do we need front License plate for WA??

[calvinswiss]

[bobkegel]

RCW 46.16.240
Attachment of plates to vehicles -- Violations enumerated.
The vehicle license number plates shall be attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle for which the same are issued and in such a manner that they can be plainly seen and read at all times ...

[malamute]

[calvinswiss]

[MacLeanHess]

My e28 still has a GA plate on it because I hate the how the car looks with a front plate (front plates not req'd in GA).

[gregory528iT]

have a front plate requirement, (and there may be more, but only a couple more).. out of 50 state's total.. it sounds like front plate delete is in the minority.. not just a Washington state thing against you. So not that I really love having a front plate.. It's no reason to HATE any particular state.
Just do like my friend did, get your WA plates, and carry the front one in the trunk. I've heard of more people getting pulled over for out of state plates, when they are obvious residents, than for the front plate delete.
I know 3 people pulled over and ticketed (fix it tickets) cause they were too lazy to get WA plates. My buddy has yet to get pulled over for not having his front plate on.



In MY bag.
Golf Smith, Ti 260 7° loft AJ Tech Tour Stiff(summer)
Generic 2 wood, 12° loft. EI-70 Tour Stiff (winter)
Taylor Made Tour Spoon, 14° loft, Steel Stiff
Titleist 990B 2-PW, Dynamic Gold S300
Titleist 54° SW, DG, Stiff
Snake Eyes 60° LW, DG, Stiff
Oddessy "Dual Force 440" (bullseye with insert) putter, 34"
Winn Grips

[kappla325]

I am 21 and have been driving since 16 without a front plate and have never had any problems. Perhaps it is because of my sane driving, and white car. I simply take the risk and I am quite fine with the potential costs involved.
Andy

[mwong]

reason to look at your car a second time. Or any reason for a cop to stop you.

If you get stopped or cited for no front license plate in a two-plate state, you really shouldn't get angry at the cop. If you are the victim of a hit and run and the suspect vehicle goes unknown, consider that it may have been easier for a witness or you to identify them if the car had two plates. It goes both ways... you might be less likely to be caught with photo radar, etc. but it might be easier for the other guy to get away too.

I agree that the front of my cars would look better with no front license plate. But I have them on there because I don't want to risk drawing attention. If we go to a one-plate state, I'd be immediately buying bumper filler strips.

Until then, I proudly display my front and back personalized plates.







This list may be a little old. It was from about 2002.

Require front/back license plates:
Alaska, American Samoa, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, British Columbia, Manitoba (newly issue plates), New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan

Require only a rear license plate:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands, West Virginia, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba (New plates are front/back in 1997), Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Yukon Territory




Indiana and Louisiana attempted to require front license plates.
Colorado and Montana legislature attempted to become single plate states.

Connecticut and Massachusetts were in transition from being a single plate state to requiring front and back plates. On older cars, only a single plate was issued, therefore, those cars would continue to display a single plate. When dual plates were issued, they are required to display dual plates.

When registration laws are enforced most states that require 2 license plates will enforce the front license plate law on out-of-state motorist if their state requires a front license plate.

Manitoba issues 2 plates but the front plate is optional on the old issue but are mandatory on new issue.



M.Wong

E30 1987 325i Royal Blue
E38 2000 740iL Orient Blue
E39 2003 540i/6 Sterling Gray (European Delivery)

Seattle5s

Seattle7s

Please click, E39 Car Domain page. (European Delivery)

Please click, E38 Car Domain page.

[gregory528iT]

I did not know.

Anyway, back to your point.. don't give them a reason to look twice. Here in Washington, no front plate is a reason. TOn second look, they'll see the non WA plate, but then also record it's time and place. Upon seeing it a 3rd time, pull it over. Each of the people I knew who got fix it tickets for out of state plates were told by the police officer what day each of the previous sightings were. None of them were mad. They just realized they had to go get it done. So yeah.. why invite getting pulled over for something as simple as a front plate.



In MY bag.
Golf Smith, Ti 260 7° loft AJ Tech Tour Stiff(summer)
Generic 2 wood, 12° loft. EI-70 Tour Stiff (winter)
Taylor Made Tour Spoon, 14° loft, Steel Stiff
Titleist 990B 2-PW, Dynamic Gold S300
Titleist 54° SW, DG, Stiff
Snake Eyes 60° LW, DG, Stiff
Oddessy "Dual Force 440" (bullseye with insert) putter, 34"
Winn Grips

[TVil]

I haven't had one on either of my M3's and I haven't ever been stopped for it. I've been pulled over numerous without a front plate and it's never even been noticed by the officers involved.

If I did get a fix it ticket for it, I'd fix it go to court and have it off before I left the courthouse parking lot. It totally ruins the curves of the front of the car.

[Big Daddy Mac]

I said the government, not the state.

And yes, "hate" was too strong a word. Perhaps "disdain" would be more appropriate.

Even the GA tabs will be expired come the end of April, at which point I will have had the car in WA for about 2 1/2 weeks, so I don't feel too guilty. ;)

[mwong]

Ha! Just noticed it! Are you headed to **********? Have lotsa fun!

M.Wong

E30 1987 325i Royal Blue
E38 2000 740iL Orient Blue
E39 2003 540i/6 Sterling Gray (European Delivery)

Seattle5s

Seattle7s

Please click, E39 Car Domain page. (European Delivery)

Please click, E38 Car Domain page.

[cargogal]

I got one fix-it ticket for the Miata. I took a picture of the plate on the car, faxed it to the court, and they tossed the ticket.

But the 325 is my daily driver.

If you can't go fast with 90hp, 900 won't do you any good. -bwob

[98 Estoril]

Washington State Patrol pulled me over by Ellensburg for not having a front plate. Gave me a warning.

[Zumiez]

Just don't drive through Bothell if you have the option. Cops there are the worst I've ever seen. As a highschool student I natually hate the cops. Our cops in Bothell have been spotted lieing down in a ditch with their radar/laser gun. They also tend to sit in people's driveways and crouch between bushes. Most of the cops ride motorcycles which can be hidden easily. Today they were out in full force!! I counted 7 cops comming back from lunch <.5mi from the school. I got pulled over twice within a 5min period for not having a front plate. The highschool is on the top of a hill, so right at the beginning of lunch they sit at the bottom of every hill and catch everyone that is not braking hard down the 25mph zone. GRRRr!!

[Giznaz]

Stopped me for no front plate. Fix it ticket? I wish!

Ticket was a moving violation. I thought that was strange, but if you look up the regs, it is indeed a moving violation. $85. Sucked because the plate fell off on the crappy roads in the SODO area

[malamute]

[Bread]

I looked for that RCW once, but got lost in the massive library of laws online. Good to know since I was pulled over before when I HAD the front plate on, but moved it. He said I couldn't, I said it was bull as long as it was 12" off the ground. Turns out I was right!

Sucks to leave the plate on, especially since I see tons of cars everyday without them. Count them on your way to work tomorrow, you should see at least 5 cars without them. But I'm tired of giving them a reason to pull me over, so I just keep it on with a chrome border and tinted cover.

[S1]

Just a warning.

Yesterday I was down at Fife at the Mini dealer and a State Trooper showed up enquiring whether the Mini was not designed for a front licence plate. Sounds like some folk have told him that. Well now
he knows, and presumably all his colleagues know, that the Mini is no exception. Of course now I wonder if law enforcement will be looking more closely at Minis....