Drive Accord Honda Forums banner

What's the penalty for having no front license plate?

18K views 39 replies 38 participants last post by  Samuelx 
#1 ·
I just think the car looks better without a front license plate (accord coupe) and probably sedan too.

I can't seem to find the penalty/fine for not having it in Texas. I've read on a lot of forums that some people have never been pulled over and even when they are, they're just given a warning.

I think the biggest threat is it draws attention to you in that a cop will pull you over for it and notice other things or pull you over for speeding and then put that on top of it etc...

My plan is to always have the mounting bracket and license plate in my glove compartment and if I'm ever pulled over for it, I'll have it next to me in the passenger seat explaining to the cop that I was just on the way to get the screws for it! :naughty:
 
#3 ·
It is based upon your state or local laws. In Kentucky, we arent required to keep a front plate but over in Ohio they are required to have them on their car.
 
#6 ·
haha its funny how i just started a forum about this x]

i live in california and i just got a fix-it ticket for not having my front license plate.
its not a big deal.. you just gotta go put your plate back on and get it signed off by your local law enforcement officer. <- that's how it works in CALIFORNIA.

i have no idea where youre from.. and different states have different laws.
 
#25 ·
True that it is a "fix it" ticket in California, but don't assume it will be cheap. The days of the no-payment fix it ticket are gone. First, police departments started asking for fees to have an officer sign-off on the fix it ticket. Now, courts have jumped in on the action; "court fees and assessments" will change a simple infraction into a $150 payment. Post back once you have your fix it corrected to tell us what you actually ended up paying.
 
#9 ·
In WI, you can get a up to a $400 fine for not having a front plate. Usually you just get a order to fix it though. If you have "Collector" or "Hobby"plates, only the rear is required.
 
#10 ·
Seems like every state is different. Here in WA, I have left off the front plate since the car was new two years ago (09 coupe 6/6). In the first month I was so, uh, right-foot-excessive I got two good driving awards (speed). Cops never said a thing about the missing front plate.

If they notice it gone I don't think it's a big deal here in WA tho, just a fix-it and show-it, but if they ask where it is I'll say it's in the trunk because somebody backed into me and broke the plastic frame and I'm waiting for the dealer to get one in.

YMMV.
 
#12 ·
Looks like you said you are in Texas.

State law requires that one license plate be in the rear of the vehicle and the other must be "forward facing," could be bumper or dash I believe.

Personally I just leave the plate in the trunk. Plate violations are a fix it ticket at worse. I have illegal tint too, but I feel that cops here in Houston have too much to do rather than worry about my tint and license plate.
 
#16 ·
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/misc/faq/faq_item.htm

How Many License Plates Am I Required To Display?
State law requires that you display two (2) license plates, one to the front and one to the rear. Placement or mounting of license plates is not defined.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.502.htm#502.404

Sec. 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a passenger car or commercial motor vehicle, other than a vehicle assigned license plates for the registration period, that does not properly display the registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the license plates have been validated for the period.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license plate, attached to the rear of the vehicle, that has been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a dealer operating a vehicle as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
(f) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
(g) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (b) if the defendant:
(1) shows that:
(A) the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle was issued a registration insignia by the department that establishes that the vehicle was registered for the period during which the offense was committed; and
(B) the registration insignia described in Paragraph (A) was attached to the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
 
#13 ·
My car has never seen a front plate and I live in Jersey. I believe the ticket costs 55.00 now. I leave it off because it looks way better with out it and also been a life saver. I rather have the plate ticket than the speeding ticket. My two cents
 
#15 ·
in NJ we have to have a front plate... I dont have mine on... ive been pulled over and ticketed for it 3 times... $54 per ticket... it saved me from 2 speeding tickets tho lol
 
#18 ·
I love not having to have one! Makes the car look sooooo much nicer!
 
#24 ·
Right when you are pulled over......"wait for the flash"
 
#23 ·
i guess louisiana doesn't care cause we only need 1 for the back :banana:
 
#27 ·
I live in Texas and have had several cars without front plates.
The biggest hassle is that cops can pull you over, for no other reason other than a missing front plate. I've never been issued anything other than a warning, which basically goes immediately into the trash... so I decided years ago that it was worth the hassle. When I bought my current Accord, I told the dealership to leave the front plate off the car... and that if they put it on the car, I would not purchase the car. The bracket is still in the trunk in the plastic bag, along with the front plate. I'm originally from Michigan, so maybe that's why I hate front plates?
 
#29 ·
^ ha, that's badass

Revisiting this thread since I actually got pulled over by a state trooper in Texas (never once in the cities of Dallas or Houston, but of course traveling between the 2 you run across more state troopers etc...)

Had to put on a front license plate and dealer actually drilled holes into my front bumper. I didn't really care at the time, but now think I'm gonna take the front license plate off again due to some loophole in the Texas law where there is no true punishment for not having one.

Question, what's the best way to cover up these holes? Or is there any?
 
#36 ·
think I'm gonna take the front license plate off again due to some loophole in the Texas law where there is no true punishment for not having one.
Read an article about this a while back. Seems when Texas revised the laws in this area this year, they accidentally left out the "punishable by $200 fine". Therefore at current time, they can only issue a warning. That is until next year when they will probably fix it. :)
 
#30 ·
^^ Huh? Does the dealer not realize every car Honda sells in the US has mounting holes for a front license plate? I just unbolted the bracket and it's sitting in my trunk next to the spare tire...my state doesn't require the plate.


photo upload
 
#31 ·
I live in California. I have never put a front license plate on my car since I first got it. I have gotten zero issues, hell none of the cars in my house have front license plates they make the car look ugly. I will just keep it like this until a cop gives me a ticket. Lol most likely a fix it ticket.
 
#32 ·
I also use to live where you needed two license plate. Got two warnings and 1 ticket in 8 years. The trick is the start doing big gesture to draw the cop attention to you and not the frt bumper haha

The only ticket i got was in a rd block.Then you look suspecious if you move too much.
 
Top