Hello. I removed my front license plate saturday. I know this is not legal, but a good 10 or 15% of cars in my area don't have them. I was just wondering if anyone here has ever actually been pulled over or received a ticket for this.

The main reason I'm posting this is that when I took the plate off, my bumper was severely scratched. It is not all the way through the paint, but it is noticeable. It is similar to the spoiler wearing the paint off of the trunk lid. Is this happening to your cars to? or do you not use the front plates?
Thanks

From what I've heard, the front licence place in California is for parking meters and hourly/timed parking areas (like max 2-hour parking areas where they come around and chalk your tires). Since most meters end up at the front of the car (either in a front-in, diagonal, or parallel park), the meter patrol doesn't have to walk to the back of the car or walk into traffic to write down your licence plate number when issuing a ticket.

I'm originally from Florida where there is no front plate. When I first came to California 12 years ago, I was doing some work in downtown Sacramento. I had no choice but to park at the meters everyday for $3.00/day. I ended up with an expired meter one day and I got a ticket for the expired meter, and a fix-it ticket for no front plate (I had a personalized airbrushed plate with me & my wife's name on it). So yeah, they will get you for it. I don't think they would take the time to pull you over for it, but you never know with some of these "Gung-Ho" coppers out there.

I don't know if it's legal to just have your front plate in your front window (inside your car). I would love to take that front plate and holder off... I'm sure there's some drag produced there! However it did save my front end from getting f-ed up by some a-hole with a truck who backed into my car pulling out of a parking space. The only damage was to the front licence plate and holder.

When you take the plate off, is there damage? Mine is badly scratched.

Anyone know a good way to get scratches out of the bumper? I do have access to a random orbital buffer/polisher. My neighbor has bumper scratches and she would like to know as well.

do you parallel park on the street? many times the car that is backing into the spot in front of you "taps" your car and hence the scratches on your front bumper. there isn't much you can do about it. i am anal about my car, but that is one thing you have to get over when you parallel park on the street and live in a city.

No. I have only parallel parked it 2 or 3 times.

That is a big YES on getting a ticket for no front license plate I live in Los Angeles and this has def happened to me and my friends, esp in places that are 'extra harrassment" prone like Highland Park, Pasadena, & near downtown. I got one less than 3 months ago.

2007 Honda Civic Hybrid
Bought in Valencia, CA
Sunday, Feb 18, 2007
I'm still in shock...

Burningstar: Were you pulled over because of the missing plate? Did you get a fixit, warning, or actual ticket? If it was a ticket, how much was it for?
Thx

Dude, I hate it too but it's just not worth the potential hassle and/or money.

This simple modification can at least make the license plate a little lower. Still potentially illegal depending on your state's plate ground clearance requirement, but you'd need a mighty anal cop.

2 or 3 times is enough. just depends on what kind of day the person parking in front of you is having.

Gah! People can seriously suck sometimes.

What modification?