In CA: possible to take new car off the lot WITHOUT a front license plate?

Doc_Mello

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Hey, gang! I’m well aware of CA’s front plate law. BUT, if you buy a new car from a dealership, can you request they DO NOT attach the front plate?

TY!
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jayy_swish

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You can ask, depends on the dealership and how anal they are. I asked for it, and they “forgot” and did it anyways. I bought some plugs from Napa and painted them to match (in case they do install it anyways)

Honda Civic 10th gen In CA: possible to take new car off the lot WITHOUT a front license plate? B5629C69-49F9-44CA-A616-B95B1D6861E4
 
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Doc_Mello

Doc_Mello

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You can ask, depends on the dealership and how anal they are. I asked for it, and they “forgot” and did it anyways. I bought some plugs from Napa and painted them to match (in case they do install it anyways)

B5629C69-49F9-44CA-A616-B95B1D6861E4.jpeg
Yeah, that’s what I did on my Si as well. I’m thinking I’ll ‘politely demand’ they don’t install one.
 

BoxsterSteve

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We’re front plate mandatory in Ontario as well.
Dealers here, and I’ve requested it as well with every vehicle purchase in nearly 25 years, won’t send a car over the curb without it having a front license plate as the Highway Traffic Act requires.
Can’t speak to the penalty in CA, but driving without a front plate in Ontario is a minimum $85 fine and up $140 at the officer’s discretion.
Having said that, whatever you do with your car after you get it home is your business.
 
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Doc_Mello

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We’re front plate mandatory in Ontario as well.
Dealers here, and I’ve requested it as well with every vehicle purchase in nearly 25 years, won’t send a car over the curb without it having a front license plate as the Highway Traffic Act requires.
Can’t speak to the penalty in CA, but driving without a front plate in Ontario is a minimum $85 fine and up $140 at the officer’s discretion.
Having said that, whatever you do with your car after you get it home is your business.
Thanks for the input! Yeah, or I just stop down the street to remove the plate. ?
 


boosted180sx

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i've requested it before as i didnt want any holes on the bumper.

Some dealers just sold it to me and let me off the lot and some dealers made me sign a paper saying i requested it and that they are not liable. I've also dealt with dealerships that says they can't do that because its against the law. I just went to a different dealership.
 

boosted180sx

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just ask them to put the front plate inside the car in the front windshield/window

as long as you can see it from the front of the car its fine, it doesn't have to be on the bumper
Having it inside the car on the windshield/window is actually illegal.
5201. (a) License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible, and so that the characters are upright and display from left to right, and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible. The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground
 

Shred

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When I bought my R, my salesman asked if I wanted the the front plate holder installed or not. NY is a state where it's required, but there are other ways to mount a plate than the standard holder they drill in. They let me drive off the lot like that too, and they definitely aren't some shady dealer, they are the biggest in my area.

I probably got a little lucky with that due to the reduced staff because of the virus, but an idea for you: show up with a no drill mount for your front plate and request that they install that. That way, your car drives off the lot legal so they can't complain, and you don't get the holes drilled.
 

Zeffy94

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When I got my CTR, the dealer asked if I wanted a front plate on it, since I was living in NJ at the time. I knew I was moving to PA later in the year so I said no. That being said, I did get stopped once for not having a front plate but the cop was really chill about it and let me go without any fines or anything.
 


boosted180sx

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your saying "its required by law so unless the dealership is shady they wont let you leave the lot"

well, having it on the windshield is still illegal so why would a "non shady" dealership let you leave the lot with it there.
 

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We’re front plate mandatory in Ontario as well.
Dealers here, and I’ve requested it as well with every vehicle purchase in nearly 25 years, won’t send a car over the curb without it having a front license plate as the Highway Traffic Act requires.
Can’t speak to the penalty in CA, but driving without a front plate in Ontario is a minimum $85 fine and up $140 at the officer’s discretion.
Having said that, whatever you do with your car after you get it home is your business.
Telling them not to mount the front plate means one less plate frame they can put on the road for free advertising.

If they give you the excuse that they have to mount the front plate because of the HTA then they should also be aware that having a plate frame is also illegal under the Ontario HTA and that they have to stop putting them on all their new cars that they sell!
 
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Doc_Mello

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Shred

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That's the one I am going to get but haven't pulled the trigger on it.
 

RufflesSCO

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i would like to see proof of that one,
It's one of things that's pretty much never enforced but it's technically illegal.

Ontario Highway Traffic Act Section 13(2)
Every number plate shall be kept free from dirt and obstruction and shall be affixed so that the entire number plate, including the numbers, is plainly visible at all times, and the view of the number plate shall not be obscured or obstructed by spare tires, bumper bars, any part of the vehicle, any attachments to the vehicle or the load carried. 1994, c. 27, s. 138 (7).
Emphasis on "Entire number plate" and not just the numbers.

Here is a recent article of a person who claims he got a ticket for the dealership frame. The police clarified that the ticket was actually for having an improperly mounted front plate (in his windshield), but still confirmed that having frames or anything on the plate is illegal.

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/driver-gets-110-ticket-for-not-having-front-licence-plate-1.4850983?cache=yes?contactForm=true

....

While having a dealership frame around a licence plate is still an offence, Staff Sergeant Krish Ganeshan of Durham Regional Police told CTV News “Matteo Giordano was not charged with ‘rear plate not entirely visible’, he was actually cautioned with this offence.

....

At the time, a Toronto Police Sgt. Clint Stibbe said the safest bet was to have nothing attached to a licence plate.

"The reality is that anytime you put something on your plate you can be charged. The best thing to do is remove any attachments so the plate can be read," he said.
The funny thing here is that the Licensing offices that issue the plates actually sell plastic covers too
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