Allowed to cut up CA license plates?

[Alcides]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA

I've seen a couple cars now with the top and bottom of their front license plates cut off so that only the license number itself is left. The look is much like that of a Euro plate (it's definitely not, though. In one case, I've seen the left over pieces!)

Is this legal? I think CA only requires registration tags on the rear plate, so there's definitely a lot of wasted real estate up front...

Thanks!

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by Alcides

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA

I've seen a couple cars now with the top and bottom of their front license plates cut off so that only the license number itself is left. The look is much like that of a Euro plate (it's definitely not, though. In one case, I've seen the left over pieces!)

Is this legal? I think CA only requires registration tags on the rear plate, so there's definitely a lot of wasted real estate up front...

Thanks!

Interesting ... but, I would argue that it is not legal based on the following section:

CVC 4852 (a) License plates issued for motor vehicles, other than
motorcycles, shall be rectangular in shape, 12 inches in length and
six inches in width. The number and letter characters on the plates
shall have a minimum height of two and three-quarter inches, a
minimum width of one and one-quarter inches, and a minimum spacing
between characters of five-sixteenths of an inch.

Cutting them down would bring them underneath this size requirement.

Plus, the plates are not the property of an individual, but of the state. In theory, the person cutting them down COULD be commiting vandalism ... though I think this would be a reach.

I have never seen anyone cutting plates down like this yet. Hopefully it's a very localized fad somewhere else.

- Carl

Originally Posted by Alcides

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? CA

I've seen a couple cars now with the top and bottom of their front license plates cut off so that only the license number itself is left. The look is much like that of a Euro plate (it's definitely not, though. In one case, I've seen the left over pieces!)

Is this legal? I think CA only requires registration tags on the rear plate, so there's definitely a lot of wasted real estate up front...

Thanks!

I would say this is definitely illegal.

But wait till Carl the Cop gets on here.

Every time I try to guess about CA law, I'm wrong.

[CdwJava]

Originally Posted by seniorjudge

I would say this is definitely illegal.

But wait till Carl the Cop gets on here.

Every time I try to guess about CA law, I'm wrong.

Pssst! Look up!

- Carl

Originally Posted by CdwJava

Pssst! Look up!

- Carl

Hey, I'm up to one in ten thousand! Cool!