View Full Version : TX Front License Plate Law?
TXLIGHTNING
05-08-2007, 08:38 PM
I have been pulled over 4 times in the past 2 weeks for not having my front plate :mad: . Each time I got a warning. The first two times was the same trooper and he told me to put it on my dash, and that it was lawful to have it there as long as it was visible from the front of the vehicle. Well I have been pulled over twice since last Fri, and these troopers told me that it had to be on the bumper no exceptions :confused:. I cant find the actual law in writing on the web, but I thought it was fine as long as it is visible from the front of the vehicle. Does anyone on here know the actual facts?
state trooper in denton told me it has to be on a bracket on the bumper, visible for them to see, and he didnt give me warning he gave me a fudging ticket, bastard
99WhiteBeast
05-09-2007, 07:37 AM
I just keep mine under my floor mat. When I get pulled over I tell them it fell off and I just haven't had time to mount it
The front plate requirement is from the Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 502 section 502.404 - specifically it reads "
§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR
REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have
been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the
department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the
period."
BTW. The House just passed a bill doing away with the front plate requirement and it has been sent to the Senate. If passed by both bodies in the current session it would become effective in September.
TXLIGHTNING
05-09-2007, 10:54 AM
A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle.
BTW. The House just passed a bill doing away with the front plate requirement and it has been sent to the Senate. If passed by both bodies in the current session it would become effective in September.[/quote] So it only says it has to be at the front of the vehicle, not on the bumper. That is what I am trying to clarify.
The wording in quotes, ".....A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle,....."
comes verbatim right out of the State Statutes.
How the Department of Public Safety, i.e. State Troopers and local law enforcement interpret the language in the statutes is anybody's guess.
The way a judge will interpret it is also another question.
I would think that as long as the plate is visible by a normal person from the front of the vehicle, then it is ok. If it were taped to the inside of the windshield that would probably comply. However, if it is just laying on the dashboard, then visibility would be iffish.
Just my oninion
L8 APEX
05-09-2007, 03:56 PM
It has to be visible from a plain viewing angle. The dash is not one of those viewing angles. Just like when the motorcycle guys put them up in the rear fender well behind the tire. F'em!
PoorSvtman
05-09-2007, 08:18 PM
the bill got passed last year and then got shot down
BC Lightning
05-09-2007, 10:17 PM
A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle.
BTW. The House just passed a bill doing away with the front plate requirement and it has been sent to the Senate. If passed by both bodies in the current session it would become effective in September. So it only says it has to be at the front of the vehicle, not on the bumper. That is what I am trying to clarify.[/quote]
you cant just throw it up on your dash, it has to be mounted on the windshield with say suction cups, and the passenger side windshield wiper has to be removed, if its just thrown on the dash the windshield wipers still restrict the view of the license plate
Moonshine
05-10-2007, 09:22 AM
Might want to take a look at State v. Losoya, 2004 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1061 (Tex. Crim. App., June 30, 2004) (http://www.lexis.com/research/buttonTFLink?_m=8a96681e7983611c6cf0ba019e97fff8&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDAT A%5b128%20S.W.3d%20413%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=1&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA %5b2004%20Tex.%20Crim.%20App.%20LEXIS%201061%5d%5d %3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLzVzz-zSkAk&_md5=cccf99324ed7c15ee40f0e27caca8ac8) . While not a binding decision for this part of the state it does give some insight into at least one appellate court's opinion.
03LightningRocks
05-10-2007, 10:02 AM
Might want to take a look at State v. Losoya, 2004 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 1061 (Tex. Crim. App., June 30, 2004) (http://www.lexis.com/research/buttonTFLink?_m=8a96681e7983611c6cf0ba019e97fff8&_xfercite=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDAT A%5b128%20S.W.3d%20413%5d%5d%3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_butType=3&_butStat=2&_butNum=1&_butInline=1&_butinfo=%3ccite%20cc%3d%22USA%22%3e%3c%21%5bCDATA %5b2004%20Tex.%20Crim.%20App.%20LEXIS%201061%5d%5d %3e%3c%2fcite%3e&_fmtstr=FULL&docnum=1&_startdoc=1&wchp=dGLzVzz-zSkAk&_md5=cccf99324ed7c15ee40f0e27caca8ac8) . While not a binding decision for this part of the state it does give some insight into at least one appellate court's opinion.
That sight requires you register to read the decision. Can you copy and paste the article here, or is too long?
Rocks:beer:
Moonshine
05-10-2007, 10:16 AM
That sight requires you register to read the decision. Can you copy and paste the article here, or is too long?
Rocks:beer:
Too long, but the short version is that the Court of Appeals in Austin ruled that a front plate dispalyed between the dash and the windshield did not violate the statute. But again, bear in mind that ruling is not binding here.
03LightningRocks
05-10-2007, 10:51 AM
Too long, but the short version is that the Court of Appeals in Austin ruled that a front plate displayed between the dash and the windshield did not violate the statute. But again, bear in mind that ruling is not binding here.
The short version works better for me anyway...:D . I agree completely with the statement about the ruling not being binding. Realistically, how many people are going to be anal enough to fight a license plate violation in court? Jesus, it's cheaper to just take your lumps, pay the darned ticket and move on. I have only been hit with that offense when being pulled over for speeding anyway, and even then, most of the times I didn't get a ticket for the plate in those situations. The last one was a couple years ago, and I got the ticket as an add on(bonus if you will) after I kept acting like a douche to the officer who pulled me over. He actually had my speeding ticket written up, and after I kept pleading my innocence and telling him who I was...LOL....and how dare he give a ticket to such an upstanding citizen as myself...he walked to the front of the truck, smiled a little, and added the offense as a second violation. Point is, I really don't think most officers are driving around looking for license plates on the front anyway. It does make for a good reason to pull over a vehicle that has a suspicious looking occupant though;) .
Ohmsby
05-10-2007, 10:56 AM
Ive got pulled over three times for it in various rides but always got off I still am not putting a plate on the front of the L
GoldLS1
05-11-2007, 09:41 AM
Ive got pulled over three times for it in various rides but always got off I still am not putting a plate on the front of the L
Havent been pulled over in the L yet, but the camaro after getting pulled over 10x in about a 15 day period, I finally broke down and put it on. Doubt Ill ever put one on the L.
BTW somewhere in the mess of the law it states the plate MUST BE on the frontmost part of the vehicle.
03LightningRocks
05-11-2007, 10:57 AM
Snip.........
BTW somewhere in the mess of the law it states the plate MUST BE on the frontmost part of the vehicle.
I was thinking I had heard that somewhere too.
PoorSvtman
05-11-2007, 03:35 PM
most court systems will dismiss the ticket if its on when you go to court....
But cops pulling you over for no front plate tickets they either must be trying to get there quota up, pissed off, or looking for a reason to right you more tickets...
Ive talked to a few different troopers and cops that i sometimes work with at work and they all said its not worth the hassle or danger to get out of the car just for a no front plate
03LightningRocks
05-11-2007, 08:46 PM
most court systems will dismiss the ticket if its on when you go to court....
Yep, the court clerk ask me if it was put on when I went to pay the ticket. I said no, and I don't plan to put it on. She said, "well ok then. That will be 150 bucks". I showed them:rolleyes:
But cops pulling you over for no front plate tickets they either must be trying to get there quota up, pissed off, or looking for a reason to right you more tickets...
My experience too.
Ive talked to a few different troopers and cops that i sometimes work with at work and they all said its not worth the hassle or danger to get out of the car just for a no front plate
I could see this. I would probably be the same about it if I where a cop.
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