VC 5201 (b) Having clear cover over licence plate

[Zoogie]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wyoming

I received a ticket from the sheriffs county in Del Mar California for having a clear cover over my plate. I was only visiting and was cited for this. In Wyoming we are allowed to have clear covers over our plates. I have checked with the WY DMV and with the sheriffs department in my state (WY). The fine is listed at 25$. To fix it I can have a law enforcement office sign off on the ticket but I sill have to pay a mandatory 25$ for the court to accept the sign off. If I pay the fine it is the same. I would like to know if California has the right to ticket me for this small infraction which is legal in my state. I find it a form of harassment that they go to this trouble to give me a fix it ticket but I still have to pay. What are my options?

 

[TheGeekess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wyoming

I received a ticket from the sheriffs county in Del Mar California for having a clear cover over my plate. I was only visiting and was cited for this. In Wyoming we are allowed to have clear covers over our plates. I have checked with the WY DMV and with the sheriffs department in my state (WY). The fine is listed at 25$. To fix it I can have a law enforcement office sign off on the ticket but I sill have to pay a mandatory 25$ for the court to accept the sign off. If I pay the fine it is the same. I would like to know if California has the right to ticket me for this small infraction which is legal in my state. I find it a form of harassment that they go to this trouble to give me a fix it ticket but I still have to pay. What are my options?

Pay the ticket and don't tick off any more police officers.

 

[justalayman]

let's see:

cost of ticket: $25


cost of administrative fee if you "fix it": $25; cost to return to California to have the ticket "signed off": $$$$$$$


cost to return to California to fight a ticket: $$$$$$$ and then maybe add $25 on top of that if you lose.



Your choice; fight it on the principle or refuse to fight it because it isn't worth fighting, even if you win.

 

[sandyclaus]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wyoming

I received a ticket from the sheriffs county in Del Mar California for having a clear cover over my plate. I was only visiting and was cited for this. In Wyoming we are allowed to have clear covers over our plates. I have checked with the WY DMV and with the sheriffs department in my state (WY). The fine is listed at 25$. To fix it I can have a law enforcement office sign off on the ticket but I sill have to pay a mandatory 25$ for the court to accept the sign off. If I pay the fine it is the same. I would like to know if California has the right to ticket me for this small infraction which is legal in my state. I find it a form of harassment that they go to this trouble to give me a fix it ticket but I still have to pay. What are my options?

"When in Rome..."

While the clear cover may be legal in Wyoming, you weren't in Wyoming when the ticket was issued. Once you cross that state line, you are obligated to follow the laws of the state in which you're driving, not in which the vehicle is registered.

You weren't ticketed because of any kind of harassment or discrimination, you were ticketed because you violated CA state vehicle code.

Welcome to California. Fix it and pay your ticket.

 

[justalayman]

"When in Rome..."

While the clear cover may be legal in Wyoming, you weren't in Wyoming when the ticket was issued. Once you cross that state line, you are obligated to follow the laws of the state in which you're driving, not in which the vehicle is registered.

You weren't ticketed because of any kind of harassment or discrimination, you were ticketed because you violated CA state vehicle code.

Welcome to California. Fix it and pay your ticket.

sandy, does this mean that when I visit California I have to figure out how to get a front plate for my car?

 

[sandyclaus]

sandy, does this mean that when I visit California I have to figure out how to get a front plate for my car?

I'm not sure that a front plate is required in CA, but I suspect that if it is, you just might.

 

[justalayman]

I'm not sure that a front plate is required in CA, but I suspect that if it is, you just might.

yes, california does require a front license plate but no, they cannot require I, an out of state driver in an out of state vehicle, put one on my vehicle.

California vehicle code applies to vehicles registered in California. The laws of my state apply to my vehicle, even if driving in California. You know, that old full faith and credit thing that gets tossed around

 

[ecmst12]

Sounds like a scam to me. Make the fine low enough and the process to fight it annoying enough that most people will just pay it to make it go away.

 

[xylene]

sandy, does this mean that when I visit California I have to figure out how to get a front plate for my car?

I wasn't aware that Wyoming was mandating clear plate covers.

 

[justalayman]

I wasn't aware that Wyoming was mandating clear plate covers.

It has nothing to with mandating anything

 

[Zigner]

A clear cover is allowed so long as all of the information on the plate remains clearly readable/fully legible. That applies to both states in question in this thread.

 

[Zigner]

From http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/statutes.aspx?file=titles/Title31/T31CH4.htm:

31-4-101. General prohibitions.



(a) No person shall knowingly operate, nor shall an owner knowingly permit to be operated, upon any highway any vehicle:

...


(iii) With license plates, validation stickers or license permits altered, mutilated or obscured so as to prevent the license plate number from being easily read.



And here is VC5201(b)

5201. ...

(b) A covering shall not be used on license plates except as follows:

...

(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or impair the recognition of the license plate information, including, but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate security cover shall rest over the license plate number.

 

[CdwJava]

California does, indeed, prohibit a full plate covering:

VC 5201(b)(2):

The installation of a license plate security cover is not a
violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or
impair the recognition of the license plate information, including,
but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and
registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over
the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.​

 

[Zigner]

California does, indeed, prohibit a full plate covering:

VC 5201(b)(2):

The installation of a license plate security cover is not a
violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or
impair the recognition of the license plate information, including,
but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and
registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over
the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.​

Fair enough...I misread

 

[CdwJava]

The language changed January 1st to clarify the issue ... so, you weren't that far off. It was not quite as "clear" previously (pun intended).