If you live in a state where a front plate is required, have you been pulled over by an officer for not having it on? I'm in Virginia where front plates are required, but I see about 50/50 Teslas with front plates. Wanted to gauge if anyone has been pulled over by an officer for not having the plate. Thanks!
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Pulled over for no front plate?
- Thread starter EmbersDC
- Start date
jpy1980
Member
thesmokingman
Active Member
I've haven't had a plate on my car in decades in socal and have never been pulled over. However getting a parking ticket in certain counties is a different story. For ex. LA county loves ticketing for no plates, so if you park there you can expect a ticket sooner or later. Technically a cop can pull you over but is it worth their time? Probably not. Though it is a reason they can use to pull you over if they can't find another reason.
miracj
2021 Model Y LR AWD
While you may not want it, why flaunt the law? There are at least two, no-drill front license plate holders, Slipstream Bracket and Quick Bandit.
The Slipstream is harder to steal, the Quick Bandit quicker on and off.
Tam
Well-Known Member
It's a game of chance. Some are ticketed while some are not.
However, if you park your car in public parking lots in Los Angeles Airport, your chance of being ticketed for lack of front license tag is increased multiple folds... like 100%!
There was a front plate discussion in the CO Tesla FB group and this was pretty much the conclusion. If you're in Denver or Boulder, particularly parked on the street, you have a good chance of getting ticketed. Not so much in the rest of the state, even if you're pulled over for something else.
Really depends on your area. I’ve found police typically won’t just pull you over for no front plate if nothing else is up (especially if it’s a nice car). Also, I’ve found that the nicer area, the more chance police are spending time chasing after things like tint and plates. Cops don’t care about that stuff in major cities, bigger fish to fry. Just my personal observation from not running a front plate and also having tint
Watts_Up
Well-Known Member
I got pulled over because I had a disabled placard attached to my mirror, when driving some older family members in town.
The officier asked me to removed it and to put it in the gloves box when driving because it could block the view...
I understand the concept but eventually you might forget to put it back and get a ticket when parking.
SDM44
.
Pretty much this. It's pretty much a game of chance.
I've been pulled over a couple of times for no front plate (and window tint), but it was by a local PD like LASD and LAPD.... and they don't usually enforce traffic violations (unlike CHP in CA). It was probably more of a fishing expedition for them to see if they might catch anything else on their stop, probably because they were bored or pissed off or whatever. When I've been pulled over by CHP, they didn't care about my window tint but did tell me to put my front plate back on, but never threatened me with a ticket for it. CHP is more worried about driving & HOV violations around here.
I have received a few 'no front plate' tickets when I had my car parked the LAX airport's terminal parking garage, and also at the Metrolink train station before. Each time I pulled into the spot so the front bumper was against the wall, or face to face with another car parked directly across from me. The meter-maids there must've been walking around and really looking for cars to ticket.
S3XY1138
Member
No front plate for me. I do have a quick bandit mount with plate in my frunk though. My plan is to explain to Law Enforcement “I took it off to wash my car last weekend. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll put it on right now”. Good attitude and good story with quick correction should appease the vast majority.
Schulz1983
Model Y LR AWD: Matte PPF, Vossen HF-1
It’s illegal to run without a front plate here in MO but I do it anyway. It isn’t enforced. Sounds like if you live in California and frequent the airport, it would be worth it to have one of those quick mount plate adapters to throw on at the airport. I think the argument could/should be made that electric cars are less efficient with front plates. I’m not 
how accurate that is but I read it affects the airflow having the front plate on. I have never seen an electric car in MO with a front plate. Tesla didn’t even put the bracket on when I picked the Y up from the SC.
how accurate that is but I read it affects the airflow having the front plate on. I have never seen an electric car in MO with a front plate. Tesla didn’t even put the bracket on when I picked the Y up from the SC.
dduffey
Member
Austin, TX. Ran a model 3 for a couple years without front plates with no problem. Eventually put them on when the 3 became more common and my wife started driving (didn't want her to have to deal with getting pulled over).
Mike_TV
Active Member
They say you shouldn't be caught committing two crimes at the same time.
EVer Hopeful
Active Member
pedantic I know, but "multiple folds" is more than 100%
I got pulled over once years, decades ago in a volvo, but he let me go as I had it in the trunk and promised I'd put it on when I got home. I've also been driving a PriusV for over a year now with no front plate without getting stopped
At the end of the day, it's probably a rule "More honoured in the breach than in the observance"
