If you decide to run a plate be sure to get a tow hitch mount. Don't screw unnecessary holes in the bumper.

 

My son got pulled over in his Subaru Imprezza (with a warning) and my friend got ticketed in his Vette. Both WA cars...

I think the economy is dictating more sources of revenue from out of town tourists

 

Back when I had my sti, I got pulled over multiple times for no front plate. Had the 996 for a couple years with no front plate and no problems. I've had the GTS now for almost a year and haven't had any problems w/o the front plate on it either. It probably just depends how board the officer is.

 

I did not know you could get a ticket in another state for No Front Plate. Are you sure this can't be challenged? What if your state does not require a front plate?

 

LEO's know what states don't require front plates so you wouldn't get written in the first place, once they see your drivers license.

Otherwise, "guilty"...subject to the laws of the state you're in

Oregon LEO's love WA drivers with no front plates...Cha Ching!

 

I've gotten 5 tickets this month alone for no front plate from parking enforcement officers. I got cited for 16.20.120-R which states the following:

Except when specifically directed by authority of this Title or when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, it is unlawful to park or stop a vehicle… R. That is required by law to display two registration plates if a plate is not displayed on the front and the rear of the vehicle.

Oregon state law is this:

803.525 Number of plates issued. The Department of Transportation shall issue two registration plates for every vehicle that is registered by the department except as otherwise provided in this section. Upon renewal or when otherwise provided under ORS 803.555, the department may issue stickers in lieu of or in addition to registration plates. The following shall be issued plates as described:
(1) Only one registration plate shall be issued for a moped, motorcycle, trailer, antique vehicle or vehicle of special interest registered by the department.
(2) Only one plate shall be issued for a camper that is registered. Stickers may be issued in lieu of a plate. [1983 c.338 §258; 1985 c.668 §12; 1989 c.43 §27; 1991 c.407 §28; 1993 c.741 §119a; 2001 c.25 §1; 2003 c.655 §114]

803.540 Failure to display plates; exceptions; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of failure to display registration plates if the person operates, on the highways of this state, any vehicle or camper that has been assigned registration plates by this state and the registration plates assigned to the vehicle or camper are displayed in a manner that violates any of the following:
(a) The plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle, if only one plate is required.
(b) Plates must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle if two plates are required.
(c) The plates must be in plain view and so as to be read easily by the public.
(d) The plate must not be any plate that does not entitle the holder thereof to operate the vehicle upon the highways.

Shouldn't the law explicitly state that (or when) two plates are required? I only read "if two plates are required" in section B of 803.540. How can I have violated a law for not having a front plate when it only kind of implies that I should display one?

 

You are required to display all the plates that are issued. It states that you're only required to display 1 plate if only 1 plate was issued. It also states in what situations only 1 plate is issued. As a car, you're issued 2 plates. Thus, requiring you to display both of them.

I work for the court system. I've heard it argued/interpreted every imaginable way and the above explanation is the one that's universally accepted by the traffic judges. It's not worth fighting, you'll lose. Plain and simple. Pay the fine and go about your day.

FYI... in Portland you're much more likely to be ticketed for no front plate by the meter maids than you are the actual cops. The meter maids love these tickets because they're just strolling by and see no plate. They don't have to waste their time pulling you over and all that junk.

Moral of the story:
If you don't have a front plate.... DO NOT park on the streets in a metered area. Plain and simple. Save yourself the time and aggravation and park in a parking garage. The meter maids are blood thirsty.

 

Thanks for the prompt response. You're exactly the kind of person I wanted to hear from on this issue.

 

Just so you know, I'm not a lawyer or anything like that. However, I do work for the circuit court in Portland. I've talked to several police officers and a couple of the traffic judges regarding not having a front plate and they've all given me that same explanation I gave you.

 

Portland driver here - after ~5 tickets in a year on both cars (two in front of my house on a random side street and three downtown, multiple times with the plate on the dash - all parking meter peeps), I said You win and mounted plates on both. Argg.

 

The plate on the dash doesn't do anything. To be legal it needs to be mounted to the further most spot on the front of the vehicle (I.E. the front of the bumper). Anywhere else and it doesn't count.

You're not safe anywhere in Portland that the parking ***** have jurisdiction. I'm assuming yiur neighborhood has residential parking permits or something of the like for the street, hence why they're raping you at home too.

I always park my cars in parking garages or on the streets only after the metered hours are over. I haven't had a front plate on any of my cars since 2000 and I've never received a ticket (knock on wood).

 

I gave up the fight too.....