ben951

Hi Guys

i want to get a german replica license plate, but one that has the same characters as my florida tag, and use it as my tag, i guess i would have to transfer the little decal and everything over, but i dont want to get pulled over for it. i wasnt sure whether it would be or not, as in england, there is one plate style and thats it, yellow to the rear and white at the front, but here at the drivers license office, there are a bunch of different style plates behind the counter, so i figured maybe it wouldnt matter what style i had, providing it has that little yellow decal on it? Does anyone know?

Cheers, Ben

VWaddict

Ben, if you take a close look at the Florida plate, you'll see a "holographic' sort of 'watermark' in the laquer that they put on it. Technically you ARE supposed to run a real plate.

I've seen people running German and UK plates on the rear, but they usually swap back, and my guess is that they've been strongly asked to do so by people in uniform.

One on the front is no problem. -As for the rear: how friendly are you with any of the local police? I'd ask them. I bet they say don't do it. I know a Winter Park cop, I can ask him...

Keith

MichelleJD

Wow, both of you are in Orlando and used to be in England! That's wild!

ben951

thanks! i never notice that. So would you say that running a german plate would get me a ticket, or just a telling off? i can live with the telling off, but im not sure i could afford to pay for tickets every other week!!!

toddk911

I have one from Germany and I just use it in the front as you WILL be pulled over if you run it in the rear

toddk911

And we all need to get together for a "pint of lager"

oh, wait, one of you is only 19 right???? OK, a pint at my house

VWaddict

Michelle, this is "the British part of Florida". the community in which I live (approx 4 square miles) has so many Brits that all the road names named after places in & around the home counties. My particular city is even named "Heathrow", and ALL of the local grocery stores sell Hob-****, PG tips, Heinz bakes beans and everything else you need for survival in non-native environments. Ben is in Kissimmee I think, where the concentration of ex-pat Brits buying homes and businesses is even higher!

Ben, unless this pulled muscle in my back keeps me home tonight, I'll be meeting with a Winter Park Police officer, I can ask him then. -However, I bet it'll be the usual deal, which is a "fix-it" ticket which you have to obey and then deliver the vehicle for inspection to verify compliance. Along with the fix-it-ticket usually comes a small fine, maybe $10, payable within 30 days.

However, the fix-it is a courtesy, giving the benefit of the dooubt that you didn't know you were committing an infraction. If you get stopped a second time, you simply CANNOT claim ignorance, since you will have been through the 'education' process. At that point, it gets expensive, and I wouldn't bet against points on the license.

I agree, it would be neat-looking, but I'm not doing it; license enforcement round here is apparently paradoxical: People don't seem to get stopped for driving with a handwritten cardboard "lost tag" replacement for 4 months, but put an intentionally-wrong plate on a "por-shee" and it's officer-bait. Double the effectiveness if the driver is young. Add 25% to the effectiveness if the driver is black.

Keith

AaronR968

If it is not state issued that it would be a "failure to register" ticket. I got one about 2 months ago. It is only $80 but still not worth it.

chris951

I've had a german plate that does not match my front one for two years, I haven't gotten pulled for it yet(knock on wood). Europlates.com or something close to that will make you a Europlate with custom letters and I think can even match the layout of your state. I would not run one in the back of my car.

ehall

Florida will not allow you to run a Euro plate on the back of your car.
The front yes, back no.
I live in Fla. BTW

MichelleJD

My brother lives in Miami now (we were all born there), but lived outside of London for 8 yrs. Everytime I'm down that way he drags me out for a pint and some fish'n'chips. I hate beer!

toddk911

MMMMM, fish and chips

VWaddict

unfortunately, I'm allergic to fish & seafood.

In fact, you know that fake 'crab' meat?

... -brings me out in imitation hives!


Keef

Racer46

In Florida you must run one of the miriad of official plates on the rear of your vehicle. No front plate is required. If your vehicle is over 30 years old you may run a Florida plate that was issued in the year of your vehicle's manufacture.

toddk911

Ouch!!

I guess that meant you ate lots of bangers and mash