Does CA require a front License Plate?

Getting real close to picking up my new VS and most of the cars I've seen are not running a front license plate. Has anyone had trouble without running a front plate in CA.

California does require a front plate. In the past it was not well enforced although I did get a fix-it ticket (1982) from an officer that bragged that he had ticketed 15 porsches that morning. He was parked on 101 and pulling over the Porsches that were heading to a club autocross.

Now there is much more enforcement due to the red light cameras, especially in cities that use that devil device.

I have put the front plate back on my car to avoid the possible problems.

As soon as I find which speed bump in which parking lot I left my front plate in, I will be putting mine back on!

Paul,

I think it was at Mabel's "house". Parking lot #2 near the red trailer.

Dean,

The other are correct.

I've had my car for a number of years and never put it on; its lying in one of my Roll-a-Ways Tool Boxes.

I think speedsters look better with them; as for Paul's plate, its probably stuck to the bottom of my car becasue of its low ride heigth!

Jack

Thanks Guys,

Can't wait to get my new ride and then decide whether to run with the plate or not.

Dean

Front plates in any cars look suckyyyy!!! you will get a fix it ticket, I got one in my BMW and it was no big deal, also got in trouble for the windows being tinted so it again was a fix it ticket.

I know they are required in Virginia, but does anyone know if it inforced?

I haven't had one on my truck for years. Not been stopped or questioned at safety inspection. Who knows?
Always thought CA cars running around with only a tag that says "Mossy Ford" or similar from the dealer was a bit odd.
ed

I totally agree with Esther here.. I think that front plates take a way from the classic lines that are produced on ALL types of cars not just our be-loved speedie's here... I have NEVER seen a car commerical that shows their new car with a front plate! I've had several cars here in So cal and I've been tagged twice by cops that were just not having a good day let's say! Couple of screws and a visit to a CHP office and things are handled, then go home and remove it at once! LOL..

Have a Speedie Day!

Speedster "D" out...

FYI, In Los Angeles County, if you get a "fix it" ticket, it also has a court cost attached to the offense. Usually anywhere between 25 and 40 dollars. At least that's what it was in 2000.

Its almost done and I take delivery next week. I think I will leave the front plate off for a while..

I'd at least keep it in the vehicle.
Section 52 of the California Vehicle Code http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d03/vc5201.htm says you have to have it on the car, not more than 60 inches from the ground. I'd loosely translate that to mean you could probably stash it on the dash ... but the code says you gotta attach it securely.

Anecdotal read on the Jaguars of the last 25 years and the advent of the Solstice:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/24/when-government-regulations-and-design-collide/

Thanks Cory,

That was definitely my plan to have it with me but mostly just looking forward to having the speedster on the road...

Dean

Anything that covers almost a square foot of paint that would otherwise be exposed to rock chips is okay by me. Plus, as mentioned in an earlier post, fixit tickets are not cheap and I believe they increase incrementally each time you are ticketed for the same violation on the same vehicle.

Sooo Tom, Just how did you make the attachment? I've been considering the least invasive methods possible, just in case.......

While it is not CA, Texas has a front plate law that is seldom enforced. Some months ago the police have said it would be enforced.... Until late yesterday I had seen nothing that would suggest they were serious. However, yesterday afternoon in North Harris county (North Houston) there were litterally dozens and dozens of police cars pulling over drivers.....I noticed the cars being pulled over either had no inspection stickers, expired inspection stickers, or no front plate. According to the police they will not pull you over for not having a front plate, but they will ticket you for it if they happen to pull you over for something else. I understand it is $125 fine for the plate violation alone. And the tow trucks were there in force.....

Me? I was very fortunate in that for what ever reason I had put the front plate back on my Spyder a couple of weeks ago, for the first time in years.....good thing they weren't writting for noise violations......

I used to get tickets all the time in my Bug for no front plate. I think 4 total. The plate would go on, get signed off, and then come right off. Annoying but I thought I was too cool for a front plate. Of course my speedster doesnt have one and wont. So I guess I havent changed much.

Ernie,
Drilling through the front of the bumper turned me off, although that appears to be how they attached the plate bracket on the originals. I purchased a generic stair step shaped plate bracket from Pep Boys and then bolted it onto a piece of wood cut to 6" long by 3" high by 2" deep that fit inside the bumper. I connected it to the bumper by drilling 2 holes approx 1/4 inch in size in the bottom of the bumper where they won't be seen (you can make the screw heads out in the photo if you look closely) and attaching with long wood screws. If you cinch everything firmly there is no play in it and you will have good clearence between the back of the plate and the body. Pre-drill all of the screw holes to alleviate potential of the wood splitting.

Ernie,
I misspoke when I said I bolted the bracket to the wood, as wood screws were used. Bolts would work if you countersunk them.

I used a 911 front plate bracket. I think it's the same as the 911 rear plate bracket.
In the original, bumper-havin' days, it was bolted through the bumper, including the rubber trim piece. Nowadays, it's right through the body. The flat piece in the middle of the bracket flexes from the curvature of the nose, so it's not terribly hideous.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PORSCHE-911-REAR-LICENSE-PLATE-BRACKET_W0QQitemZ280034197881QQihZ018QQcategoryZ33648QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Two holes, versus four. The People's Republic of Maryland would clobber me for not having it on the car.

Took delivery today car was ready and just as I ordered it. Wow! Couldn't get the smile off my face.

Congrats, Dean!!

Welcome to the SOC "SEG" club - looking forward to having you join one of our SOC cruises and showing-off that bad-boy of yours!!

Peace - Out!

Thanks Jim,
I look forward to that as well.

Dean

Thanks Tom
I'll keep your method in mind for the day I get my fix-it ticket!

Just an update had my VS out all weekend without a front plate.(did have it in the car) There was a big biker event in Palm Springs this weekend which meant alot of extra police in town and with the all the bikes loud exhaust etc. they didn't give me a second look. I got nothing but thumbs up and "nice car" from bikers and other new and old "real porsche" drivers even ran into a Porsche club making a stop at a local restaurant and in there group was a guy with a beautiful fully restored '55 speedie who was enjoying the great weather. Felt great knowing I could have as much fun at a price I could afford!

Dean

Yes, but -
I've driven an '86 Mustang for 20 years without one.
I've driven a '97 Ford pickup for 10 years without one.
The wife has an '06 PT Cruiser without one.
I've driven my '01 JPS for 6 years without one.
I drove several early Corvettes for many years without one.

No stops yet here in San Diego. You can't find a Porsche, Corvette or Miata in this town that has a front plate. A cop told me years ago that you will get ticketed as "equipment failure" for this oversight, but ONLY if you get pulled over for another "real violation" and give him attitude. Enjoy the ride.

However, it does provide probably cause to pull you over and these tickets now cost money.

Just because someone gets away with an offense, doesn't mean that you will. So, you have to make the decision.

Some cities will write you for no front plate while the vehicle is un-attended and parked on the street. It happened to me in Beverly Hills where a meter maid got me even though my meter was not expired.

just move to SC, they don't require a front plate nor do they want you to have one it seems.

The front plate issue is kinda like driving on the freeway or interstate.

You may be driving along with a pack of cars, all traveling faster than the posted speed limit, no problem until the trooper pulls YOU over for driving in excess of the posted speed limit. Like many others on this thread have stated..."just because everyone does it does not make it legal".

Of course, a person looking like me driving various 911's over the years, I've always been THAT driver that got pulled over instead of the group of Taurus', Corvettes or Toyotas alongside me.

Its a crap-shoot whether you get ticketed or not. BTW - I haven't had a front plate on any of my 'fun cars' for 30 years.

Peace - Out!

For God's sake either put the darn thing on or leave it OFF!!!!

Another bit of license plate trivia:
I was at a car show last Sunday and spoke with the CA Highway Patrol. The officer had his personal "Saleen Mustang convertible with supercharger" on display, so he was definitely a car guy.

1) He said some intersection red light cameras frequently(?) catch stolen vehicles by filming license plates. Apparantly the system can be interactive, with a computer picking up the plate numbers in real time and sounding an alarm. These systems are moving toward video in place of still photos.

2) Some CA highway patrol cars have a "passive" camera system front and rear (you've seen the film on those cop pursuit shows). Well it turns out those cameras are also hooked up to real time computers and the computer runs an automatic make on all license plates it "sees". When a warrent comes up, a little alarm in the patrol car goes off and the cops chase you down. He opined that it wouldn't take much to program the system to alarm on missing front plates?

Is this cop BS propagnda? I don't know. Both officers took part in the conversation with me. They seemed sincere. I think the technology is definitely available to do this. Big Brother is just outside the door! Enjoy your paranoid ride.

Hey David -

If that's the case, then you're DEFINITELY going to see me on a future episode of "Cops".

You'll see a short, bare-foot, balding, Samoan-looking dude (me) getting a beat-down from the CHP after a slow-speed chase through Newport Beach. My Crime; No front license plate!!

Don't forget to say "Can't we all just get along?"

Nolan...ah yes, Rodney King, the beat-down poster child!

I was at a car show last Sunday and spoke with the CA Highway Patrol. The officer had his personal "Saleen Mustang convertible with supercharger" on display, so he was definitely a car guy.

David, Did his Mustang have a front plate?

Ya got me Vince - I don't know. I only found out it was his car quite a bit later, after I talked to him. He did have one of those fiberglass tonneau covers over the back seat, all painted up with a flag and such. I've got four vehicles, and three of them have no front plates - although I do carry them in the door pockets. Hope I never have to BS my way out of a "situation", I ain't no good at that.

Jim,

You look like one of the often referred to "Samoan Hit Men," one of whom is named Antwan "Tony Rocky Horror" Rockamora, in the Tarantino films