Change in License Plate Law - North Carolina

[dustermaniac]

Just thought I would post this information in the upcoming changes in the law in North Carolina regarding displaying a license plate with a frame around it. I personally think this is just another way to put more $ in the State's pockets and hassle the drivers who customize their cars.:angry7:

New Law Prohibits State Name, Stickers Being Hidden On License Plates
Beginning Dec. 1,2009 Operators Can Be Cited, Later Fined
DMV officials are reminding drivers about a new law that goes into effect on Tuesday, December 1,2009. The law requires the state’s name across the bottom of the plate as well as the year and month stickers on a license plate to be fully visible. They can no longer be partially covered by a license frame. Vehicle owners can be cited for committing an infraction and, after Nov. 30, 2010, fined $100 for the violation. The law was introduced in the 2009 session of the General Assembly and was supported by law enforcement officials because it increases the readability of registration information on the plates and helps identify vehicles registered in North Carolina.

 

[ramenth]

Yep, sounds like a revenue increaser... for all of NY State's faults that's one of the things I like about it: a registration sticker in the windshield. Easily ID'ed when going through sobriety and seatbelt checks in the summer months. Plus, when you go through a checkpoint in a car like your's, with a registration sticker on the plate, and the cops are used to seeing one in the windshield, it drives 'em nutty for a minute until they figure things out.:toothy10:

 

[dustermaniac]

Yep, sounds like a revenue increaser... for all of NY State's faults that's one of the things I like about it: a registration sticker in the windshield. Easily ID'ed when going through sobriety and seatbelt checks in the summer months. Plus, when you go through a checkpoint in a car like your's, with a registration sticker on the plate, and the cops are used to seeing one in the windshield, it drives 'em nutty for a minute until they figure things out.:toothy10:

It's almost like they have planned for this because they just did away with windshield stickers last year and put the inspection sticker on the license plate. I guess since money is tight for the state, that this is just another way to make money, In fact- here in N.C. you are supposed to be able to run a period license plate on your vehicle as long as you had your current plate in your car and the registration and insurance card if pulled over available to any law enforcement officer.-example if your vehicle is a 1972 year manufacture, you can attach a plate from N.C. with the dated year of 1972 on the vehicle and drive without any infractions. This is a written law here in N.C. So I put a 1973 license plate on my Duster and I was pulled over by a county Sheriff who told me that I could not drive my vehicle with the period plate attached. After showing him my "DSTR" plate and registration and Insurance card he told me that I would have to change out the plate. I explained to him that it is a law here in N.C. that you can have a period plate and refused to change out my plate. He didn't ticket me, but he was unhappy. I went home and printed up the statue regarding period plates in N.C. and keep a copy in my car. Sure enough 1 week later I was stopped from the N.C. Highway Patrol and the first thing the cop said when he pulled me over was " Why are you driving with a 1973 N.C. plate" I replied to him "Because I can" and showed him my current plate and registration and the printed copy of the statue of the law. So this jerk goes back to his cruiser and comes back with a speeding ticket for 70 in a 55. I fought this and had it dismissed. It just goes to show you that even some law enforcement officers are not aware of the laws. Geeeesh!!!!

YEAR OF MANUFACTURE LICENSE PLATE USE -
VEHICLE QUALIFYING AGE: Vehicles that are 35 years old or older may display a license plate of the Year of Manufacture.
VEHICLE TYPES QUALIFYING FOR YOM:
MUST TYPES MATCH: No
SINGLE/PAIR REQUIRED: Single
REPAINTED PLATES ALLOWED: Yes
MUST NUMBER CLEAR: No
NOTES: The plate with the Year of Manufacture is not registered to the vehicle in the computer system; therefore, the plate does not have to be cleared. Since it is not registered to the vehicle, it does not matter what type of plate (Auto, Truck etc.). A restored plate may be used.

 

[rumblefish360]

New York has the sme law regaurding plate frames. Largely ignored, it is ticketable. Also, anything over the plate. Like a "Dust shield" or anti picture taker. (The camera can't take a picture of the plate. It just comes out a blurry shine.)

 

[avarageerod]

It just another NC law to gain money for a state that spends it without remorse. The police, from what I've seen, are more concerned with traific violations than protecting citizens. Whan I was a child we looked up to firemen and policemen, now the police are kind of a joke. I've seen them with there lights on going to Bojangles in the morning. I know not all are that way, but you remember the bad insidents. They don't think they are above the law, they just think it doesn't apply to them.

 

[64conv65hard]

The stickers can be moved a 1/4" or so were they will not be blocked by the frame. Usually that's what their big concern is.

 

[dustermaniac]

I think they are just trying to eliminate ALL license plate frames. I know I will now have to remove both frames from both my vehicles because the bottom of the frame blocks NORTH CAROLINA at the bottom of the plate.

 

[WildCat]

I hear many states now have the same law. Indiana as far as I know does not yet.

They also have the year made plate law but is kind of confusing. You have to register the car plus the build year plate, but you are not to drive with the plate, WTF is that.

I think if they are going to make a thin aluminum plate without and type of reinforcing then you have to have a frame or the damn thing gets bent up in car wash.

I even put frame on MH since it sits off the body a little and thought it needed some support.

Running a plate for 5 years and so cheap is STUPID not to have frame. They need to move the state name and tags up so a frame can be used for support.

My 2 Cents

 

[dustermaniac]

Yeah, the plates here in N.C. are paper thin cheap aluminum. A good gust of wind could probably bend these plates.

 

[FISHBREATH]

I want a license plate like the one James Bond had on his Aston-Martin.

 

[avarageerod]

this sums up North Carolina

 

[ramenth]

There's an old joke about this: Used to be if a man with a gun jumped out of the bushes and demanded all your money he was called a bandit. Now he's called a cop.

 

[dustermaniac]

The stickers can be moved a 1/4" or so were they will not be blocked by the frame. Usually that's what their big concern is.

You cannot move the stickers because when you get your plates the sticker is already attached.

 

[64conv65hard]

At least here in MD they allow us to put the sticker on ourselves. The MVA mails them to us.

 

[Fstforward]

Just to play devils advocate:

When I was growing up, you could easily identify what state a car was from just by looking at the colors of the license plate.

Now, every state has 23, 285 choices, be it alumni plates, historic plates, plates to honor your great uncle Bob, and on and on. Most of these plates are vastly different colors, and you can no longer identify state of registration without looking @ it on the plate. Hell, here in Pa., there is a plate commemorating the Flagship Niagara, and it is mostly brown and white, with white numbers/letters, and the numbering/lettering blends in with the background and you can't even read them without getting up close.

Therefore, when a crime is committed, it is harder to tell where the car was from without being able to read the state moniker on the plate.

Just my $.02

FF

 

[dustermaniac]

I agree about the law regarding law enforcement in identifying these plates. However I do not think a license plate frame is the issue. Most of these frames have been designed so the stickers on the plate are visible. and the stickers are color coded so that any law enforcement officer that spots a plate with a purple sticker would know that that plate is probably outdated and not current year registered as opposed to a plate with a green sticker which id the current color of the plate registration stickers in North Carolina. The Plate numbers are usually always visible unless covered by a plastic smoked cover which I personally think should be illegal in all states. As for the state Id's Some of these frames DO cover the state name partially. On my Blazer, I will need to remove the dealer installed frame because of this issue, but on the Duster I have a barbed wire style thin chrome license frame around the plate which does not obstruct the letters or stickers on the plate so I am leaving it on.

 

[abodyjoe]

jersey has that law also. if the cop is an *** he will ticket ya for it. most just ignore it.

 

[waggin]

when I installed my trailer hitch on the waggin I had to move the plate upwards to make it look better as I was making the hitch myself to fit the car it made the decal hard to find so I moved it downward where it is more visible to avoid the highway bandit's,the sticker is supposed to go in top right corner,hope I don't get a ticket for being thoughtful......

 

[player1up]

Waggin, You wont get a ticket, I've seen people put them all over the place, even one with stickers in year order across the top from left to right. I'm pretty sure they'd be more upset about the hitch blocking 2 characters, of course it's not like you are trying to hide your identity with a car like that

 

[Valiant422]

Cry much?

If a cop is looking at you close enough to notice the plate frame, you have more to worry about!

If you feel that strongly about it, start a poll for people from your state, then send it to your local politician that voted it in. Although it's a little late, should have caught it while they were slipping it in, not after it made the news!