Is the front plate required in California???

[jeffbco]

Really? That seems like a goofy theory. I would guess 99.999999% or more do it strictly for looks. I never risked the ticket when living in CA but did risk a fix-it ticket for what was then illegal dark tint on front windows and was promptly busted.

When you were pulled over for tint did they use a meter to measure the light transmission? I've always wondered how they make the determination.

 

[Consult]

That is wrong in so many ways. Is hospital parking not private? By who's authority is this happening?

Public hospital employee parking structure (harbor UCLA) and the police was Torrance PD if I remember right.

 

[stopcrazypp]

When you were pulled over for tint did they use a meter to measure the light transmission? I've always wondered how they make the determination.

On the windshield only the top 4 inches are allowed to be tinted, so really there isn't going to be light transmission argument. For side windows there might be.

 

[mark95476]

Yup. Very few Teslas in the Bay Area have a front license plate.

Not having the front plate can get you out of a speeding ticket (minor infraction, not racing). They might give you a fix-it ticket for the front license plate instead.

Legally front plate is required but enforcement is lax. Though if you are pulled over there’s a high chance you will get a ticket for not having one. Also parking attendant seems to be on the look out for this.

 

[Darren Donovan]

parking attendant seems to be on the look out for this.

What are they gonna do? Report to the police?

 

[AlexHung]

What are they gonna do? Report to the police?

Ticket you

 

[Big Dog]

front plate has been required by law for decades. Got a tkt last year in LA for not having a front plate.

 

[Exelion]

Not having the front plate can get you out of a speeding ticket (minor infraction, not racing). They might give you a fix-it ticket for the front license plate instead.

I don't see how that can happen. What's more plausible is getting a speeding ticket AND front license plate fine (two-for-the-price-of-one). Don't forget they also get a good close-up of the window tints-better hope those are legal too!

 

[Consult]

I think it’s jurisdiction dependent. My front plate ticket did not have a fix it option. Had to pay up (think it was $100)

 

[bawertu2220]

I haven't put it on the for over 10+ years and never got cited for it.

 

[ShadowRN]

I've been ticketed twice in CA for not having a front plate in my 23 years of driving but that was on my old honda during my rice rocket days and once when I was parked in a park n ride. I've also received multiple warnings and tired of the hassle and having anxiety around LEOs when I didn't have one. I got vanity plates (Black CA plates) and looks great so gives me another reason to put on fronts.

 

[maximus96]

Not having the front plate can get you out of a speeding ticket (minor infraction, not racing). They might give you a fix-it ticket for the front license plate instead.

This is prime bizarro logic

 

[ebwb]

The idea of not properly displaying your license plates while driving or parked on a public road because "I don't like how it looks" seems bonkers to me. Front license plates are important for identification purposes (hit and runs, etc.) so I'm not surprised the Highway Patrol and local authorities are enforcing plate laws.

At least California how has temporary paper plates now; you used to see people driving around in sketchy neighborhoods with just decorative dealer tags, usually with illegal window tint.

 

[Exelion]

At least California how has temporary paper plates now; you used to see people driving around in sketchy neighborhoods with just decorative dealer tags, usually with illegal window tint.

This. I know a few people that got into hit n’ runs and the culprit was never found-simply because no plate was on the car. The new paper plate program is a good thing.

 

[Darren Donovan]

Ticket you

Parking attendants can do that?

 

[jeffbco]

Parking attendants can do that?

City parking enforcement

 

[Darren Donovan]

City parking enforcement

Ah, that makes sense. I was thinking of parking lot attendants.

 

[cjxmtn]

Vehicle Code 5200 VC – Display of License Plates-​

(a) When two license plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear.

A violation of VC 5200 is charged as an infraction (as opposed to a misdemeanor or felony). The offense is punishable by a fine of $197.00.
Note that a violation does not result in any points being assessed to a driver’s DMV record.

Unfortunately, the *front* in this case does not include inside-the-windshield. You run the risks, you take your chances. Plenty of people have run windshield plates, or no plates for tens of years and never been caught. Then there's people who took it off and got a ticket that same day. All depends on who you run across and what sort of day they're having. Seeing how many cars out there have no front plates, it looks like its very low on the pole for getting ticketed. Also, if you're wondering, vehicles like motorcycles are issued only one plate. Cars (like Teslas) are generally issued two.

Worth adding this as well from 5201CVC

(a) License plates, including temporary 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:

 

[ecarfan]

Hi,

I have seen a lot of Tesla cars here in California, and it called my attention that none of them have the front plates... is it legal or Teslas are really special???

This has been discussed before in the California forum. State law requires a front plate. Some people do not mount them. But you can get ticketed for it, and if you are stopped for some other reason the officer may add that to your ticket.

Yes, my TMC profile shows I currently live in Canada but I am a California native who has driven for decades in that state.

 

[airborne spoon]

I grew up in CA and usually i had a front plate but on my mustang and now the tesla a front plate is tacky so i don't bother. Got a fix it ticket once from a CHP who pulled me over for doing 85 in a 65 gave me a warning on the speed. Front plates are only usually enforced where they are trying to collect tax money for random *sugar* LA, SF, and SD aka the 3 cities that run the state against the will of the rest of the state.

Now i have the car registered in NV but i live in CA. NV also requires a front plate but CA cops cant enforce rules from other states... I had a local cop give me *sugar* about my tinted windows and no front plate once while i was parked, but then he saw the NV rear plate and couldn't do *sugar* and just told me that its unsafe to make mods like that to the car and moved along.