Front License Plate placement

[Moonshine]

This topic has come up for discussion several times in the past, so I thought I'd post this recent clarification.

I'm sure many won't like the court's ruling (and on a personal note I'd prefer not to have to run a front LP), but this at least clarifies the issue and helps explain some of the past confusion.



FRONT LICENSE PLATE PLACEMENT:
COURT OPINION CLARIFIES
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) recently issued an opinion concerning the placement of the front license plate. As you know, Section 502.404 of the Transportation Code requires a driver of a registered Texas
vehicle to display two license plates, one in the front and the other to the rear of the vehicle.
For those of you responsible for enforcing the Transportation Code, you are probably well aware of the fact that the code did not formally define “front.” Consequently, this led to conflicting appellate opinions.
For example, the Austin Court of Appeals held that the front license plate was not required to be attached to the front bumper, i.e. inside the front windshield was sufficient. In contrast, the appeals court in Amarillo stated that the front plate must be displayed “where the car begins the foremost area of the car,” typically the front bumper. As a result of these two opinions, assuming you were driving around with your front license plate tucked inside of your front windshield, you would be in compliance with Section 502.404 in one area of the state
and in violation in another. This is no longer the case. The CCA agreed with the Amarillo Court‟s reasoning and decision. Therefore, according to this recent decision, under the plain language of Section 502.404(a) of a Transportation Code, the front license plate is required to be displayed at the beginning or foremost part of the vehicle, most commonly the front bumper.
For those of you interested in reading the entire opinion, you can find at the link below:
http://www.cca.courts.state.tx.us/opinions/HTMLopinionInfo.asp?OpinionID=20044.
Reprinted from the DPS Legal Bulletin Sept. 2010

[dboat]

Brian, thanks for the clarification, however, I am sure no one on this board would EVER run a vehicle without a front liscense plate.. ;);)

btw, what is the fine for this? not that I worry about it..:D

Dana

[Moonshine]

Brian, thanks for the clarification, however, I am sure no one on this board would EVER run a vehicle without a front liscense plate.. ;);)

btw, what is the fine for this? not that I worry about it..:D

Dana

I've been known to run a vehicle without a front plate (just not the one I drive to work). And the max fine is $200, but it's pretty uncommon to get a ticket for no front LP unless the same cop has warned you previously. Not unheard of, but uncommon.

[mxracerzero]

I have owned and ran many vehicles with no front plate, but there has been one Plano PD officer that cited many techs at my dealer for having no front plate when test driving customer cars. we even all have our own dealer tags now to put on cars so we dont need a front plate.

[98Cobra]

I picked up one of these for the M5. No way am I drilling holes.

http://www.gominigo.com/NHLPB-BMW.html

I haven't installed it yet, I guess I am just seeing how long my luck will last...

[Mark #2]

I don't get why anyone cares about a front plate or holes, the windshield wipers are much uglier and no one takes them off.;)

[Mark #2]

I picked up one of these for the M5. No way am I drilling holes.

http://www.gominigo.com/NHLPB-BMW.html

I haven't installed it yet, I guess I am just seeing how long my luck will last...
Ugly, not symmetric, non-symmetry is what makes people ugly too. That from a guy that had his face restructured.;)

[98Cobra]

Ugly, not symmetric, non-symmetry is what makes people ugly too. That from a guy that had his face restructured.;)

True, its not centered. But its about the only option if you don't wanna drill!

[Mark #2]

True, its not centered. But its about the only option if you don't wanna drill!
Drill baby drill.

[Sixpipes]

My problem is all the adjoining states that can legally drive their cars in Texas without a front plate and as a resident of the state, I can be ticketed for not having one. That's just wrong. :cool:

[98Cobra]

My problem is all the adjoining states that can legally drive their cars in Texas without a front plate and as a resident of the state, I can be ticketed for not having one. That's just wrong. :cool:

And see, I would drill, and then the next year we would finally do away with the requirement.

There is no going back! :)

[BC Lightning]

I don't get why anyone cares about a front plate or holes, the windshield wipers are much uglier and no one takes them off.;)

Which is why I removed my wipers, wiper motor, and had the plastic where the wiper holes filled on my Lightning, so I guess I could get now wipers or front license plate tickets. :rolleyes:

[Mark #2]

Which is why I removed my wipers, wiper motor, and had the plastic where the wiper holes filled on my Lightning, so I guess I could get now wipers or front license plate tickets. :rolleyes:
Actually, you can, last time I checked if you have a windshield you must have wipers in Tx, but if you take the windshield out you don't need them.
I recommend taking out the back glass if you remove the windshield.:D

[BC Lightning]

Actually, you can, last time I checked if you have a windshield you must have wipers in Tx, but if you take the windshield out you don't need them.
I recommend taking out the back glass if you remove the windshield.:D

Then I could remove my A/C and side windows too :tu:

[Mark DeNeault]

In good ole Caleeeee, it is ticket baby. They like to take pictures of your vehicles front plate as you run a red light.
Mark.

[Mark #2]

Then I could remove my A/C and side windows too :tu: Yup, that's what I did with the 911, the Porsche club autox/track winning car, but you will have to wear a helmet with a shield all the time.;)

[WA 2 FST]

My last ticket was about 12 months ago in my '09 GT500. I got pulled over for speeding, then he mentioned the front plate. It was a Plano cop, but he was actually pretty cool. Said if I promised to get the plate installed he would not give me a ticket. I told him I was not going to lie to an officer of the law, so he ticketed me and said if I change my mind I could easily get it cancelled.

I don't have a plate on 4 of my family's 5 vehicles. I'll take my chances. If my son gets pulled over in his L, and ticketed for it, then we'll drill the bumper. I asked him about it b/c he just had to take his driver's test the other day (for those who don't have kids this age... they have brought back the driving test with a DPS officer to get your license... which I think is good). He said he didn't want to drill the bumper, so we stuck the plate in the windshield, since the truck had to pass a visual safety inspection by the officer.