Arctic Wolf

Hey to the guys from California what are your experiences with driving your beloved Porsche without the front license plates? Are the local law enforcement pretty hot on tickets for that sort of thing? I am dying to take off my hideous front plate and putting some bumper plugs instead!

mattyf

I haven't had any trouble from LEO about the front plate being missing. I keep it in the frunk with my default fib ready to go: "I had to order the bracket from a dealer, should be here anytime now."

I have seen a meter maid try to bust me. I was eating at an outdoor cafe and I saw one drive by my car slowly, notice the missing plate and back up to give me a ticket. I nonchalantly hopped in and drove around the block before they could get the ticket book out.

For the most part I feel it's worth the risk. If I get nailed I'll probably get a tow hook mount and get the fix it ticket taken care of then pull it off.

Hella-Buggin'

I wasn't hassled while driving but got a ticket while parked in the city. I bought the JCS Towhook mount and then got it signed off. The cop that signed off on it seemed bummed that things had come to that point to raise money. I ended up leaving it on because I just don't need one more reason to be pulled over. I already have tinted window on the front sides.

LewisB

I've lived here almost 6 years driving P-cars with no problems...no stops due to absence of tag. Lewis

Arctic Wolf

Haha nice save. So from it sounds like most of the hassle comes when you're parked instead of on the road and driving. So I'll have to park front in or if I parallel park have some 3m double sided to put it on real quick! Love the bracket excuse too!

Lurgee

Like mattyf, no problems here in Pasadena. However, I used to live near Santa Monica for many years and they're like hawks with front plate tickets in the area. I've been cited by a meter maid AND had two fix it tickets on the Westside over the years.

Macster

While I've driven for years in CA and have even been pulled over for speeding a couple of times I've never been given any grief about the lack of a front plate on either of my Porsches (or my other cars which also never had front plates).

However, I never park in a place that is patrolled by parking meter enforcement officers.

Arctic Wolf

I actually didn't know that meter maids are able to do that. I thought all they care about is if you paid to park.

Mike in CA

In 45 years I've been cited twice for no front plate and none of my cars have had them. The most recent was in my 996 about 10 years ago when the CHP picked me out of a line of cars as I passed by him on a rural road just to give me the plate citation. He must have been having a bad day or he hated Porsche drivers. It's not a high risk exercise, in my experience. (knock on wood). Some municipalities, like San Francisco, will supposedly ticket you even when parked which is why some folks are mentioning meter maids.

Arctic Wolf

Hmm that sucks that he picked you for the ticket. Do you have an idea of what the penalty for the actual ticket is? I guess you can get it written off and fix it. :/

daberlin

So far, one year in the 818 and no problems. The only thing I've been warned about is Friday and Saturday nights leaving restaurants and clubs in BH. Having no front plate is a good enough excuse for a cop to pull you over and then do a field sobriety test to see if you've been drinking and might be over .08. Though this hasn't been enough of a reason to put the front plate on my car, it has curtailed my drinking when I do go out at night with it!

Lvt19672

Just get the ticket signed off and pay the processing fee and remove the plate again, porsches don't look right with the front plate on.

daddyscar

On my old Cayman I went over a year without a front plate and street parked regularly 2-3 days per week in parts of San Francisco highly patrolled by meter maids. One day there was a ticket while parked for not having a front license plate. Paid a fee, installed plates and went to dmv. 997 has front plates but my G500 does not and have been lucky so far since June this year.

MagnusB

Got a ticket at SFO once, $40. Spread that over 7 years ...

Edgy01

I've always seen it as an excuse to pull you over for a ticket. I just don't get the obsession with front plates. Most of the WORLD requires a front plate. It's life. (God--I wish sometimes that was ALL I had to worry about!).

Just deal with it.