Anyone know, how strict is front license plate enforced in Minnesota, especially the Minneapolis burbs. I’ve always had a front plate on my vette but see a few sans the front plate.

 

I've been running without a front plate since 2004, 2004 GTO, 2005 Corvette, 2013 Camaro SS 1LE, 2017 Camaro ZL1. Didn't run the front plate on any of them and never got pulled over, I live in the south metro of the twin cities but drive all over the cities.

 

Depends on the individual officer. If it's a big deal to him/her, it will be one for you too.

 

State patrol will pull you over for no front plate. I don't need a reason to be pulled over so I have mine on. I slightly bent mine and installed it with out the big bulky bracket.

 

I live in the north metro and haven't run a front plate for the past 2 years. Haven't been stopped so far. A cop told me that the enforcement of equipment violations on passenger cars is no longer a priority. The lack of a front plate is an equipment violation. In 2017 there were 5500 tickets for no front plate. In 2021 that number was 1353. (from the Star Tribune).

 

I do no live in MN, but like mortelec, I run a front plate in my state as I do not want to take the chance of getting pulled over for not having a required plate on the car. I really do not know why this is such a big issue - bending the plate to match the contour of the front fascia really does not look terrible. But of course, that is JMO.

 

In 1985 my first Corvette, dealer handed me the front plate and told me not to install. On the way home I got a ticket so I went back to the dealer and asked for them to pay.
Just met a guy here who glued small magnets to the front plastic part and plate stays on. I used velcro. I switch plates between two cars. I am not sure what the big problem is since we have plates half way up the back that are much more visible.

 

Don't run one for a while and report back. But, seriously, who can possibly predict if you'll be stopped or not... and, what the consequences might be if you are.

 

I moved from Minnesota (The state in which nothing is allowed) to Florida & then Arizona. No front plates required. Problem solved.

 

I've lived in Minnesota for 18 years around Rochester and in those years, I got pulled over once (on I90) and it was a fix it ticket.

 

I'm across the border but drive in the metro all the time without a plate. Cops are busy just trying to stay alive these days and could give two ***** about no front plate on a toy car as long as you are not doing 25 over or some other stupid ****. Even then just carry the plate with you as even in the rarest of events you get asked about it you can produce it.

I was talking to a group of a dozen Supra drivers, all from MN, last weekend that were gassing up at a station here. None were running front plates and one of them had it on the dash in the front window. Asked him about why in the front window and he said he was stopped one time several years ago, not ticketed, but the officer said to just make it visible in the front windshield. I also never ran one on my C7 for 4 years of driving all over the country and was never bothered or stopped.

 

Yes, both AZ and FL for me too...for the last 30 years, so can't even relate to a front plate.

 

How are you allowed to switch plates between two cars? Does that work in your state? In MN, plates are tied to the car, so if you sell the car, the plates go with it, you don't keep them. I know some states you keep your plates if you sell the car.

 

It's all a matter of personal preference, I suppose. Some don't mind the front plate. I think it's ugly as hell, intrusive, and completely unnecessary. (How many car chases are in reverse?!?)

At the very least those with a good driving record should not be required to affix a front plate.

I am fortunate to live in a rear-plate-only state.

 

You only live once time to be a rebel, rip that plate off !!!

 

1 - I've always wondered why a state would require a second 6"x12" license plate on a vehicle but allow a single 4"x7" plate on a motorcycle.

2 - Tons of officer discretion on this, though highway patrol always seem to have a lower tolerance for equipment violations compared to city police.

3 - Most departments are understaffed, completing the "must do" tasks doesn't allow much equipment code enforcement in many areas.

4 - Other departments are "unpolicing", not enforcing some or all laws and regulations to avoid adverse outcomes. That leads to far more petty crime, leading to more serious crime, resulting in more criminal activity to respond to. A vicious cycle.

5 - Minnesota 169.79 Subd. 6 appears to carry a $120 fine.

6 - Even if stopped, chances are good the result will be a warning or a fix it ticket.

7 - LOTS of equipment violation stops are pretextual stops, except in a small handful of states that do not allow them.

An example is "That car parked in front of a drug house twice in the past three hours. And it doesn't have a front license plate, I'll stop it for the plate violation and see where it goes, at least identify the occupants."

https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-li...-united-states

Whren v. United States settled that pretextual stops are permitted as long as the officer had reasonable suspicion that an actual violation had occurred. The officer's motivation is of no consequence. Using motivation would require mind reading.

Still a Minnesotate violation, as 169.79 Subd.6 requires that the plate be upright. But this definitely would be less noticeable at a glance than no plate, and definitely would be more likely to result in an officer saying "Yeah, whatever".

 

Generally high-tax, high-regulation, no-fun states are where people are departing... in favor of freedom. The front license plate is a very small but significant microcosm of what's going on. I was originally from New Jersey. In case you didn't know, New Jerseyans (at least those who love their state) are the all-time world champions of excuse making. They've got built-in excuses for crumbling roads ("Very tough winters here!) and high taxes across the board ("We're so densely populated!" <-- actually an argument for why lower taxes should be in place...).

They are currently working on rhetoric endorsing their plastic straw ban and plastic bag ban. I've heard a few inane cases for a front plate for them, including "It makes the job of a police officer safer!" When prompted to give details on why this was true, I got, "... well... I don't know. It's just the law. So put a front plate on your car!"

Yeah no thanks, I moved out years ago. If these restrictive places were so wonderful, lots of people would be moving in. Instead they are fleeing.


State Migration Data | State-to-State Migration Trends | Tax Foundation

 

No plate for me, cops here have other priority's a little more important here in Cali.

 

I've run without front plates for decades on several vehicles in CA, VA and CO. Got pulled over once, in VA. That was due to the fact I ran up on him at about 40 over and I'm sure he wanted to make sure that I wasn't drunk, and to let me know he noticed. Just a warning and a compliment on my C6.

 

Yes. If I sell the car I must turn in the plates. If the insurance expires I must turn in the plates. But if I let our provincial insurance company know which car is insured for driving and which is being stored I can keep the plate and put it in the other car. Recently our laws have changed so you no longer get a plate or a sticker and the computer tells police whether insured. Only problem is I have no idea when insurance runs out because previously I could look at the sticker but now I have to look at the insurance paper,