Driving with No License Plate- What's the Penalty? - LotusTalk

SpyderRentals · 07-24-2008, 11:25 AM

I got a friend who doesn't have license plates on his Lotus. If he was driving around and got pulled over by cops what would be the penalty? Additionally, there is no registration papers and just has the dealer logo of where it was bought. Car is fully insured though and I have a clean license if they ran my drivers license.

He claims that he has been pulled over in the past without any trouble since cops are more interested in if the vehicle was stolen or just because the car is cool but again, I'm in California where the cops are notorious.

I am taking the responsibility of getting the lotus a tune up, oil change, new tires, lugs, etc and don't want any heat from mr. police officer.

I got a clean driving record and just dont want it to affect mine for helping out a friend. Damn...I must be a good friend if I'm paying for new tires, detailing the car, paying the insurance for a month, etc

Any advice?

NomisR · 07-24-2008, 11:34 AM

I think a lot of people here drive around with no license plate and just the dealer paper plate so they dont' have to deal with front license plate tickets.. no problem.

SpyderRentals · 07-24-2008, 11:43 AM

should i just say I'm just driving my friends and he just bought it?....with 12,000 miles on it haha

Shmoon · 07-24-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpyderRentals

should i just say I'm just driving my friends and he just bough it?....with 12,000 miles on it haha

Just say you got the car detailed. fix it ticket is real cheap anyways

charliex · 07-24-2008, 12:01 PM

depends where you are, how long its been like that and who pulls you over.

its a fix it usually, so what $20 ?

i let my tags expire on my truck, $20 to fix in cali, $978 and $10 per day in nevada!

luckily it was a cali ticket and when i got pulled over in nevada the next day, they let me off with it since i had a ticket already.

i have plates, they're just not license plates

davecarama · 07-24-2008, 12:08 PM

Taking it to the shop? I would say I am taking it to the shop is a cop were to ask. You may still get a ticket (about $50 here) but if you take the time to go to court with a photo of your car WITH the front tag, you can most likely get the ticket thrown out.

I have magnets in the front of my clam that grab my plate with 50 pounds of pressure. I put more magnets in the front so the magnets grip to eachother. Works great! I still never or rarely ever use the front plate though.

DC

SpyderRentals · 07-24-2008, 12:31 PM

i don't think my friend ever did get real DMV plates so he would be screwed....he'd get the fix-it ticket which would make him get real plates, etc

I'm wondering how the insurance company managed to register the car under their policy.

charliex · 07-24-2008, 12:33 PM

I'm fairly sure in cali you need insurance to go off the lot, or to get financing, so you can get insurance with no plates, like me for instance.

FIRME · 07-24-2008, 01:43 PM

If your friend bought the car from a dealer in CA, then they should have placed an RS (report of sale) on the front windshield...usually bottom passenger side. This is done to all cars sold in CA whether new or used and this would be considered a temporary registration until the DMV process the paperwork and this can take months which is why an RS has no experiation date.

charliex · 07-24-2008, 02:09 PM

mines taken years, still haven't gotten my paperwork

Amarao · 07-24-2008, 02:12 PM

I'm not sure the hassle is really worth it. I did this for a few months because I lost my temp-tag. I had been pulled over twice for no plates, both times they tried to look up registration information from the state I purchased it from. As it had never been registered they got no information and let me go since all my other paperwork (driver's license and insurance) were in order.

I think worst case scenario I would've ended up with a $75 ticket.

Brennon · 07-24-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charliex

I'm fairly sure in cali you need insurance to go off the lot, or to get financing, so you can get insurance with no plates, like me for instance.

+1

They want the VIN.

25psi_Elise_Killer · 07-24-2008, 04:43 PM

Here's wut happened to 50 Cent when he was driving his chrome Lambo with no plates/registration:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzLNqy7598M&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzLNqy7598M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

AgentTripleX · 07-24-2008, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NomisR

I think a lot of people here drive around with no license plate and just the dealer paper plate so they dont' have to deal with front license plate tickets.. no problem.

+1 at least in the bay area

Noisycow · 07-24-2008, 05:01 PM

If your friend ever stops for a couple beers after work, tell him to mount a front plate.

Just another open excuse to get pulled over anytime a cop wants to mess with him.

Mr. Know · 07-24-2008, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 25psi_Elise_Killer

Here's wut happened to 50 Cent when he was driving his chrome Lambo with no plates/registration:

Nothing like having raving lunatics as fans...

'round here they will tow your car to impound and leave you to hoof it home.

EvoKnvl · 07-25-2008, 10:41 AM

As someone who's driven around in a Modified Evo for almost 3 years without plates, I can tell you what happens. Mind you, I believe there was a recent change to the laws that say if you try to hide your plates, it's a big penalty...

Anyways, the worst that has happened to me is I got a fix it ticket from the Sherriff... $25... I've also gotten a fix it from CHP, which is just a sign off, no fee. Most of the time, I just get a warning...

As for an excuse, you Lotus owners should know this one... i just took it to the track and I forgot to put my plates back on... Works everytime

BatmobileS240 · 07-25-2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvoKnvl

As someone who's driven around in a Modified Evo for almost 3 years without plates, I can tell you what happens. Mind you, I believe there was a recent change to the laws that say if you try to hide your plates, it's a big penalty...

Anyways, the worst that has happened to me is I got a fix it ticket from the Sherriff... $25... I've also gotten a fix it from CHP, which is just a sign off, no fee. Most of the time, I just get a warning...

As for an excuse, you Lotus owners should know this one... i just took it to the track and I forgot to put my plates back on... Works everytime

You probably get pulled over for having an obnoxiously sounding car too huh?

EvoKnvl · 07-25-2008, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noobified

You probably get pulled over for having an obnoxiously sounding car too huh?

No, I got pulled over because you were in the passenger seat making rude gestures at the cop...

EvoKnvl · 07-25-2008, 11:01 AM

BTW, here's the V.C. for CA
V.C. Section 5201.1 - Obscuring Readability of License Plates: Prohibition

Obscuring Readability of License Plates: Prohibition
5201.1. (a) A person shall not sell a product or device that obscures, or is intended to obscure, the reading or recognition of a license plate, as prohibited by subdivision (g) of Section 5201.

(b) A conviction for a violation of subdivision (a) is punishable by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per item sold.

Added Sec. 2, Ch. 273, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008.

So, I don't know... Is purposely hiding your plates considered obscuring it?

07-24-2008, 11:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
SpyderRentals Lotus Exige Car-Sitter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 11	Driving with No License Plate- What's the Penalty? I got a friend who doesn't have license plates on his Lotus. If he was driving around and got pulled over by cops what would be the penalty? Additionally, there is no registration papers and just has the dealer logo of where it was bought. Car is fully insured though and I have a clean license if they ran my drivers license. He claims that he has been pulled over in the past without any trouble since cops are more interested in if the vehicle was stolen or just because the car is cool but again, I'm in California where the cops are notorious. I am taking the responsibility of getting the lotus a tune up, oil change, new tires, lugs, etc and don't want any heat from mr. police officer. I got a clean driving record and just dont want it to affect mine for helping out a friend. Damn...I must be a good friend if I'm paying for new tires, detailing the car, paying the insurance for a month, etc Any advice?

07-24-2008, 11:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
NomisR Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 744	I think a lot of people here drive around with no license plate and just the dealer paper plate so they dont' have to deal with front license plate tickets.. no problem. __________________ 2006 Lotus Sport Elise #4 of 50

07-24-2008, 11:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
SpyderRentals Lotus Exige Car-Sitter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 11	should i just say I'm just driving my friends and he just bought it?....with 12,000 miles on it haha Last edited by SpyderRentals : 07-24-2008 at 12:04 PM.

07-24-2008, 12:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
charliex OSX Black hat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Las Vegas , NV Posts: 9,951	depends where you are, how long its been like that and who pulls you over. its a fix it usually, so what $20 ? i let my tags expire on my truck, $20 to fix in cali, $978 and $10 per day in nevada! luckily it was a cali ticket and when i got pulled over in nevada the next day, they let me off with it since i had a ticket already. i have plates, they're just not license plates __________________ Black Exige S - http://goth.am 265 Mule / Elan M100.ECU Tuning, http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39660 West Coast Lotus Meet - Las Vegas - November 6-9 2009 http://www.westcoastlotus.com/

07-24-2008, 12:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
davecarama Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 853	Taking it to the shop? I would say I am taking it to the shop is a cop were to ask. You may still get a ticket (about $50 here) but if you take the time to go to court with a photo of your car WITH the front tag, you can most likely get the ticket thrown out. I have magnets in the front of my clam that grab my plate with 50 pounds of pressure. I put more magnets in the front so the magnets grip to eachother. Works great! I still never or rarely ever use the front plate though. DC __________________ Vision without execution is a hallucination.

07-24-2008, 12:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
SpyderRentals Lotus Exige Car-Sitter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 11	i don't think my friend ever did get real DMV plates so he would be screwed....he'd get the fix-it ticket which would make him get real plates, etc I'm wondering how the insurance company managed to register the car under their policy.

07-24-2008, 12:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
charliex OSX Black hat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Las Vegas , NV Posts: 9,951	I'm fairly sure in cali you need insurance to go off the lot, or to get financing, so you can get insurance with no plates, like me for instance. __________________ Black Exige S - http://goth.am 265 Mule / Elan M100.ECU Tuning, http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39660 West Coast Lotus Meet - Las Vegas - November 6-9 2009 http://www.westcoastlotus.com/

07-24-2008, 01:43 PM	#9 (permalink)
FIRME Q'vo! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 431	If your friend bought the car from a dealer in CA, then they should have placed an RS (report of sale) on the front windshield...usually bottom passenger side. This is done to all cars sold in CA whether new or used and this would be considered a temporary registration until the DMV process the paperwork and this can take months which is why an RS has no experiation date.

07-24-2008, 02:09 PM	#10 (permalink)
charliex OSX Black hat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Las Vegas , NV Posts: 9,951	mines taken years, still haven't gotten my paperwork __________________ Black Exige S - http://goth.am 265 Mule / Elan M100.ECU Tuning, http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39660 West Coast Lotus Meet - Las Vegas - November 6-9 2009 http://www.westcoastlotus.com/

07-24-2008, 02:12 PM	#11 (permalink)
Amarao Hoon Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,422	I'm not sure the hassle is really worth it. I did this for a few months because I lost my temp-tag. I had been pulled over twice for no plates, both times they tried to look up registration information from the state I purchased it from. As it had never been registered they got no information and let me go since all my other paperwork (driver's license and insurance) were in order. I think worst case scenario I would've ended up with a $75 ticket.

07-24-2008, 04:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
25psi_Elise_Killer Drunk on alcohol Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,133	Here's wut happened to 50 Cent when he was driving his chrome Lambo with no plates/registration: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzLNqy7598M&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZzLNqy7598M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> __________________ '06 Evo IX Stage 1E Tuned by Road Race Engineering(Stock:turbo,intake,internals,ECU) Walbro 255lph fuel pump,RC Engineering1000cc Injectors, AVO exhaust,RRE dyno tune flash, Dejon Tool boost controller (325whp @ 22PSI Costco 91 octane, 353whp @ 25psi on 100 octane, 383whp @30psi on E85) , Zeitronix wideband,Zeitronix Ethanol Content Analyzer, Defi BF gauges, Stoptech rotors, SS brakelines,Graphic/Interior Design,Brand Identities,Invitations www.nomadic-nomads.com

07-24-2008, 05:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
Noisycow Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,497	If your friend ever stops for a couple beers after work, tell him to mount a front plate. Just another open excuse to get pulled over anytime a cop wants to mess with him. __________________ - - - - http://thecomingdepression.blogspot.com/ No longer the coming Depression, it is already here.

07-25-2008, 10:41 AM	#17 (permalink)
EvoKnvl Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3	As someone who's driven around in a Modified Evo for almost 3 years without plates, I can tell you what happens. Mind you, I believe there was a recent change to the laws that say if you try to hide your plates, it's a big penalty... Anyways, the worst that has happened to me is I got a fix it ticket from the Sherriff... $25... I've also gotten a fix it from CHP, which is just a sign off, no fee. Most of the time, I just get a warning... As for an excuse, you Lotus owners should know this one... i just took it to the track and I forgot to put my plates back on... Works everytime

07-25-2008, 11:01 AM	#20 (permalink)
EvoKnvl Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 3	BTW, here's the V.C. for CA V.C. Section 5201.1 - Obscuring Readability of License Plates: Prohibition Obscuring Readability of License Plates: Prohibition 5201.1. (a) A person shall not sell a product or device that obscures, or is intended to obscure, the reading or recognition of a license plate, as prohibited by subdivision (g) of Section 5201. (b) A conviction for a violation of subdivision (a) is punishable by a fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per item sold. Added Sec. 2, Ch. 273, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008. So, I don't know... Is purposely hiding your plates considered obscuring it?

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