FRONT LICENSE PLATE REQUIREMENT
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: East Texas
2004 Volvo XC70; 2012 GLK 350 4matic
Oh contrer. I'll take Texas with two plates over Louisiana with only one. Curious about California. Our GLK was delivered with the front plate gizmo installed.
Funny front plate story: Stone Age. First trip road trip to Colorado from Louisiana. VW Beetle. Stopped on I-25 by a State Trooper. "Where's your front plate?" "Don't get one in Lousiana." "We'll see about that." Walks back to his car. Calls somebody. Returns to Beetle. "You're right." Walks to back to car. No apology.
A friend at work has never installed his front plate on two Corvettes. Never hassled. Go figure.
Wayne
Funny front plate story: Stone Age. First trip road trip to Colorado from Louisiana. VW Beetle. Stopped on I-25 by a State Trooper. "Where's your front plate?" "Don't get one in Lousiana." "We'll see about that." Walks back to his car. Calls somebody. Returns to Beetle. "You're right." Walks to back to car. No apology.
A friend at work has never installed his front plate on two Corvettes. Never hassled. Go figure.
Wayne
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
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From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Cars come standard with a front license plate holder. If needed, dealer is supposed to mount it to the bumper. No front tags in SC, so my holder is hanging on garage wall. It was in trunk when I purchased the car.
Some car dealers used to put their tag on front of cars, but I think most have quit because customers made them patch/repaint the front bumpers. I know I would or not got the car at all.
Some car dealers used to put their tag on front of cars, but I think most have quit because customers made them patch/repaint the front bumpers. I know I would or not got the car at all.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,557
Likes: 24
From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
A good way to get out of it without drilling your bumper if you have to get it checked off is to just zip-tie it to the plastic grille in the lower bumper opening. I'm sure it's big enough to fit a plate?
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Northern NJ
2009 C63
I've gotten a ticket for tints and no front plate at the same time (and a speeding ticket too, cop didn't like me I guess).. but aside from that I've never had a problem with it, been about 3 years.
Another time I was actually pulled over for speeding and a cop let me go with just a tint ticket, so the tints actually saved me that time.
Another time I was actually pulled over for speeding and a cop let me go with just a tint ticket, so the tints actually saved me that time.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,300
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2020 G63, 2021 E450 All-Terrain Wagon
I've had my S550 since 2009 with no plate...I've never gotten a ticket...
Same with my E class
the GL had a front license plate bracket, but I removed it. I rather have 3 holes and 2 dents caused by the screws harming my skid plate than have that ugly POS license plate there...
Same with my E class
the GL had a front license plate bracket, but I removed it. I rather have 3 holes and 2 dents caused by the screws harming my skid plate than have that ugly POS license plate there...
Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 117
Likes: 1
From: Montgomery, Alabama
2011 E-350
I live in Alabama, a "one plate state." However, I was born and raised in Virginia until I went in the USAF in '66. In those days, we didn't know any difference, the car had two ends, I guess we assumed you had to have one tag on each end.
Not until I bought my first Vette in '97 and became a regular fixture on the Corvette forum did I become familiar with the "one plate" versus "two plate" issue. Corvette guys definitely don't like to put plates on the front. By design, the car doesn't look as though it was meant to have a front plate. However, there were a few states who took exception to that type of understanding.
According to the numerous threads on the Corvette forum, the two states that enforce the "two plate" law the strongest, is Ohio and Texas. The guys would complain about those two states constantly. I'm sure there were other states who attempted to enforce it, but none were ever mentioned as much as Texas and Ohio.
If I were in a two plate state, I would have one of those remote operated, disappearing brackets, depicted in this thread earlier. I have seen them on several Vettes and numerous street rods. They look good and work like a champ. Street rods, in two plate states, have been using them for years.
Not until I bought my first Vette in '97 and became a regular fixture on the Corvette forum did I become familiar with the "one plate" versus "two plate" issue. Corvette guys definitely don't like to put plates on the front. By design, the car doesn't look as though it was meant to have a front plate. However, there were a few states who took exception to that type of understanding.
According to the numerous threads on the Corvette forum, the two states that enforce the "two plate" law the strongest, is Ohio and Texas. The guys would complain about those two states constantly. I'm sure there were other states who attempted to enforce it, but none were ever mentioned as much as Texas and Ohio.
If I were in a two plate state, I would have one of those remote operated, disappearing brackets, depicted in this thread earlier. I have seen them on several Vettes and numerous street rods. They look good and work like a champ. Street rods, in two plate states, have been using them for years.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,616
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From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Why two plates
Bit of history. Most every state required two plates, but then some (most now) figured they could save money by giving you one plate and leaving registration fee the same. Then they figured they could charge same registration each year, but send you a 50 cent sticky instead of a new plate. Think I had one SC plate that had about 8 years of stickies on it before the state finally issued new plates.
Father once told me that during WW II, SC made you exchange your tags (2) each year and they would re-press them and issue them to someone else. State insisted on issuing two tags every year despite metal shortage during the war.
I'm surprised that two tag states don't heavily enforce the law, especially bankrupt CA. When SC required annual inspections, law enforcement was pretty sharp at spotting the dinky out of date stickers in windshields.
Father once told me that during WW II, SC made you exchange your tags (2) each year and they would re-press them and issue them to someone else. State insisted on issuing two tags every year despite metal shortage during the war.
I'm surprised that two tag states don't heavily enforce the law, especially bankrupt CA. When SC required annual inspections, law enforcement was pretty sharp at spotting the dinky out of date stickers in windshields.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
W203, W211, W212
From my experience, front plate tickets also depend on if the city has red light cameras. For example, I lived in Berkeley, CA for ten years, and I got hit with two tickets right after they installed their red light cameras. I even got a ticket parked on an empty street without any meter or time restriction, so they were actively looking for the front plates rather than it being a tacked on additional ticket.
Personally in the Bay Area, I've only gotten front plate tickets in Berkeley and SF when parked, so that's usually the only times when I think about it.
Personally in the Bay Area, I've only gotten front plate tickets in Berkeley and SF when parked, so that's usually the only times when I think about it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,121
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From: Connecticut
2018 BMW 540d
did you get your car in california or just move there recently? not sure about cali's laws but why would dealers never notice that? i would just leave it. if cops pull you over, simply tell them the dealer told you no front plate needed and show the cops there is no holes have been drilled. just play dumb. but keep that plate inside your trunk just in case. cops are usually ok w/something minor like this. i got away like this at least 3-5 times 
.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 291
Likes: 50
From: Florida
2013 ML350, 2019 S560
Glad we do not have to mount front plates here in Florida. Most dealers here have finally stopped drilling the front bumpers of their cars. Guess they thought the cars were going out of state.
The only benefit I saw when I lived in a state requiring front plate is that it affords a little extra protection against parking lot damage at low speeds.
The only benefit I saw when I lived in a state requiring front plate is that it affords a little extra protection against parking lot damage at low speeds.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: NorCal
2011 E350
I removed it and was going to plug it with some rubber plugs (or whatever else I can MacGyver up). Unforunately, the hole where the plates are mounted are sticking outwards (like the person who installed it drilled the holes inwards, and then simply pulled the drill bit out without carefully "undrilling" to get it out).I'd take warnings and tickets over having the front plate on any day, everyday. That said, I've only ever had one fix-it ticket for not having a front license plate (about 5 years ago when the car was parked). It's totally worth not having a front plate.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles
2021 E350
A week after I got my w212 I was at a house party in Burbank, cops came to shut it down they put a no license plate ticket on my car. Last week I had forgot to move my c class which was parked on the street cleaning side, gave me a ticket for that and a no front plate.. What a headache.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,557
Likes: 24
From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
That's another issue with no front plate. If you get another type of parking ticket, chances are they'll tack on a license plate ticket as well (or if you're REALLY unlucky, tints, but I haven't gotten that one in a loooong time).
Point being, if you have no front plate, make extra damn sure to not get a parking ticket for any other reason.
Point being, if you have no front plate, make extra damn sure to not get a parking ticket for any other reason.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: NorCal
2011 E350
A week after I got my w212 I was at a house party in Burbank, cops came to shut it down they put a no license plate ticket on my car. Last week I had forgot to move my c class which was parked on the street cleaning side, gave me a ticket for that and a no front plate.. What a headache.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 12
From: Connecticut
2018 BMW 540d
A week after I got my w212 I was at a house party in Burbank, cops came to shut it down they put a no license plate ticket on my car. Last week I had forgot to move my c class which was parked on the street cleaning side, gave me a ticket for that and a no front plate.. What a headache.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 196
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
I install the front plat now after a cop told me it's a good excuse to hassle you so they generally let it ride until they want to play that card. They consider it an easy excuse to pull you over. My wife received two tickets about a year apart on two different cars after they started installing red light cameras in a neighboring city. Since then the cameras have been taken down.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 69
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Daytime: Slow and easy with 2006 SL500 & 2003 S430 . Night time: Hard and Fast with my wife
I want to chime in as well... curious how much is the ticket in Cali for not having the front plate? I can tell you that I had the stealer put on my front bracket for $190 bucks (160 + 30 labor).. So if the ticket is around 50 bucks, I say take a chance and ride in style , counting on getting 1 ticket/year and 3 years later, you still ahead of the stealer :-)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,557
Likes: 24
From: Earth
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
I want to chime in as well... curious how much is the ticket in Cali for not having the front plate? I can tell you that I had the stealer put on my front bracket for $190 bucks (160 + 30 labor).. So if the ticket is around 50 bucks, I say take a chance and ride in style , counting on getting 1 ticket/year and 3 years later, you still ahead of the stealer :-)
BTW, do you guys know if putting the plate where its sitting on the passenger side dash, but upright so it's right AGAINST the windshield when you park is considered legal? I would never drive with it like that of course, but with my W212 when parked in high-ticket areas I sometimes would pull the plate out of the trunk, and just stick it in that small gap between the dashboard and windshield, which would make it totally visible facing out of the passenger side windshield when parked.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 67
Likes: 1
From: Los Angeles
2021 E350
It wasn't this strict before. I can say every car I have owned didn't have the front plate on it. I think its time to put one on the w212. Wont drill holes on the bumper, if anyone knows where I can order a tow bar plate holder I would greatly appreciate it if you could message it to me.
