attention though, which is hard to do - he went out and bought the bracket and installed it immediately. (He bought it used and it apparently didn't come with one.)

 

Gah! I live in the Bellevue area I haven't had a problem so far but hmm....