What are the laws in Texas about front plates? I noticed on the pics the other day from the get together that most people didn't have a front plate.

Is it legal? Or, do police just usually not care. I have already called and told the dealer not to install a front plate holder, just in case I didn't have to have one.

Thanks

 

In Texas the law states you must have front plates on your car. You can be pulled over and ticketed for not having front plates. Most often, you will not be pulled over just for that. It will come along with the speeding ticket you are about to receive!

The dealer will drill holes in your front bumper to install the plate holder. You can request that they do not drill the holes. The dealer is not obligated to drill the holes.

You may have to stand there and watch over your car like a hawk when it arrives... since the default at the dealer is to drill the holes. The guys who do the prep on the news cars... well, let's just say they are not MIT grduates.

Hope that helps.

PeteH

 

Talked to an APD buddy of mine and he said it's department policy that you CANNOT be pulled over and ticketed just for the front plate. He said you can call the department and get that ticket dismissed. Now on the other hand it can be combined with another ticket like speeding, reckless driving etc.

 

I'm from Houston so it's in Texas. I got a ticket for:

No front license plate

30% illegle tint (law says 35%)

Got both dismissed, but it was a hassle. Had to wait in the court for 2 1/2 hrs!!

I got the plate mounted now by the airdam.

 

I have seen Apexi350Z's plate mount and I though it looked good. Not a whole lot of options that you have but beats the hell out of putting screws in the body.

 

Hi Guys, well......I've been running around for about 3 weeks with no front plates, after reading the post I should get a APEXi 350Z plate mount. Can anyone tell me how or where to obtain one ?

 

It's not something you buy...I don't think.... sorry if it is but it looks like it was just bolded some way to the grill.

 

Hey Vova...thanx for the reply. I'll look around -- are there options on wehre the plate has to be mounted (e.g. center vs right) ??

 

thanks for the comment vova151!

as for the front license plate, you will need to drill two holes on the black plastic by the airdam. Find two bolts with screws that is long enough to hold the plates against the airdam.

I also used the pipe insulation behind the plate to give it a cusion. You may have to bend the top and the bottom of the plate a little so it won't scratch your bumper.

 

"I got the plate mounted now by the airdam." -Apexi350z

Do you happen to have a pic or more details. This sounds less obtrussive than a big plate mount drilled into the body.

Thanks,
Bob

 

You may also be able to use Zipties to hold the plate on the airdam.


I've been driving around w/o a front plate for the past 6 yrs and have yet to be stopped or ticketed for not having the front plate. I did have a TX HP ask me where mine was, and I told him that it was in my back seat. He just gave me a warning and told me to put it on ASAP, and that was about 5 yrs ago..............I procrastinate, if ya'll can't tell.........

 

It must be something that most cops just look the other way on. I honestly cannot remember EVER seeing a Corvette with a front license plate.

 

i talked with two state troopers about this a few weeks ago...

both said that while you cannot get ticketed for not having a front licence plate, law enforcement personnel can and will use it as a reason to pull you over and check you out...

i know this because i was taking my tx driving test at the time (uk citizen) and both said that i also could take the test with no front plate, but that if i failed i could not use that same vehicle in a subsequent test...

also before i got my Z i drove my SVT around for 4 years with a Union Jack (british flag) in place of the front licence plate... having a british flag on the front of your car in tx is pretty obvious, but i never got pulled over for it, and i never got ticketed for it when i did get pulled over for speeding on a couple of occasions...

i asked southpoint nissan to not drill my front licence plate bracket, and was told by my salesman that they have a standing order not to drill the front unless requested to by the customer...

 

I was eating lunch with some friends at an italian place in a strip mall a while back. My car was parked in front of the restaurant, facing the door. We were outside since the weather was nice, so I got clear view of two cops as they left and saw my car - one didn't react, the other just chuckled.

In three years, I've been pulled over for speeding three times. In two, I got a ticket but the front plate was never mentioned. In the other, the HP asked about the plate but just gave me a warning for both it and the speeding.

But somebody could always been having a bad day or feel like being an a-hole, so there's always that risk.

 

Simple front plate solution:

My front plate is in a clear vinyl sleeve held in place by two hair ties (kinda like fuzzy rubber bands) on the passenger sun visor. It's completely non-destructive and the vinyl sleeve protects everything from the sharp plate edges. It doesn't restrict use of the passenger's vanity mirror at all. If you're showing your car, just slip the plate off the visor.

See a cop who's looking hard at your car for a front plate? Just flip down the passenger visor and you're perfectly legal in Texas.

 

Here's everything ya'll will need to know to keep your car legal in the state of Texas. I have looked/searched for the front plate and can't find anything on it.

Texas Transportation Statutes Title 7 Chapter 547


Enjoy........

 

TereP,

What's a superb ide? Playing legal technicality with the cop. I am adopting your solution. Can't wait to see the look on the cop face, if I was stopped for whatever reason.

 

Thanks Terep and Y2K, the vinyl sleeve sounds like the solution.

 

Well, I did a little more research and found out some more stuff, and to be 100% legal in the state of Texas, your front plate has to be on the front most part of the vehicle, in this case it would be the front bumper.........