So I was headed home today on I-10 East going 60-70 on the left lane, and I got pulled over by a cop. When he first approached my car, he goes "I caught you going 67, and the speed limit here is 60, any reason why you were going fast?" So I went, well sir I just got out of the gym so I guess the adrenaline was still pumping in me. The cop goes, "I also see you have no front license plate, any reason for that." And I respond, well my front bumper doesnt have any holes in it for the license plate, so i didnt know what to do with it, (I had the actual front license plate in my glove compartment and I showed it to him). He then asked for my liscense, I give it to him and he says "Is your liscense suspended, got any warrants, or anything illegal in your car?" I sorta chuckled a little bit and go no sir. He went back to his patrol car.

He comes back saying I got a ticket for no front license plate. I asked him well, what am I supposed to do with the front bumper if i dont have any holes in it for the liscense plate (I remind you I showed him the plate which should've been on the front), and he told me to take it back to the dealer.

I was so ____ed off, especially since its been 4 years since ive been pulled over or gotten a ticket for anything. Now i have a fat fee to pay. For anyone thats living in the Houston area, you should consider putting that front license plate on. Is there any sort of way I could fight this or must I be a wuss and pay up??

 

Go to the auto parts store and buy a license plate frame. Get a receipt. Take the license plate frame home, take the plate out of your car, and keep it in the garage or in a closet somewhere. Do NOT keep it in the car. I know this sounds ridiculous, but it will work.
Get a ride up to that particular courthouse. Do NOT drive the car in which you received the ticket. Take the receipt for the license plate frame up to the window and tell the clerk that you fixed the license plate problem by buying a license plate frame that you could mount from your grill without drilling holes in the car. Show the clerk the receipt and they should dismiss the ticket. If they ask to see the car, simply tell them you did not drive it up to the courthouse since you did not want to get it door-dinged in their busy parking lot. They will probably not waste any time with it and will dismiss the ticket.
If you get pulled over again, do NOT have the plate in your car, but keep the receipt for the frame in the glove box. Tell the cop that your frame must have broken off and you didn't notice it. "Conveniently" find the reciept for him, showing you had the problem fixed, and tell him you will get another immediately. Ask him what you need to do to go about getting another front plate. If you seem interested in resolving the problem, he will just right you a warning. If he writes you a ticket, start the same process all over again. Buy another plate frame, get a receipt, tell the clerk you found the plate down the street from your house and fixed the problem by buying a new frame/plate holder. This circle can go on and on. I have a 1989 IROC-Z that still, to this day, does not have any holes drilled in the front fascia and never has had a front plate. I've been pulled over for it several times though, but always managed to get the ticket dismissed. Never has the clerk even questioned me about the fix.

 

What agency issued the ticket?

 

Thanks UV, ill try that and see if it works, my friend also told me it would be a good idea to take a picture of the tc with a licesne plate taped on the front of the car and bring it in also.

Agency...err you mean HPD?

 

TX traffic law states you will have a front plate affixed to the bumper of your vehicle. Period. Not on the dash, or in the glovebox, but on the bumper. Every car sold should have the provisions to mount the plate. If your bumper is not drilled, that means that it was skipped during the dealer prep of your vehicle.

Like the other poster stated, just fix it by getting a reciept or using velcro or something to adhere the ticket to the bumper. You can pay the ticket and then be done with it. You can also plead not guilty and take it to court. Even with fixing it and showing proof of compliance should be enough to get it dismissed... pay some court costs and you're done. If that was the only infraction you were cited for, you should be good.

Sorry the cop was a dick. Not all of us are dicks. Don't be too ____ed. He could have wrote you for speeding. Easier to fight this ticket than to fight the speeding ticket.

PM me if you have any questions.

 

Wait a minute, I thought Texas state law did pass about having just the license plate in the back, not the front like Louisanna state law... This is really weird and I hope Texas doesn't add more law about the mods on our car in the future like Cali's strict law.

 

Nope, you thought wrong sir.

 

i see tons of cars without front plates ALL the time, new and beater. with holes and without.

yes the law says you have to have the front plate but seems like only if they feel like it they will get you for it. i finally got fed up with seeing tCs without any hit of a front plate and i took mine off.
i was great for a long time but then some random cop spotted me out the corner of his eye and stopped me. i grabbed the plate from my back seat and i said it had fallen off earlier and i dont have any way of putting it back on. he said put it back on and let me on my way.

its hit and miss but they can get you for it, frustrating as hell it is.

 

Thanks Roman, I didnt know that if I just fixed the problem I would get it dismissed. I tdont know if ill just take it to the dealer and have them do it for free to reduce any hassle in the future. I think I was mostly mad at the time was because I though he was going to give me a speeding ticket for going just 7 mph over the limit. To think I thought the police would at least give you a 10 mph over limit grace.

My sister's lexus actually hasnt had her front licesne plate in like 5 years since she got it and has never had a problem with the police.

 

the leeway over/under speed limit is 5mph. anything over or under that 5 you'll get a ticket.

 

Its like the obscure plate law. TX law states you can't have ANYTHING covering your rear license plate. No plate covers from the dealer, no novelty plate frame endorsing your favorite team... not even a clear cover to keep it clean. Now how many cars do you see on the street in violation of this law? A LOT!!!! Do you ever get stopped for it? Not likely. Is it a useful tool for law enforcement to stop a vehicle when no other probable cause is available? Heck yeah.

Sometimes cops can be lame... but that goes with any profession. I'm sorry you got a ticket. I'd go for getting it dismissed by showing proof of compliance... that's probably your best bet.

 

Got back from the courthouse from what seems like forever...I had to wait in one long line to see the clerk, then in another long line to see the judge. The judge was actually really really nice and I got it dismissed.

I did what you said UV and it worked. Thanks.

 

lol me an my bro both got one an all we did was take a pic wit the license plate in front window an took it in to the judge when we had court in JERSEY VILLAGE ( real =beep= ] an the judge kinda laughed an said what is this i said this is a pic of my license plate on my car an the car is right outside an the cop who was standin there said ''yeah the corvettes dont even have front plates on them'' an that was it got it dismissed. but i always carry mine in the side panel so incase im in jersey village i put it out u know.. i havnt had a problem since then. an still front license plate free.

 

Lol, thats hilarious, you must've gone on a good day, your not even supposed to have it in the front window...lol...im guessing the plate was on your dash?

 

yes on the passsenger side