ejmatay

New to this site and I love these forums. Anyway, I have a question about the state laws about license plate mounting in the front your car (TSX). Just bought my new grey pearl TSX and the dealer took my clear cover/plate and mounted from my old Integra onto this goofy front bracket that screws from the bottom. Anyway, dang thing is banging against the front bumper since it's screwed from the bottom. Can't I just remove the plate and place inside behind the front windshield. What are the state laws in Illinois?

My buddy has a Porche Boxter and got a $150 ticket for not having a front plate

tsxhondatuner

depends on the state and the car i think. if you drive an import (integra, civic etc...) they will pull you over but if your driving a Mercedes, Acura, Bmw. etc... i doubt you'll get pulled over but don't put it in your windshield just take it off for good. and if you get pulled over just used the excuse "It did not come with one from the factory"

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I don't drive with a front plate and I haven't gotten the materials to change my rear plate to a plate in VA. So I drive around with just my CA plate in the rear and since most cops don't know about out of state laws, they just ignore it.

tsxhondatuner

u used to live in ca? why u move?

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Got a job in VA.

iamhomin

Worst excuse, evar.

slo007

I've never been asked about the plate in the 3+ times I've been stopped (once for speeding, once for non-stock HIDs -- yes, they are stock -- and once for having a staff parking permit, even though I was a student).

rivvin

I got a ticket before in CA. I think I paid $10 for a fix it ticket...I forgot. In the TSX, I took the fronts off and I don't have my plates yet so we'll see after I get them if I decide to put them on in the front or not.

VeniceBeachTSX

Which won't help one bit. Every car sold in the US since sometime in the 1970s has to come with a mechanism for attaching a stardard sized license plate to the front. Sometimes it's just a couple of holes in the bumper for screws, sometimes a removable bracket, sometimes somthing more elegant. But every car has SOMETHING from the factory. Sometimes the dealer doesn't install it, but it's always there...

Most states make exceptions for classic cars that don't have a mounting mechanism on the front.

In practice, in many places nobody cares. Here in California the enforcement is pretty spotty, but it's gotten pretty bad in the past couple of years, since both the state and most cities are broke.

Generally speaking, nobody gets pulled over for this around here. Usually you just get nailed by a "meter maid" type when you're parked. City of LA is doing this very aggressively, and is also cracking down on front tints and other "illegal modifications" in exactly the same way. You get a fine and a fix-it ticket, and have to correct whatever it is.

In the Bay Area some cities are better than others. San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland are all pretty nasty about front plates, tints, etc. San Jose and other south-bay places are not great either. For whatever reason, Palo Alto are pretty tight about this stuff too.

I decided a long time ago that it's not worth the risk.

VeniceBeachTSX

It's always the parking cops (meter maids) who get this stuff. The cop who stops you usually doesn't even see the front of your car.

sipark

True, it's a lame excuse.. But, it worked for me! Hoohoo!!
The cop basically lectured me how I can go to a home depot and spend 25 cents for a couple of screws and put it on myself.

VeniceBeachTSX

Seems Illinois requires two, like most states. http://www.sos.state.il.us/publicati...license_plates

I did a quick search and couldn't come up with anything to say much about mounting rules, other than that you can't use any kind of a tinted license plate cover. I suspect having it displayed at a sharp angle behind the windshield could be considered insufficient. I have seen people get tickets for this in other states.

VeniceBeachTSX

Yeah, the cops really don't care. If they're chasing you they see the back one. They'll hassle you for it if they feel like hassling you, but usually the paperwork on the "fix up" ticket is more trouble than it's worth.

Like I said, meter maid will nail you in a second, and you usually aren't around to make excuses. It's how the City of LA raises money these days...

nader-tsx

cool, I'm from Chicago and had to move to VA for a job too. I took my front plate off on my TSX and it looks so much nicer without it. And no problems so far. Someone even told me the law in VA doesn't require a front plate.

Like I know Indiana doesn't require the front plate, but Illinois unfortunately does. However, when I lived in Chicago I drove around an integra for 4 years with the type-r spoiler and all and I never got pulled over for not having the front plate. If you do get a ticket, you can take a picture of the car with the plate on it and bring it to court. They will most likely dismiss the case if you bring the picture. And then you can take it off after the court case

tony4311

on the dash is just as illegal as not having it so you might as well not even bother. If its the type of cop that will pull you over for not having one they'll probably pull you over for having it on the dash too.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Where in VA are you? There's quite a few members from the DC Metro area on the forums. Looks like they're planning something for the 23rd. You should go if you can.

VeniceBeachTSX

Yeah, exactly. Most cops won't bother. In many locations it's just consider a "fix it" ticket like a blown light bulb. Prove you fix it and pay a small fine.

Like I said, in many places these rules are enforced mostly by the "meter maid" types. IMO, not having a front plate is mostly a risk if you're regularly parking on the street in a patrolled area. If you're usually in private parking, it's much less an issue, at least in the places I've lived.

tsxhondatuner

i had my integra 11 months and i got pulled over 7 times total. twice for no front plate and i never got a ticket. fix it tickets arent $10 anymore here.

and my lame excuse would work. most TL's at my dealer and on the road dont have front plates i dont see old ladies getting pulled over for no plates.

JTso

iTrader: (2)

Putting the license plate on the dash behind the windshield is just plain dumb. Ever consider what would happen to the passenger in an accident?

rivvin

:smitty:

Roleez

Plate on dash + side airbag deployment =

98EXL

I'm here, but not a TSX owner....I do own a K24 though

In Va, I am 99% certain you need a front tag. Md you do, but mine isn't on since I have temp tags......and it's not going back on.........I just don't care