Colorado Front Plate

Anybody ever get ticketed for not having a front plate in Colorado?

I recently swapped out my steel winch line with a synthetic one and I had one of those flip up/down plate holders.

With the steel cable attached, it would rub on my plate when it was flipped up but now with synthetic rope, I’m a bit more leary of leaving it on.

I see tons of Jeeps and other off-road vehicles without them here in Grand Junction. Don’t want to pay fines, that’s all.

 

Mine I think fell off about a year or two ago during the brunt of the pandemic. Have yet to replace it or get a ticket. Figure I'd wait till a warning. Also keep a bike rack on the back all summer that hides the rear so I think I'm good if passing by any speed traps.

 

We have this debate often in Texas too.

The general consensus is mostly no, but with a "but."

Generally there are two scenarios:
1) Sometimes a cop will use it as an excuse to pull you if they think they see anything suspicious. Maybe wrong time of day, or you're unknowingly driving through a neighborhood that has problems, or maybe you swerved to miss a pothole and it looked funny from a distance. Who knows.

2) it can be used as a revenue multiplier. Say you get snagged by a speed trap in a small town with a reputation. You're barely 3 miles over the limit, but the officer just caught his wife cheating and is having a shit day, so he starts stacking tickets. Licence plate is an easy gimme.

Most often however, it's used to issue a warning to demonstrate that "you got a fat ticket, but I'm letting you know it could have been worse. Thanks for being polite."


Both scenarios have a low probability of happening, but on rare occasion, it does happen. It's up to you if you're willing to run the risk of eating the ticket. It's a fine if you get caught, but fortunately, I don't think it counts as a moving violation.

 

It is required in Colorado to have a front plate. Exemptions are motorcycle and trailer.
That being said, it's not widely enforced. Plenty of sports cars running around with no front plate.
So take your chances accordingly.
Sports car, prolly no problem.
Truck, maybe a problem.

 

I have a client the was sideswiped when she was riding her bike up Poncha Pass headed south on 285. The state patrol who arrived at the scene had, unbeknownst to him, drove past the car that hit her. He later review his dash cam footage and the plastic mirror pieces on the ground looked like the same color a car that he had recorded not even 15 minutes before he got the call. The officer punched in the plate number, got the name and address of the owner of the car, and went to their house. He had the missing pieces that car was missing. If there wasn’t a front plate, the driver may have never been found. She physically healed up.

I drove my GTI around Chaffee county for a few years without a front plate and always got pulled over by state cops for no plate.

 

I would hope the cops have more important things to enforce. Mine has been off since forever because that's just how I like to roll up front so to speak, and the few times I've gotten pulled over they've mostly been cool about it and kindly remind me to put it back on.

Sure they still ticketed me for speeding, but didn't add the fine for not having a front license plate.

Arizona doesn't require a front license plate. The usual arguments of why they're supposedly needed for public safety aside, I would think just producing 1 plate for people instead of 2 might be a easy way to save some coin for the state - to waste on something else, I guess.

 

Junction cops don't bust anyone for traffic violations unless they crash.

 

I just keep mine on the passenger side floor board, that way if it ever comes up. I can say it must have "fallen off the dash" making me non-compliant.

 

I have gotten a ticket for this twice. Both times was while parked, and the ticket was parking enforcement, both times in Denver. $60 fine IIRC.

 

I would say it was removed for a photo shoot.

 

Mine fell off. I havent had any issues yet but its quickly accessible in case I need to toss it on the dash.

 

I have been told a few leo out here in my neck of the woods if there is a plate on the dash that will get you pulled over sooner than no plate showing.

 

I got pulled over once back in the 80's for missing a front plate. Cop was standing on the I-25 entrance ramp at Colorado Blvd. pointing people to pull over that were missing front plates. IIrc, fargin a-hole got me and another car at the same time. Don't remember how much the fine was.

 

Hmmm I'll have to take that into consideration.

 

Personally, I would not want a .020 gauge sheet of aluminum riding loose in proximity to either of the four airbags in that region, but that's just me.

 

you raise a very good point. Mine is stuffed between the seats so I can toss it up there if need be.

 

Exactly!

 

Mount the plate right over the sombrero on the grill. You won't see it from the driver's seat and it won't be in the way of the winch cable.

 

Not CO but RI. Truck came from VT which didn't have a front plate law I guess. Nobody ever put on the bracket at the dealership so .... If I ever get pulled over that's my excuse

I was super aware of it at first but I think it's mostly one of those "you were going 55 in a 30 so I pulled you over. Oh also no front plate".

Also I have been stopped in state and in other states too and they never even checked. Hell my registration was expired for two of the stops (I flubbed that one and didn't know it was a 1 year rotation on trucks in RI....oops), and that wasn't even mentioned - one in state one out.

Built up maybe they will be a bit tougher on the requirements but nearly stock I havent had any issues for almost 2 and a half years.

 

You could take two self tapping screws and mount your plate to that center section of the bumper that protrudes out. Wouldn't need a bracket.