Front plate in Texas . . . What if you don't have one?

[TommyTSquared]

Originally Posted by rolnslo

I run with the front plate on mine. I made a cheap ($10) no-holes bracket that attaches to the lower grille and holds the plate about an inch away from the body. I've had it on there for 6000+ miles and have had no problems with it whatsoever.

Unfortunately for me, I have an HPD officer and a Brazoria County Sheriff that live on my street and both had warned me up front that I couldn't get away with not running with the front plate. My car is a daily driver (40-50 miles/day) so I'd rather not mess with getting a ticket.

Snazzy picture there! Can you take pictures/elaborate on the bracket and how it is connected? Or is it one of those, scrap-metal-machined-some-holes-myself kind of thing (which I would still be interested in )?

[rolnslo]

Originally Posted by TommyTSquared

Snazzy picture there! Can you take pictures/elaborate on the bracket and how it is connected? Or is it one of those, scrap-metal-machined-some-holes-myself kind of thing (which I would still be interested in )?

Sure. I'll see if I can get some better pictures of it when I get home tonight.

It's really nothing more than two brackets and a crossbar. I'll see if I still have the packages for the bolt sizes I used to make it.

[bossbunny]

I am going to try to get away with not putting one on there. My friend hasn't had one on her CTS-V since she bought it in '04. But if I get pulled over I am going to order a no drill bracket.

[SRVFAN]

I got pulled over by DPS in my small town of Aledo. I got a warning ticket & a sturn..."better put it on cuz, I'll be watching for you!" A friend also got pulled over by DPS in Parker County, got a warning ticket as well. He buckled & put his on.

I attached my plate to the windshield on the right side of my dash with clear suction cups. That's all I will do.

The law reads "The vehicle has to have a license plate AT THE FRONT & AT THE REAR of the vehicle. Doesn't say WHERE that would be.... and doesn't say it has to be ATTACHED.

I have passed numerous local police & they don't even pay it any mind... but apparently the DPS (at least in Parker County) have made it an issue.

But I did see a Parker County sherrif's truck without a front plate!! Wonder if he'll get pulled over???

[EsteSS]

No plate for me. I'll just pay the ticket. I've been told once about it and said "yes sir, I'll get that put on immediately." But no....no plate. Like it was stated before, it's mainly for probable cause. Unless you live in a po-dunk country town with Barny Fife, I wouldn't worry.

[mlee]

No Plate for me and no problems...

[wullger]

Originally Posted by SRVFAN

I got pulled over by DPS in my small town of Aledo. I got a warning ticket & a sturn..."better put it on cuz, I'll be watching for you!" A friend also got pulled over by DPS in Parker County, got a warning ticket as well. He buckled & put his on.

I attached my plate to the windshield on the right side of my dash with clear suction cups. That's all I will do.

The law reads "The vehicle has to have a license plate AT THE FRONT & AT THE REAR of the vehicle. Doesn't say WHERE that would be.... and doesn't say it has to be ATTACHED.

I have passed numerous local police & they don't even pay it any mind... but apparently the DPS (at least in Parker County) have made it an issue.

But I did see a Parker County sherrif's truck without a front plate!! Wonder if he'll get pulled over???

That Ruby is such a bad girl..

[BaylorSS]

I've been pulled over 5-6 times at least and never been given a ticket (only warnings) and I've been driving without a front plate since 2002 on my daily driver . This what they call a "gotcha law". It gives the cop a reason to pull you over and run you for warrants and possibly other things like a search or soberity test depending on the situation.

I actually had a Luling cop tell me that because they have a of drugs coming off I-10 to San Marcos/Austin they pull people over all the time for things like missing front plates and not have 2 working rear license plate bulbs (happened once).

IMO, if you live in/travel through an area with cops who make a habit of pulling people over then you might want to install it just to avoid the headache. If not, don't worry about it and just don't act like a dick with you do get pulled over because you'll probably just get a warning. In fact, I used "dealer didn't give me front bracket so I didn't know" and got off before.

[Toxsan]

I have to agree with Baylor. DPS is much more likely to pull you over on the drug running routes ie I45 and I10 just to check you out. I had an impala and got pulled over 3 times driving to Oklahoma before finally caving and putting the stupid bracket on. Was visiting sick Mother and knew I would be traveling that way regularly. Never got a ticket. Also putting it in your front window is fine but your leaving yourself at the mercy of the officer's judgement. At the very least keep it in the trunk so you can prove you have both plates.

[Koolwip]

Actually, putting the plate in the windshield is legal in Texas - there is case law supporting that.

State V. Losoya

Drozd testified that he noticed that the pickup did not have a license plate mounted on the front bumper. Instead, the plate was wedged between the dashboard and windshield.

...

The apparent purpose of section 502.404(a) is to facilitate the identification of a motor vehicle by its license plate number whether it is moving toward or away from the viewer. While a place to display the license plate is usually found on the front bumper, the statute does not expressly require the use of this location. The display of the plate in some other place or manner is not inconsistent with the language or purpose of the statute. The officers testified that they could see the license plate in the windshield. We conclude that Losoya's display of his front license plate in the manner shown here did not violate section 502.404(a) as to give the officers grounds to reasonably suspect a violation of that statute./

The State also argues, as it did below, that the evidence shows a violation of transportation code section 502.409(a)(5) and (7), which at the time in question prohibited the display of a license plate that "has letters, numbers, or other identification marks that because of blurring matter are not plainly visible at all times during daylight" or that "has a coating, covering, or protective material that distorts angular visibility or detectability." Act of May 30, 1999, 76th Leg., R.S., ch. 1189, § 17, 1999 Tex. Gen. Laws 4153, 4161 (Tex. Transp. Code Ann. § 502.409(a)(5), (7), since amended). The State refers to Drozd's testimony that he could not read Losoya's license plate because of the glare of the sun on the windshield.

There is no evidence that the letters and numbers on Losoya's front license plate were blurred, obscured, or otherwise unreadable because any material on either the plate or the windshield. We do not believe that sunlight can reasonably be considered to be "blurring matter." There is also no evidence that the windshield distorted angular visibility or detectability. We find no basis in this record for reasonably suspecting a violation of section 502.409(5) or (7). We overrule the State's first issue or point of error.

The order granting the motion to suppress is affirmed

Originally Posted by 1SSLOW

To my understanding....by law you SHOULD have front plates...but its a minor detail, that cops dont really care for. Now if you get pulled over and the cop is being a jerk (or you were being a jerk and the cop just wants to f*** you over), the cop will most likely write you up for the front plates.

Also, coming from the "import scene"...having your plates in the inside of your windshield, stuck betweet the dashborard and window....doesnt count. You can still get a ticket for not having the plates on the front bumper.

[T_MECO]

I'm running therisk of a ticket. I have been driving next to cops and never got a second look. But I carry the other plate in the car with me mounted on the factory front plate holder just to show the cop that I have it and have not figured out a good way to mount it without punching holes in the body

[partsguy]

if you dont want holes in the front of your bumper you can go to a hardware store and pick up some 2"x around 20" piece of sheet metal and mount it to the bottom of your camaro and bend the sheet metal to a 90 degree angle and mount the plate to the face of it. ive done that on my goat and no problems.

[partsguy]

legend if that is your car man i give you props. that thing is beautiful. hell i give you props just for having it on your signature.

[tommyn2]

No issues in Austin. However as soon as I got heading far north 183 heading to West Texas sure enough I got pulled over. Same thing with my truck and my other car. Never fails.