Teslas in Calif. with no front plate: Question

[JimShaw]

I'm on my second M3. Purchased one in 2019, sold in 2021 and purchased another in Dec. 2021.

I have ALWAYS had the front plate on both cars and now considering taking the plate off.

In California one can get a ticket for no front plate

FOR THOSE LIVING IN CALIFORNIA RUNNING NO FRONT PLATE, HAVE YOU RECEIVED A TICKET??

 

[ZenRockGarden]

Tons of cars with no front plate here. It's rarely enforced, but it can happen - most often as an excuse if the police see you doing something sketch and want a reason to pull over

 

[jjrandorin]

None of my BMWs over the past 18 years had a front plate. I went without on my model 3 for its first 2.5 years, but then decided it would actually look better with a plate. The front looks too much like the cartoon "cars" to me, and the plate breaks it up a bit for me.

To answer the question, twice over the past 18 years I got tickets on my BMWs for having no front plate. Its very much a "where are you and where are you parking" type of thing though.

 

[RichardL]

Never had a front plate on any ‘interesting’ car in the last 20 years, without issue.
Going to install front plate on the new S since I will be out of state more and don’t want to provide any excuses to those that might care.

 

[roblab]

The statistic is that ten percent of all cars in CA do not wear a front plate. Yes, it's required, and no, it's not enforced. This is my first Tesla on which I've installed the front plate. Out of four.

 

[Need]

Never got pulled over for no front plate, but got parking tickets (about $12 to $25) for no front plate parking at street parking of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and LAX long term parking lot.

 

[JimShaw]

My plates are lowered vs the stock setup

Maybe I should leave things as they are and not worry about a ticket vs trying NOT to look like a senior citizen

 

[ngng]

Cops will use it as a reason to pull you over. You will also likely get a ticket for it if you're parked on the street in a big city.

 

[Canyonero]

I’ve got a couple parking tickets in Santa Monica, but none are fixit tickets where I’m required to put it on.

 

[JimShaw]

Cops will use it as a reason to pull you over. You will also likely get a ticket for it if you're parked on the street in a big city.

Starting to think I should not do it. The odds are, if there were 500 Tesla's in my small town, I would be the one getting the ticket

 

[STS-134]

No front plate on my Tesla. Never had an issue. In theory, cops can use it as an excuse to pull you over, but if a cop really wants to pull you over, he can use almost anything as an excuse to do so.

 

[ngng]

Starting to think I should not do it. The odds are, if there were 500 Tesla's in my small town, I would be the one getting the ticket

You will probably be fine. I think I got one ticket in my time here, but I was also speeding

 

[jjrandorin]

Starting to think I should not do it. The odds are, if there were 500 Tesla's in my small town, I would be the one getting the ticket

Im out here by you, and had my model 3 with no front plate for 2.5 years as I mentioned (im in temecula). With that being said, there is no guarantee, because it is the law we are supposed to have them. Its a fix it ticket if you get one, so its annoying but not too intolerable.

 

[ucmndd]

Very much dependent on where you live. The city where I work uses this and other minor infractions as a revenue stream. I’ve gotten multiple fix-it tickets over the years parking in a city-owned garage or on the street.

$110 to just pay the fine, $10 processing fee if corrected.

 

[CaptUAL]

Have had three cars in So. Cal. with no front plates for 25 years. No ticket…….Yet.

 

[sevusal]

I'm on my second M3. Purchased one in 2019, sold in 2021 and purchased another in Dec. 2021.

I have ALWAYS had the front plate on both cars and now considering taking the plate off.

In California one can get a ticket for no front plate

FOR THOSE LIVING IN CALIFORNIA RUNNING NO FRONT PLATE, HAVE YOU RECEIVED A TICKET??

Lols. Just posted on this topic. Yup my wife just got the ticket this evening.

 

[JimShaw]

Lols. Just posted on this topic. Yup my wife just got the ticket this evening.

Darn you

Yesterday, I took the plate off to test my feelings on it for a day or so and you popped on with your post

Today, I might put it back on

 

[Luvtoride]

So if California requires front plates, why does Tesla NOT put proper front plate holders on its cars? Is it all aesthetics?
I'm in NJ where its required and everyone (just about) keeps front plates on their cars. Putting on the Tesla front frame with the double sided tape feels like its going to fall off when I hit a bump (it hasn't so far).

 

[jboy210]

I have not had front plates on my cars for several decades. The only place I got a ticket for it was in Berkeley where they will give you a ticker for farting. And even that ticket was a parking ticket, so I just paid the $20.

 

[jboy210]

So if California requires front plates, why does Tesla NOT put proper front plate holders on its cars? Is it all aesthetics?
I'm in NJ where its required and everyone (just about) keeps front plates on their cars. Putting on the Tesla front frame with the double sided tape feels like its going to fall off when I hit a bump (it hasn't so far).

When I picked up my 2022 X at the factory there was a piece of paper in the car telling me the SC would install the front plate holder at no cost. So, my guess is Elon thinks the plate looks dumb. And I agree with that.