Question about how laws of different states apply.

99 R/T 10 · Jul 21, 2007

So, here I plan to drive across the country in the Viper. No front plates. Actually AL. only issues a rear plate

. Can other states apply their front plate laws and write me a ticket? A while back, I had a car with legal tinting(dark), drove to Kalifornia and got pulled over. Cop told me he could write me up for it. I explained to him it was legal in AL and those standards must apply to my car due to where it's is register. He disagreed. He didn't wite me up, but threaten if he saw me again, he would tow the car

(wonder why I don't care for them much). Anyway, does anybody know the answer? Can I get a ticket for no front plate or tint being too dark?

Racer Robbie · Jul 21, 2007

I called a friend of mine who is a CT State Trooper and he said that all states are to go by the rules set down from the state the car is registered. He also said that police in rural areas do whatever they want to just to make money for the town. I drive out west every year and put on about 8,000 miles each time and never have been hassled. You just need to tone it down a bit when you are out of state.

Robbie

Mopar Steve · Jul 21, 2007

You are only issued a single plate for the rear of the car. If you needed two where would you even get one? I also have only one plate (Delaware) and travel quite a bit, never had any problems. As said above, car must as equiped as legal for your state.

2000_Black_RT10 · Jul 21, 2007

Not regarding state borders, but in Ontario there are many Michigan cars visiting with a single plate, Ontario is a 2 plate province, not a problem for the single plate Michigan cars.

Odd related note.. Ontario drinking age is 19 and it's 21 in Michigan. Living in Windsor (across the river from Detroit) in the past, it's an extremely popular party / bar destination for Michigan teenagers coming over to drink on the weekends. They can return drunk into Michigan underage and not get charged for being intoxicated because the act of consumption took place in Ontario. It's a really weird site at the end of a Friday or Saturday night, there is a very long line-up at the border tunnel downtown after the bars close and the Windsor police guide the loaded cars with drunk teenagers back home to the US.. I'd like to see them do a breathalyzer test on the drivers, but I suspect a terrible thought that they simply let them go back home.. thanks for the business eh'

Scratch · Jul 21, 2007

Your good coming through Arizona, not sure about Cal, Nevada or New Mexico, but I have never heard of problems there with single plates cars.

Yellow32 · Jul 22, 2007

Police have no authority to uphold laws specific to another jurisdiction.

So, for instance, if my license plates were expired in my home state and I was driving through another state, I could not be ticketed by that other state (there are exceptions like I moved there and it had been more than 30 days or whatever is the time required to register..stuff like that)

But, for driving through, there's nothing they can do. They can hassle you, they can write a ticket but it will be thrown out.

Now, if you are speeding in a different state...well, they can ticket you for that.

And, your driver's license better be from the same state as your plates or that could be trouble...unless driving a rental car.

-J

85 of 200 · Jul 22, 2007

Yellow32 said:
Police have no authority to uphold laws specific to another jurisdiction.

So, for instance, if my license plates were expired in my home state and I was driving through another state, I could not be ticketed by that other state (there are exceptions like I moved there and it had been more than 30 days or whatever is the time required to register..stuff like that)

But, for driving through, there's nothing they can do. They can hassle you, they can write a ticket but it will be thrown out.

Now, if you are speeding in a different state...well, they can ticket you for that.

And, your driver's license better be from the same state as your plates or that could be trouble...unless driving a rental car.

-J

I dont know where you got your information, and your state might be different, but I have written that ticket to out of state plates. Im in MO and right next to the KS line. I cant write for no insurance on KS drivers, but I can write expired tags. I have been to court multiple times and have not lost because its an out of state plate. If it was the case, all you would see is out of state expired tags in the inner city.

Bonkers · Jul 22, 2007

Safety laws and registration laws are completely different. If Californa says
65mph and 1% window tint is unsafe you must obey the local rules. A Delaware
one-tagged car is not being unsafe while in Virginia.

Mopar Steve · Jul 22, 2007

Bonkers said:
Safety laws and registration laws are completely different. If Californa says
65mph and 1% window tint is unsafe you must obey the local rules. A Delaware
one-tagged car is not being unsafe while in Virginia.

Nice to see you here!

Randy · Jul 24, 2007

Most of us CA Viper owners don't have a front plate (I don't recall yet seeing any CA Vipers with a front plate). Over 10 years without front plate on a Viper (over 100k miles), and not one word from the constabulary about it.

ViperTony · Jul 24, 2007

Spend the $54.00 and buy the removable plate from PartsRack. Clip it on, Clip it off. It'll save you lots of time and money. States that enforce the front license plate law will ticket you regardless of where you're car is registered and whether or not you're from out of state. Avoid the hassle and enjoy your trip.

RoadiJeff · Jul 25, 2007

There is no way that someone is going to get a ticket for driving through a state that requires a front plate if the state they are registered in does not require one. Absolutely NO way.

For one, the person was only issued ONE plate from the DMV so is he supposed to remove the one from the rear and use it up front or what?

Now window tinting, loud exhaust, etc., are different things entirely.

ViperTony · Jul 25, 2007

I'm speaking from personal experience. I have two plates but I was never asked how many plates I had when I was pulled over. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the MA state troopers would actually tell you to move your rear plate forward...then give you a ticket for not having a rear plate...but that's another story. No idea what would happen if you only have one plate available. Common sense should prevail but then again...

slaughterj · Jul 25, 2007

ViperTony said:
I'm speaking from personal experience. I have two plates but I was never asked how many plates I had when I was pulled over. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the MA state troopers would actually tell you to move your rear plate forward...then give you a ticket for not having a rear plate...but that's another story. No idea what would happen if you only have one plate available. Common sense should prevail but then again...

That's because the cops probably knew your state was a 2-plate state. If you are registered in a 2-plate state and travel to another 2-plate state but only are using 1 plate, they can ticket you for it. But not if you are registered in a 1-plate state and only have 1 plate.

I don't know about the tinting, etc., but that seems like BS. E.g., a lot of Florida cars have heavy tint legally, for dealing with the intense summer sun, and if they happen to drive their car up 95, I can't see them getting a ticket for it in some other state (well, cop can always give a ticket, but hard to see it standing up).

Question about how laws of different states apply.

99 R/T 10

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Racer Robbie

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Mopar Steve

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2000_Black_RT10

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Scratch

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Yellow32

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85 of 200

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Bonkers

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Mopar Steve

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RoadiJeff

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