When I picked up my new MINI today, I noticed for the first time that that the MCS doesn't come with a front license plate holder. The dealer said they are leaving it up to the customer to decide whether they want one or not. I see that some of you don't carry a front plate. Have you ever been stopped/fined? How much is the fine?

 

Here (El Cajon, CA) near San Diego it is a fix it ticket (last I knew it was like $10.00)

 

Austin Texas...stopped 3 times, but never for the lack of a front plate....

 

it depends where you live
i live in az now no plate
i used to live in chicago and i got pulled over and parking tickets all the time check local laws and ask people who live around you

 

Any advice from St. Louis MINI folk?

 

I'm in Virgin ia ( ) and we're supposed to have front plates on too... I opted to not have my bracket installed, risking the law. My feeling is it'll be something a cop might pile on if indeed I get pulled... but I doubt it will be the main reason that i'll be pulled. It just totally screws up the look of the front end if you ask me!

 

Chicago reporting here....

Never been pulled over, never been ticketed for it. (By typing these words, I realize that I *will* be ticketed very very soon!) However, I do keep the second plate and the bracket behind my seat. If I get pulled over (Gee officer, it's a new car and I'm heading to the dealer this weekend to get it put on...see? Also, sometimes when I street park downtown or for extended periods, I pull out the second plate and leave it on the dash.

 

Didn't realize that so many 'others' read the STL group page!

Ofioliti,

Most of the MCS' on the Road Rally didn't have front license plates on. I know Aaron doesn't have his on and hasn't gotten a ticket for it. From what I remember Aaron telling me, if the car isn't fitted for a front license plate, then its not required you have one. Check with Aaron though, he's never had one on his and is familiar with any problems you might have. I personally take mine of my MC on STL MINI events and replace it with a european style plate, never had a problem with that either. I've even had a few cases where I've left it street parked over night with it on and never had a problem.

-Laclede

 

Thank you all for the replies. I think I will go ahead and risk it. I agree that that the putting on the plates will ruin the look. Cheers.

 

>>Didn't realize that so many 'others' read the STL group page!
>>
>>Ofioliti,
>>
>>Most of the MCS' on the Road Rally didn't have front license plates on. I know Aaron doesn't have his on and hasn't gotten a ticket for it. From what I remember Aaron telling me, if the car isn't fitted for a front license plate, then its not required you have one. Check with Aaron though, he's never had one on his and is familiar with any problems you might have. I personally take mine of my MC on STL MINI events and replace it with a european style plate, never had a problem with that either. I've even had a few cases where I've left it street parked over night with it on and never had a problem.
>>
>>-Laclede

My car didn't come with the front plate mount. I have it, but chose not to mount it. I keep the front plate under my passenger floormat. We are required to have the front plate in MO, but I have never been stopped for it in over a year and I work next to the Brentwood Police Dept. If I do get a ticket, I will get it fixed for $40, well worth the price for not ruining the look of the front of my MINI.

Aaron

 

>>Thank you all for the replies. I think I will go ahead and risk it. I agree that that the putting on the plates will ruin the look. Cheers.
>>
i don't know
here in NY i'm so used to seeing front plates, whenever i see a kar without them it looks stange

 

Florida does not require a front plate.

 

St Louis here-I have a front plate on my MINI. But have not had one on my Miata for over 2 years & have never been stopped. I do carry it in my trunk however. Unfortunately many of my Miata friends have been stopped & given tickets. The ones I know of offhand live in the Ballwin & Kirkwood areas. Also have heard of the Mo State Troopers stopping people on the interstates. Hope this helps.

Lois

 

I'll let y'all know if I run into trouble. No news is good news.

 

i took off the front license plate frame on my MC and replaced it with a european size plate. i got a $5 ticket in maplewood put on my car when i was in the atomic cowboy. i live in ucity and work in the city and havent had a problem other than in maplewood. knocking on wood.

 

6 month in Vermont, plate mandatory, no ticket yet :smile:
Hope will be like that forever

 

i am in northern virginia (washington dc area) and i don't have a front plate on any of my car. no ticket yet. for one, there are too many out-of-state cars here and some of them don't required a front plate. secondly, the cop has to look into his rear view mirror as he passes me to see if i am in state. too much work and he surely has better thing to do

 

I'm in STL Missouri. No front plate for a year and no problem.

I had them leave the front bracket off so I could have the clear bra installed. Somehow I lost the mount (yeah, that's it), and there's no way to zip tie the plate on. Duck tape won't stick to the clear bra, so I have NO way to put the front plate on now.

I asked the dealer to order me another bracket, but I guess they're on backorder. Maybe they'll be back in stock in 2 more years. I forget

Or maybe it wasn't in the car when I picked it up, and I forgot to go back to the parts department to order one.

Or maybe I think a front plate is ugly and don't want one.

 

A quick update: I was at a stop light face-to-face with a patrol car in DePeres. It was just the cop and my MINI at the intersection and he was clearly giving my MINI the look over. But no ticket!

 

Since it looks like this thread has been dormant for a while, and since I'm deciding whether or not to drill the bumper (leaning toward NOT) does anyone have any St. Louis experiences to share re: running without a front plate? Does anyone know if it is primarily enforceable in Missouri? Or do they have to pull you over for something else before they can ticket you?

Also, does anyone have the "inside scoop" on applying for personalized plates in MO? Some states have a website you can search to see if your plate is already in issue, but apparently we don't. I heard you can only submit three at a time, and have to appear in the DMV in person to do it. Any ideas to keep me from spending my next few days off at the DMV? I'm thinking the worst, that most of my choices will be already taken.

Thanks,
MLCM

 

I've never been questioned about my lack of front plate, but that might have to do with the fact that Alabama does not issue front plates

 

I live in Connecticut and have been driving around without a front plate now for almost two years. The cops see me all the time in the small town in live in and no one has ever stopped me. I don't know what the law is in CT regarding front plates. :smile:

 

Like I've said before-front plate on MINI but none on the Miata & I've never been stopped. Other Miata friends have been stopped & given tickets. They were not stopped for anything else!!

You get 6 choices on the form for personalized plates. You can pick up the form at the DMV & then mail it in. They then notify you when it is ready to pick up at the DMV. Only takes a few minutes to run in & pick up the form however you do have to wait in line to pick up the plate. If you go to the State of Missouri website, it has a section on personalized plates & I think there may be a way to check if the plate is already taken. Sorry, MNI-SUV is mine.

Lois

 

I've been stopped twice here in LA for not having the front plate. First time I was able to BS my way out of it with a warning. The next time it happened (about 4 days later) the cop definitely wrote me up. He was cool about it though and offered suggestions on how he was able to mount a front plate on his Porsche without drilling. He told me you have to watch the parking cops here as well because they will write you up as well.

The good thing is that it is a correctable ticket and will cost you just $10 to wipe it off the record, the bad news is you have to take the car to a CHP office and show them you've installed the plate. I figured since this has happened twice in the two months I've had the car I'll just bite the bullet and put on the front plate as much as it pains me! :???:

 

I've had mine off for 2 months now with no questions asked and no tickets. On top of it, mine's only an MC. Mike also has his off and has received a ticket in Webster Grove's I believe, but his was while he was parked.

-Laclede