In Vermont cars are required to have both a front and a rear plate. My question is this: once I leave the state can I remove the front plate and be confident that the law enforcement community of whatever state through which I happen to be passing will either be unable to cite me (sort of a state specific law) or remain ignorant of the infraction?

no front plate is illegal in ca too and probably most states but I'm not putting that plate on my 8 it's only a $10 ticket with proof of correction.

My question is: once I am in another state will the police there do anything about it, or even know to do anything?

Police have a lot more important things to do than chase you down because you have no front plate.

If you get pulled over for something else, well they may very well write you up for no plate. If you're a teenage kid with a bunch of your buddies with nothing to do but cruise around and loiter in your 8, well cops may write you up. Not fair, but that is how it goes.

If you are out of state and just visiting or passing through I doubt any cop will be gunning to give you a ticket. Cops I know have too much to deal with, than to nickle and dime you for small infractions.

thats all true

is no front plate primary or secondary?

primary are moving violations

secondary are tint, loud exhaust etc

as far as i know they cannot pull you over to site your window tint, but if they pull you for speeding, then they can give you a second fix-it ticket for the tint

i know meter maid can site no front plate when your car is parked... so anyone know the civil codes?

no front license plate is a secondary. It does not affect your driving record or insurance like a accident or ticket. However, I have been pulled over in my last car only because I had no front plate

secondary are tint, loud exhaust etc

as far as i know they cannot pull you over to site your window tint, but if they pull you for speeding, then they can give you a second fix-it ticket for the tint


apparently window tint around here IS a moving violation. funny, because nobody from the DMV, the city prosecutors office, attorneys, the judge at my court date, nor insurance could tell me how many points. I got pulled over for tint alone once, and got a tint ticket at a 'registration checkpoint' as well.

Can you get away with the front license plate in the windshield in most states where you must display a front?

OrangeBingo,

i wouldnt worry about it too much in VT i drove my grand prix without a front plate for 2 years and had been pulled over and never ticketed for that. No one ever pulled me over for that reason either. If they mention it just deny knowing it was illegal and tell them you will put the plate on.

Considering it's a part of the vehicle code for Vermont and the other state's officers aren't within jurisdiction to enforce another state's laws, then you ought to be just fine.

Originally posted by S3/P3/E2
Considering it's a part of the vehicle code for Vermont and the other state's officers aren't within jurisdiction to enforce another state's laws, then you ought to be just fine.

There is an inter-state compact that allows a local cop to apply in-State laws to out-of-State drivers. This theoretically means that State A's cops can cite State B's drivers for not having front plates, provided both States require them and plate laws are within the compact. I do not know if plate laws are within the compact or not.

I think the so-called "dormant" Commerce Clause of the Federal Constitution prevents one state from enforcing front-plate laws on out-of-state cars that are legal in their home state, so feel free to cross the border in your street-legal car. It shoud be street-legal in any of the fifty states.

Yeah, it might be a pretty hefty stretch (and a REAAAAALLLLY bored local cop) to bother stopping you and citing you for it. Obviously there's not enough crime going on for Barney Fife to stay otherwise occupied. I think you'll be fine.

To narrow this all down...No state can enforce another states traffic laws unless it's criminal AND a warrant for arrest has been issued AND the warrant extends to other states, which is highly unlikely since most criminal traffic infractions are only misdemeanors.

it's a 20 dollar fine for no front plate in Chicago, IL.

Originally posted by Jeph
it's a 20 dollar fine for no front plate in Chicago, IL.
I'd be interested in a story, if there is one here. On my way to work walking in the Loop I often count the cars that don't have them. Typically, it runs 1/10 or 1/8. I hate my front plate and love brothervoodoo's badge-up-front look:

Round 3 - Debadge & Billet Grille / brothervoodoo (http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17135)

I don't have my front plate on and I refuse to have that bucked tooth look on my car.