NY and License Plate Laws

[drewstermalloy]

Does anyone know the license plate law for NY? I'm pretty sure we need front license plates, but I'm wondering if it would be illegal to have a euro-style plate on the front with my NY license plate numbers on it.

Anyone know??

[JudgeS]

The law is you must have a front plate. That being said I ran exactly what your saying on my last car (Audi A3) for like 2 years. I was pulled over a few times, but never specifically for that, it was mentioned once (but I said I was at a car show and forgot to put the regular plate back on, and it was not an issue, keep front plate with you). Aside from that I was also ticketed in NYC (Meter Maid) for not having a front plate, fought ticket by saying plate must have fell off, sent picture of car with correct plate attached, ticket was dismissed.

In summary, I would say if you come in contact with meter maids or parking specific police (ie. if you regularly park on city streets) it becomes a hassle, that you will be able to get out of once, but may be on record after that and become an issue. If you don't you shouldn't have much trouble on the road, just be ready with a good explanation, be very apologetic, and have a way to affix the correct plate quickly.

[coyle996]

But technically, the law states that you must have the NY issued plates on the front and rear.

As JudgeS said, enforcement of that law is a different question. . .

[bluemeanie357]

In NJ I see a lot of cars with the front plate displayed on the passenger side windshield, inside. Might be able to get away with having it there, but I think it looks atrocious.

[JudgeS]

Originally Posted by bluemeanie357

In NJ I see a lot of cars with the front plate displayed on the passenger side windshield, inside. Might be able to get away with having it there, but I think it looks atrocious.

Yea I don't see why people do that, besides it not looking good, I don't think anyone that is bothering to give you a ticket for that would care. I mean if its parking they are looking to give you a ticket for whatever reason they can, so if its in the window its still wrong. And if its moving, the cop is either looking for it and cant see it, or is pulling you over for another violation, so its not going to mean much either way.

[someguyfromMaryland]

For those that think running the front plate in the front window is a good idea, consider what that the plate becomes a blade in the event of a severe accident.

[Flyinace2000]

Originally Posted by someguyfromMaryland

For those that think running the front plate in the front window is a good idea, consider what that the plate becomes a blade in the event of a severe accident.

Good point.

[mattsenpai]

..But the thread starter is asking about a euro-plate.. not completely taking off the front plate

[djam43]

Euro plate wont work in NY, even if you have the correct numbers on it. Believe me.

[NightFlyR]

I believe there is a bill right now in NJ trying to do away with the front plate.
I ran with out a front plate for years on my Porsche, but I was also stopped and given tickets plenty of times, I got away once or twice, the local guys are the worst as they are trying to fill the budgets gaps by using the Police to collect lost tax revenue. Also keep in mind at least here in NJ the front plate has a holgram on it, the laser the Police use gets a very good reading off of that so another reason they like the front plate on the car

[callahan00]

It is mandatory in Ohio but i have not run with a front plate since I moved back from Florida in 2000. I've been stopped nummerous times and have been in multiple accidents [not my fault] and it hasnever been an issue. Run at your own risk though.

I think the Euro plate would be more difficult to explain away than the no plate reason.

[AkFarina]

put it on the bottom of your passenger sun visor. when you park flip it down. wala front plate

[jonnieoh]

Yep, gotta have a NYS issued front license plate. A Euro plate in the same location, with the same numbers is not acceptable in the eyes of the law.

[JudgeS]

Originally Posted by mattsenpai

..But the thread starter is asking about a euro-plate.. not completely taking off the front plate

In the eyes of the law its the same thing.

[mattsenpai]

...So does that mean, if you move to NY from texas, you have to change your texas plates to NY plates?

[Dwell]

i have a euro plate on the front of mine- even with correct #'s- got pulled over for speeding and he didn't even mention it (and he was going the opposite way when he decided to turn + pull me over).

its a fix-it-ticket. big whoop.

ill probably get nabbed for tint before the front plate.

[muladesigns1]

Originally Posted by someguyfromMaryland

For those that think running the front plate in the front window is a good idea, consider what that the plate becomes a blade in the event of a severe accident.

it can also be used as a chinese star in a road rage situation

[coyle996]

Originally Posted by mattsenpai

...So does that mean, if you move to NY from texas, you have to change your texas plates to NY plates?

Only if you register it in NY and are given a front plate. If you keep your car registered in a state that uses only 1 plate you should be fine wherever you go.

[Oxybluecoop]

I have addresses in two states but register the MINI in VA where a front plate is REQUIRED. Since NC is a no front plate state I've been running just the back VA plate for years with no tickets.Of course I have the front plate in the boot just in case.

[Zhenya13]

I cannot give you a straight up answer because that would be practicing law without a license, and I could get kicked out from school for that and/or not get admitted to the BAR., However, I'm sure you can make logical inferences from what I'm posting for you below.

I will try to highlight my thoughts for you

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY
McKinney's Vehicle and Traffic Law § 402

Mckinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated Currentness
Vehicle and Traffic Law (Refs & Annos)
Chapter Seventy-One. Of the Consolidated Laws (Refs & Annos)
Title IV. Registration of Vehicles
Article 14. Registration of Motor Vehicles (Refs & Annos)
§ 402. Distinctive number; form of number plates; trailers


1. (a) No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a set of number plates issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of registration conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the rear of such vehicle, each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not higher than forty-eight inches and not lower than twelve inches from the ground; provided, however, that in any registration year for which only one number plate is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its front, except in case of a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear.


(b) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to be easily readable and shall not be covered by glass or any plastic material, and shall not be knowingly covered or coated with any artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or obscures such number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image of such number plates, and the view of such number plates shall not be obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon, except for a receiver-transmitter issued by a publicly owned tolling facility in connection with electronic toll collection when such receiver-transmitter is affixed to the exterior of a vehicle in accordance with mounting instructions provided by the tolling facility.


2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided, however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon, and provided further that no vehicle shall display the number plates of more than one state at a time except where the vehicle is required to be registered in more than one state, and provided further that the number plates of a rental vehicle shall not display any indication of the rental status of such vehicle nor shall any plate be used other than those issued by the commissioner.

3. This section talks about trailers, so does not matter.

4. No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle upon the public highways of this state having displayed thereon number plates not proper for such vehicle under the provisions of this chapter and, upon a conviction for this offense, the number plates shall be surrendered to the court for delivery to the commissioner. The failure to produce the certificate of registration or registration renewal stub of a vehicle shall be presumptive evidence of displaying number plates not proper for the vehicle. Every annual number plate issued shall remain the property of the state until the correct registration fee is paid. Every number plate of a permanent nature for use with a removable date tag which shall be issued shall remain the property of the state unless and until the commissioner finds that the state no longer has use for it. Number plates belonging to the state shall be under the control of the commissioner.

5. This paragraph says don't use your plate on other ppl's cars

6. No owner shall knowingly cause or permit a vehicle owned by him to be operated, driven or parked upon the public highways of this state in violation of this section. Any violation of this section that occurs while a motor vehicle is parked on the public highways of this state shall constitute a parking violation.

7. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company or corporation to sell, offer for sale or distribute any artificial or synthetic material or substance for the purpose of application to a number plate that will, upon application to a number plate, distort a recorded or photographic image of such number plate.

8. The violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.

[Zhenya13]

and a bit more leisure reading, I just searched for the most recent case that had words front license plate in it.
Here two guys got pulled over for no front plate and got busted for having pot. This case was decided on 21, November 2008

People v. Lightner, 56 A.D.3d 1274, 868 N.Y.S.2d 449 (N.Y.App.Div. 2008).



The People appeal from an order that, inter alia, granted those parts of the motions of defendants seeking to suppress the tangible property underlying the indictment against them. We agree with the People that County Court erred in granting those parts of defendants' motions, and we therefore modify the order accordingly. The police were justified in their initial stop of the vehicle driven by one defendant in which the other defendant was a passenger, based on their observation that a traffic infraction had been committed, i.e., that the vehicle did not display a front license plate as required by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 402 ( see People v. Robinson, 97 N.Y.2d 341, 741 N.Y.S.2d 147, 767 N.E.2d 638; People v. Romeo, 15 A.D.3d 420, 789 N.Y.S.2d 537, lv. denied 4 N.Y.3d 890, 798 N.Y.S.2d 735, 831 N.E.2d 980; People v. Sherman, 106 A.D.2d 416, 482 N.Y.S.2d 338). Upon reaching the vehicle, one of the police officers detected the odor of marihuana. That police officer's detection of “the smell of marihuana smoke, with nothing more, [was] sufficient to provide [the] officer[, qualified by training and experience,] with probable cause to search” the vehicle ( People v. Chestnut, 43 A.D.2d 260, 261, 351 N.Y.S.2d 26, affd. 36 N.Y.2d 971, 373 N.Y.S.2d 564, 335 N.E.2d 865), as well as *1275 “its contents” ( People v. Harrington, 30 A.D.3d 1084, 1085, 817 N.Y.S.2d 483, lv. denied 7 N.Y.3d 848, 823 N.Y.S.2d 778, 857 N.E.2d 73; see People v. Morgan, 10 A.D.3d 369, 370-371, 781 N.Y.S.2d 652). The search of the vehicle produced the tangible property at issue herein.

[Sketch]

Originally Posted by someguyfromMaryland

consider what that the plate becomes a blade in the event of a severe accident.

[muladesigns1]

Originally Posted by Zhenya13

I cannot give you a straight up answer because that would be practicing law without a license, and I could get kicked out from school for that and/or not get admitted to the BAR., However, I'm sure you can make logical inferences from what I'm posting for you below.

I will try to highlight my thoughts for you

FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY
McKinney's Vehicle and Traffic Law § 402

Mckinney's Consolidated Laws of New York Annotated Currentness
Vehicle and Traffic Law (Refs & Annos)
Chapter Seventy-One. Of the Consolidated Laws (Refs & Annos)
Title IV. Registration of Vehicles
Article 14. Registration of Motor Vehicles (Refs & Annos)
§ 402. Distinctive number; form of number plates; trailers


1. (a) No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a set of number plates issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of registration conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the rear of such vehicle, each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not higher than forty-eight inches and not lower than twelve inches from the ground; provided, however, that in any registration year for which only one number plate is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its front, except in case of a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear.


(b) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to be easily readable and shall not be covered by glass or any plastic material, and shall not be knowingly covered or coated with any artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or obscures such number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image of such number plates, and the view of such number plates shall not be obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon, except for a receiver-transmitter issued by a publicly owned tolling facility in connection with electronic toll collection when such receiver-transmitter is affixed to the exterior of a vehicle in accordance with mounting instructions provided by the tolling facility.


2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided, however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon, and provided further that no vehicle shall display the number plates of more than one state at a time except where the vehicle is required to be registered in more than one state, and provided further that the number plates of a rental vehicle shall not display any indication of the rental status of such vehicle nor shall any plate be used other than those issued by the commissioner.

3. This section talks about trailers, so does not matter.

4. No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle upon the public highways of this state having displayed thereon number plates not proper for such vehicle under the provisions of this chapter and, upon a conviction for this offense, the number plates shall be surrendered to the court for delivery to the commissioner. The failure to produce the certificate of registration or registration renewal stub of a vehicle shall be presumptive evidence of displaying number plates not proper for the vehicle. Every annual number plate issued shall remain the property of the state until the correct registration fee is paid. Every number plate of a permanent nature for use with a removable date tag which shall be issued shall remain the property of the state unless and until the commissioner finds that the state no longer has use for it. Number plates belonging to the state shall be under the control of the commissioner.

5. This paragraph says don't use your plate on other ppl's cars

6. No owner shall knowingly cause or permit a vehicle owned by him to be operated, driven or parked upon the public highways of this state in violation of this section. Any violation of this section that occurs while a motor vehicle is parked on the public highways of this state shall constitute a parking violation.

7. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company or corporation to sell, offer for sale or distribute any artificial or synthetic material or substance for the purpose of application to a number plate that will, upon application to a number plate, distort a recorded or photographic image of such number plate.

8. The violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.

Sorry I have way to much ADD to read through all that!

[Zhenya13]

Originally Posted by muladesigns1

Sorry I have way to much ADD to read through all that!

Thas why I highlighted the relevant parts.

Actually I have crazy ADD as well, and so do most pleople in law school

Thas why adderall was invented.

[muladesigns1]

Originally Posted by Zhenya13

Thas why I highlighted the relevant parts.

Actually I have crazy ADD as well, and so do most pleople in law school

Thas why adderall was invented.

wuh huh oh yea, thats what i was thinking