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Front license plates really checked in California???

Discussion in 'California' started by Tun-D, Jan 22, 2020.

  1. Jan 31, 2020 at 8:54 AM
    #61
    mtTundra

    mtTundra New Member

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    Longer list than the wife needs to know about....
    I'm in MT but I got pulled over for not having one on my Tacoma.
    In my opinion, its just giving the PD a reason to pull you over.
    Some states require it and others don't so in the event you travel with your truck at all, you might need one where you travel to.
    Nothing worse than having to do the roadside Olympics because you didn't have a front plate.
     
    YardBird likes this.
  2. Feb 1, 2020 at 8:40 PM
    #62
    Platinum714

    Platinum714 A--A

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    How long was the install? I ordered this to for my truck this will and can’t wait!
     
  3. Feb 2, 2020 at 11:29 AM
    #63
    doback

    doback New Member

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    I got a ticket while the truck parked without me in it in Oakland. I didn't even know they could do that
     
  4. Feb 2, 2020 at 1:17 PM
    #64
    ifishinxs

    ifishinxs New Member

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    None! I tow a boat weekly
    Read the California vehicle code! All vehicles are required to have a front plate. Your taking a chance by not having one. If an officer needs a reason to pull you over it’s a perfect reason to do it.

    Having said that it’s not one of those things you would typically get pulled over for. It’s a citation in any case and you can go to court and spend an entire day contesting it. Also crap hanging from your review mirror, tinted windows and an obstructed rear license plate, ie trailer ball, etc.
     
    KuhlKreations likes this.
  5. Feb 2, 2020 at 1:54 PM
    #65
    Green Thunder

    Green Thunder Smooth in the Cruise

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    This is so true. They are required here in WA, but so many cars don’t have them.
    I was thinking about taking mine off, but don’t want to give a rookie or revenue nazi a reason to harass me.
     
  6. Feb 2, 2020 at 3:46 PM
    #66
    georgiey22

    georgiey22 Moving to Idaho

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    Two tickets in three years for no front plates.
     
  7. Feb 2, 2020 at 4:01 PM
    #67
    e30cabrio

    e30cabrio I'm e30cabrio, I'm a modaholic

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    West Valley, Phoenix, Az.
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    I lived in Santa Monica, got ticketed, Beverly Hills, ticketed, Newport Beach ticketed, L.A. Ticketed. This was from 1978-2008.

    Can't speak to now but based on 30 years experience, So Cal tickets for no front plate.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2023
  8. Feb 2, 2020 at 5:09 PM
    #68
    waynescaggs

    waynescaggs No more of that .

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    No front plate ticket in SF now that’s funny you can crap on the street shoot up leave your needles everywhere homeless and trash everywhere but don’t have a car or truck with no front plate.
     
    lex2go and Busa like this.
  9. Feb 2, 2020 at 7:32 PM
    #69
    OV-1794

    OV-1794 New Member

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    San Fran is f'ing ridiculous! Agreed.
     
    Trdwillie14 likes this.
  10. Feb 12, 2020 at 6:31 PM
    #70
    chrisbusnut

    chrisbusnut New Member

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    I've seen cops at LAX specifically sitting in the arrivals area watching for people who don't have front plates and ticketing them. I had a parking cop ticket my parked car in a City garage in Santa Monica once for an expired tag.

    I've always used front plates in CA for the last 20 years that I've lived here, however now that I've just installed a winch, it's the last thing I want to see on the front of my truck. The install shop showed me a cool bracket on a Jeep where the plate mount is hinged on the top and you can swing it up out of the way when you need to use the winch. I'd love to find something similar for the Tundra, that works and doesn't look like ass, however I'd really rather just not have a front plate at all.

    I wonder if a cop would ticket a parked car with the plate mounted in the front window. Like mount it to your passenger visor and then just swing it down when you park.
     
  11. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:12 PM
    #71
    Platinum714

    Platinum714 A--A

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    Since I am planning on the victory 4x4 blitz bumper, I decided to get this even though seems expensive.
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.victory4x4.com/V/amp/product/UNI-FPF-PC.html
    my rationale was the bumper kinda angles downward and all the other flip styles were made for a flat Jeep style.
     
  12. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:15 PM
    #72
    chrisbusnut

    chrisbusnut New Member

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    That's bad ass! Thanks for the link! I think I'm going to copy you and order one too. :thumbsup:
     
    Platinum714[QUOTED] likes this.
  13. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:24 PM
    #73
    Trdwillie14

    Trdwillie14 New Member

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    2.5 fox 2.5 ads triple bypass T/C uppers Nfab front bumper Westin rear Bajas Rci skids All pro sliders Icon rxt leafs Stt pros Method 701s 37 Mickey Thompson
    If you have a plate in the front visible like in the corner of your dash and it’s legible with all numbers and letters showing it’s just as legal as one on the front plate holder. Hope that helps :thumbsup:
     
    Tundra Fan and 831Tun like this.
  14. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:30 PM
    #74
    Platinum714

    Platinum714 A--A

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    I always wondered if you accidentally slammed on the brakes would the plate come towards your head if placed on the dash?
     
  15. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:34 PM
    #75
    chrisbusnut

    chrisbusnut New Member

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    Thanks man.

    @Platinum714 , that's a good question!
     
  16. Feb 12, 2020 at 7:51 PM
    #76
    Skey44

    Skey44 GreenvilleOverland

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    Sorry/not sorry you live in CA. It’s a beautiful place, but I like to visit. Do not want to live there. Glad I have less questions like this in my life, there are enough.
     
  17. Feb 12, 2020 at 8:05 PM
    #77
    HappyGilmore

    HappyGilmore Ex 1st Gen Member

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    I hate the front plate thing. No cop is gonna be able read a front plate passing the opposite direction. But the registration thing I agree with. It makes me so mad to see people just skating by with expired tags from two or three years ago, when I pay such a high price on time every year. Or paper dealer plates on a 25 year old car. (They changed the law on those recently.)

    Sounds like as long as it's less than 60 inches from the ground and visible you're fine.
    https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/...division=3.&title=&part=&chapter=1.&article=9.
     
    Trdwillie14[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Feb 12, 2020 at 8:06 PM
    #78
    Trdwillie14

    Trdwillie14 New Member

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    I’ve seen wrecks where stuff goes everywhere to be honest so there is a chance. @chrisbusnut no prob dude. @Skey44 agreed I hate it here can’t wait to move out. I just got my reg in the mail today for a 14. 567.42 I nearly fell outta my damn chair looked at the wife and said god I hate this state
     
  19. Feb 12, 2020 at 8:17 PM
    #79
    Trdwillie14

    Trdwillie14 New Member

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    Obstruction of view is how they get yah :spending:
     
  20. Feb 12, 2020 at 9:02 PM
    #80
    YeeYeeTundra

    YeeYeeTundra Earl Dibbles III incarnate

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    California... Just tell them your truck identifies as having a front plate if you get pulled over.

    I have one on Tundra and my daily driver, but not on my wife's suv. Never been pulled over for it, but like some have said (and I agree) that'll depend most likely on driving habits, time, area, etc...
     
  21. Mar 19, 2020 at 2:06 PM
    #81
    Twise

    Twise More punk than you...

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    Never had a front plate on any vehicle I have ever owned in California. Over 25 of them. Got 3 tickets for tint and many many many speeding tickets. Never had a CHP, Sheriff or Local PD even mention it. I have had some real characters pull me over, but never a mention of the front plate.

    Carry the bracket and the plate or some gorilla tape with you and offer to install it on the spot. That should get you out of any ticket. Unless, you are an asshole, in which case front plate tickets are the least of your worries. You should talk to someone immediately, never too late to change.
     
  22. Mar 20, 2020 at 8:55 AM
    #82
    RVR UBER

    RVR UBER New Member

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    I haven't had a front plate on a vehicle in Cali in the 25 years I have been driving there. Could always be used as an excuse to pull you over on a cop or CHP having a bad day, but never been cited.
     
  23. Mar 24, 2020 at 12:19 PM
    #83
    925tundra

    925tundra New Member

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    If you slam on your brakes everything goes forward...
     
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  24. Mar 24, 2020 at 12:23 PM
    #84
    925tundra

    925tundra New Member

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    This is why the license plate sitting on your dash is not legal..
    " shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible"
     
  25. Mar 24, 2020 at 12:51 PM
    #85
    Tundra Fan

    Tundra Fan Got 17's?

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    I see a lot more cars that have sanded the white off their rear plate so it wont reflect and be readable at night, than I do with no front plate.
     
  26. Mar 24, 2020 at 1:16 PM
    #86
    bleach

    bleach MEME Fiend

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  27. Dec 27, 2020 at 11:40 AM
    #87
    Julikins53

    Julikins53 New Member

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    I have a completely different and legal response for you. Get a new personalized or regular black and yellow “classic” tag from CA DMV. I got in on it early and have such a cool one I wish I could show it to you. Just getting a regular numbered one would be less glaring than the white one. But I’m an old lady so I don’t know if that would be cool or not. I also got a good personalized one for my mule trailer. And yes I mean a four-legged one.
     
  28. Dec 27, 2020 at 11:51 AM
    #88
    Do58

    Do58 New Member

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    Did the “no plate” mod when I got my hard plates 2 weeks ago on my 21. Been pulled over with no issues. Do it on all my vehicles including wife’s 4Runner

    EF1678B9-F451-4ABB-A886-34C669CF8E23.jpg
    FE65D609-9D54-4A4D-BED5-467D81F29C39.jpg
     
  29. Dec 27, 2020 at 12:33 PM
    #89
    empty_lord

    empty_lord They see me rollin'

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    I got pulled over in California, in my indiana plated car for no front plate... so I’d say they try to enforce it. Actually the second time thats happened on vacation, happened in Wisconsin too.
     
  30. Dec 28, 2020 at 7:13 AM
    #90
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

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    I got pulled over by a San Bernadino Sheriff right on the AZ border for not having a front license plate. They were obviously waiting and getting people as soon as they crossed over.

    Thing is, I had a front license plate on.
     

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