May be moving to California and would like to know if I can keep that gorgeous nose fully exposed vs bolting on an ugly license plate. Are you able to get away with a rear plate only?

 

IL is required here as well - but I don't put a front plate on any of my vehicles. Shrug..
It all depends on the county/town and jurisdiction you're in - how local LEO takes to it. Some are more lenient or accepting than others.

 

Nice to hear you don't. I checked online and it appears many LEO's don't bother with it unless you're doing something stupid and will tack that on to the ticket(s).

 

Yeah typically most suburb areas around me are fine with it, never had issues. It's the city Chicago itself that likes to do that particularly when you're parked, then they ticket you.

Then again, I don't go into the city other than for work and it's always garaged there.

 

I'll give you my experience. I lived in Santa Barbara for 27 years, leaving in the late 90s. My last vehicle that state was a 1992 Lexus SC300. I did not have a front plate. Never a problem, until one weekend. I went to a movie with a friend and parked the LC in underground parking with the front facing inward toward the wall. When I got out of the movie, there was a ticket on the windshield - No Front Plate

 

Did you put a plate on or leave it off-and did you ever get a ticket again?

 

My brother got cited for no front plate at a sporting event (STAPLES).

Police were directing traffic to a parking area (he thought) but were corralling no front plate cars for a massive ticket writing event.

My brother thought it was pretty CS.

 

im not running one, have it in trunk,,will plead that i dont have mounting bracket.

 

Tell em the bracket is on back order, they might actually believe that one.

 

It was a "FixIt" ticket. What I did was devise a bracket with a metal top edge. I fastened a magnet to the underside of the bumper. The DMV inspector witnessed my "fix" through a window and I passed her inspection. I was not bothered after that

 

So in essence you kept the front plate on?

 

^^^^No, as posted it was only held on with a magnet. At speed it would have flown off. As soon as I left the police station, I removed it and threw it in the trunk. I'm now is Arizona - No front plate here

 

Former CA: All my cars didn't have a front license plate. The "Fix It" hint is key.
E.g. once cited you can show at the local police station the 'fixed' solution. They quickly look at it, sign the ticket off, then you can pay a lower 'fixed' ticket fee. I think it was $20 at the time.
I purchased a "Front Bumper Tow Hook License Plate RELOCATOR Kit Relocation Bracket", which simply screws into the tow hook slot at the front. Takes ~5 minutes to get a front licence mounted. Once the officer signed off the ticket, you can remove again.
In ~20 years in CA I only got one ticket. Across 3 cars that have no front number plate. Totally worth it.

 

It's not a big deal at all. I haven't run a front plate for over 10 years out here. I've had 2 times where I've got a fix it ticket. Neither time was me getting pulled over for the plate. Got in trouble for other **** and they decided to tack on the front plate with it. If you get a ticket, just throw the plate on, go to your local CHP to get the ticket signed off, and it'll end up being like 20-40 bucks depending on where it happened. I'm not gonna let 40 bucks scare me into putting on a front plate lol

 

California recently approved the new, stick-on type front plates. Not a perfect option for every car model, but an option.

“Licenseplatewrap.com”