CA tint and front license plate fix-it tickets

[MC408]

I am curious about owners experience with fix it tickets for window tint and no front license plates.

If you’ve gotten any tickets, please post your location (NorCal or SoCal or city) and if your received a tint fix it ticket, let us know what % you have on your windows.

I’m debating between 35 and 45 Photosync, so it will help to know if anyone has gotten fix it tickets in NorCal.

Thanks!

 

[aix93]

Got a fix it ticket in San Francisco for no front license plate, cost $120. $10 if you get it fixed and signed by an officer.

 

[Need]

My cars never had a front license plate for the past 15 years and front windows always tinted about 35%. I never had a fix it ticket for the tint. It is not that easy to get a fix it ticket for front tint as unless you have limo tint in the front, cops are not going to pull you over just for the tint. And if you are pulled over for other things (speeding.. calif rolling stop... etc..) you would have rolled down both front windows. He/She won't see your front windows are tinted unless you are being an ass and they asked to roll up your window just to write you a ticket.

As for front license plate, never been stopped for it. Once I was asked about it when I pulled into LAX (there is always a stop to the arrival ramp with a cop there). He asked where is my front license plate. I said the dealer never put it on and it is in my trunk. He just told me I need to have it on and let me thru. I don't think he really have time to write me a ticket when there is a line of cars behind. But I got plenty of parking ticket with no front license plates. Don't ever park at Santa Monica street parking without one. You are very very likely to get a $25/$35 parking ticket for improper display of license plate. Same with LAX long term parking C. And also Beverly Hills street parking.

I heard you are more likely to get a fix it ticket at NoCal.

 

[MelaniainLA]

My cars never had a front license plate for the past 15 years and front windows always tinted about 35%. I never had a fix it ticket for the tint. It is not that easy to get a fix it ticket for front tint as unless you have limo tint in the front, cops are not going to pull you over just for the tint. And if you are pulled over for other things (speeding.. calif rolling stop... etc..) you would have rolled down both front windows. He/She won't see your front windows are tinted unless you are being an ass and they asked to roll up your window just to write you a ticket.

As for front license plate, never been stopped for it. Once I was asked about it when I pulled into LAX (there is always a stop to the arrival ramp with a cop there). He asked where is my front license plate. I said the dealer never put it on and it is in my trunk. He just told me I need to have it on and let me thru. I don't think he really have time to write me a ticket when there is a line of cars behind. But I got plenty of parking ticket with no front license plates. Don't ever park at Santa Monica street parking without one. You are very very likely to get a $25/$35 parking ticket for improper display of license plate. Same with LAX long term parking C. And also Beverly Hills street parking.

I heard you are more likely to get a fix it ticket at NoCal.

100% agreed. LAX will patrol every city-owned (not private) parking garage and entrance and ticket for no front plate, and Santa Monica and Beverly Hills have issued me numerous $25-35 tickets. Now at LAX I either Uber or park in private lots and if picking someone up plate the plate on my front windshield (they scan plates to look for terror suspects). In SaMo and BH I leave plate in front windshield (no problems!) or park in garages (no issues).

 

[jkoya]

I got a fix it ticket for tint (30) by the CHP on north bound I-680 about a mile from the Treat Blvd offramp in Walnut Creek, CA. Cost was $25 to Contra Costa County Superior Court, Walnut Creek. Went to get it signed off by local PD and they couldn't believe I got pulled over for tint !!

 

[MC408]

Thanks for the replies, leaning towards photosync 35 all around. Sounds like it won’t make a huge difference between 35 and 45. If I get hit with bad luck, it’s gonna happen regardless.

 

[Red3]

I got a fix it ticket for no front plate by a meter-maid in San Francisco. I have XPEL 35 tint on the rears and have not received a ticket for tint.

 

[nomis_nehc]

100% agreed. LAX will patrol every city-owned (not private) parking garage and entrance and ticket for no front plate, and Santa Monica and Beverly Hills have issued me numerous $25-35 tickets. Now at LAX I either Uber or park in private lots and if picking someone up plate the plate on my front windshield (they scan plates to look for terror suspects). In SaMo and BH I leave plate in front windshield (no problems!) or park in garages (no issues).

Interesting, wondering why they don't ticket regardless since per the VC code, the plate has to be installed in the designated spot.

 

[MelaniainLA]

Interesting, wondering why they don't ticket regardless since per the VC code, the plate has to be installed in the designated spot.

I think because it's visible and identifiable. If any goon can tell your plate # by looking from in front, should be OK. There was one guy on here who had a perfect color photo of his plate printed onto bumper-safe vinyl sticker material and applied it to the bumper to preserve the aerodynamics and aesthetics of the car... and has gotten away with it!

 

[cpa]

Interesting, wondering why they don't ticket regardless since per the VC code, the plate has to be installed in the designated spot.

Who really knows unless you have worked in law enforcement at different agencies. Anecdotally--strictly anecdotally--the parking violations are easy pickings as the meter person is just roaming around citing for parking offenses and can easily print off the license plate violation. These fines are generally much less expensive than ones issued by CHP. They likely do not get shared among all the governmental agencies with their hands out, either. The fines collected stay with the municipality that collects them.

As far as sworn peace officers, my guess--again anecdotally--is that they are more concerned with traffic safety infractions and traffic safety overall rather than a fix-it ticket for no front plate. Cops have their assigned duties and exercise a lot of officer discretion on whom to pull over for what driving violation.

About eight years ago, I was driving my sister-in-law's SUV and entered 101 from Pismo Beach. I passed a CHP officer parked in the gore for the onramp. A quarter mile later he was right behind me with his lights on. He pulled me over for expired tags. When I produced the valid registration with the current tag stapled to the card, he merely told me to affix it at my next stop. I then asked him why he stopped me for expired tags. He merely replied that occasionally the supervisors will emphasize violations like this for a particular day's work.

So, it must be a hit-or-miss thing. One word of advice, though: If you are driving suspiciously like you are under the influence, this gives the cop reasonable cause to pull you over when ordinarily he would ignore it.

 

[Az_Rael]

One word of advice, though: If you are driving suspiciously like you are under the influence, this gives the cop reasonable cause to pull you over when ordinarily he would ignore it.

So.... be careful when using Navigate on AP then.



I did get pulled over once for front side window tint in small town Rosamond CA, but lucked out with a warning vs fix it ticket. At the time I was driving my car with legal Texas tint and wasn't aware of the law, so got let off.

 

[mspohr]

I got a missing front plate ticket in San Francisco (I don't live there but visit frequently). Fine was $120 but only $10 after I fixed it.
Now that I've installed the front plate, I like it. It helps that it's the black/orange plate and not the white plate.

 

[smilepak]

Didn't a new law passed and effective Jan 1 requiring license plate on all cars, including new cars with temporary license plate now as well?

 

[Need]

In SaMo and BH I leave plate in front windshield (no problems!) or park in garages (no issues).

Just make sure you don't drive around in Irvine with the license plate still in the front windshield. My nephew got pulled over for that. I told him to do it for parking... but he just left it there all the time.

 

[Warbird]

Why do people feel compelled to tint their windows more than they already are?
Is it too bright inside your car?
Do you not want to wear sunglasses?
Are you hiding?
Everyone else does?
Just curious...

 

[mspohr]

Why do people feel compelled to tint their windows more than they already are?
Is it too bright inside your car?
Do you not want to wear sunglasses?
Are you hiding?
Everyone else does?
Just curious...

Hiding

 

[MC408]

Why do people feel compelled to tint their windows more than they already are?
Is it too bright inside your car?
Do you not want to wear sunglasses?
Are you hiding?
Everyone else does?
Just curious...

Regarding darker tint: Kids in the back seat squinting and staring into the sun.

Regarding tint in general: heat reduction

I actually do like the appearance as well (not limo black, but some color change) , but lower on the list of reasons why.

For me personally.

 

[MC408]

Didn't a new law passed and effective Jan 1 requiring license plate on all cars, including new cars with temporary license plate now as well?

Yes, regarding a temp plate and not just the paper in the windshield, but not sure if that will effect how cops treat no front plate. It’s a good point though.

 

[Leeclanual]

Why do people feel compelled to tint their windows more than they already are?
Is it too bright inside your car?
Do you not want to wear sunglasses?
Are you hiding?
Everyone else does?
Just curious...

it looks gangsta...

Regarding darker tint: Kids in the back seat squinting and staring into the sun.

Regarding tint in general: heat reduction

I actually do like the appearance as well (not limo black, but some color change) , but lower on the list of reasons why.

For me personally.

Dark tint doesn’t necessarily equal heat reduction. Newer ceramic tints have great UV and heat reduction numbers...

 

[JPP]

In the SF Bay Area we have not attached front plates to our cars for over 20 years. It has only been recently that enforcement has seemed to have stepped up. I got a 'fix it' ticket for no front plate when parked in downtown SF, and am aware of ticketing in parking garages. So now if we park on the street or in a garage, I grab the plate from the frunk and toss it onto the dash. I do take it down when driving.