Front plate question for MA owner

[VenomSteve]

After 7 years in OH (great place to live)I am returning back to New England... this time in MA. And was wondering how firm is MA with regard to having a front plate these days? Note: While front plate is a requirement in OH, the police rarely will pull you over just for not having a front plate, that said if you do get pull over for other reasons, they could give you a ticket for no front plate. Anyhow, bottom line how firm are MA cops when it comes to enforcing front plate requirement?

 

[ViperGeorge]

You'll need a front plate for inspection. Other than that I never had one on. Never got stopped. However, the NE VCA recently did a bulk purchase of a remote control license plate holder from Swift Motorsports. Plate pops out with the touch of a key fob button.

 

[Slithr]

This is the one (I carry in the trunk), just in case I'm stopped. I'm hoping, I could apoligize to the officer and offer to put it on without tools........ I must have forgotten to put it back on after washing Yeah that's it.

Call JonB

 

[Panzer]

This is the one (I carry in the trunk), just in case I'm stopped. I'm hoping, I could apoligize to the officer and offer to put it on without tools........ I must have forgotten to put it back on after washing Yeah that's it.

Call JonB

+5 on the I forgot to put it back on.

 

[JohnnyViper]

lol i got my inspection sticker without it on i think the inspector was in shock for having a viper pull into his bay, i had my plate and zip ties with me if he had called me out on it, i do have the removable mount just in case i do get pulled over

 

[FLX109]

I don't get bothered here in ma as I really don't think they care much, another thing you could do is paint the letters/numbers on the plate green because if you have a green plate here in ma you only need one but don't get caught doing this, I dont think they would ever pick up on it as they only read the numbers/letters and not colors. I would probably get caught though for sure painting them green if you know what i mean...

Another thing i have done in the past is order a plate bracket online, print the receipt, cancel the order scan it and apply backordered to it and just keep changing the date so if you get stopped, its on order officer but backordered.

 

[vipzilla]

bring it to me i will get your sticker put on here at my dealership

 

[gilly6993]

I heven't had a problem getting my cars inspected without a front plate....if they give you an issue put some light sticky tape on it and stick it on....as far as the police go someone must be having a bad day to pull you over just for that....

 

[VenomSteve]

I don't get bothered here in ma as I really don't think they care much, another thing you could do is paint the letters/numbers on the plate green because if you have a green plate here in ma you only need one but don't get caught doing this, I dont think they would ever pick up on it as they only read the numbers/letters and not colors. I would probably get caught though for sure painting them green if you know what i mean...

Another thing i have done in the past is order a plate bracket online, print the receipt, cancel the order scan it and apply backordered to it and just keep changing the date so if you get stopped, its on order officer but backordered.

Good thinking on the back order idea. Regarding to the old green plate thing. I wonder if there is a way to get one of those??

 

[VenomSteve]

vipzilla, Thanks for the offer, I hope I won't need to do that. But will definitely keep that in mind.

gilly6993, Seperate topic. I noticed you got an 09 GT-R on your sig line. Do you mind sharing your experience and thoughts on the car (perhaps on PM). I have been considering getting one to use as my daily driver, not for the looks (because it is not very purdy ) but mainly for the following factors. 1) All wheel drive for the winter 2) Back seats for kids (when needed) 3) A performance car that is ok to be an automatic. Yes I need an automatic for commuting. Thanks in advance.

 

[FLX109]

Good thinking on the back order idea. Regarding to the old green plate thing. I wonder if there is a way to get one of those??

Mother/Father/ grandmother/ grandfather or any family member with one who has had it for a long time.

 

[gilly6993]

gilly6993, Seperate topic. I noticed you got an 09 GT-R on your sig line. Do you mind sharing your experience and thoughts on the car (perhaps on PM). I have been considering getting one to use as my daily driver, not for the looks (because it is not very purdy ) but mainly for the following factors. 1) All wheel drive for the winter 2) Back seats for kids (when needed) 3) A performance car that is ok to be an automatic. Yes I need an automatic for commuting. Thanks in advance.

I actually sold the Nissan last week and am placing an order for a 2012 as soon as the New England dealers get allocation.....for me it's a daily driver and i put on 30K miles in about 2 years of ownership....by far the best all around car I've owned....I was skeptical about the auto paddle shift but it's the wave of the future and a blast to drive....some either like the looks or they don't....it's not a pretty car but live in person it's a great looking car IMO....it's also an attention magnet....more so than even my ACR.....if you want to know specifics shoot me a PM.....

 

[AviP]

Anyhow, bottom line how firm are MA cops when it comes to enforcing front plate requirement?

The cops I dealt with in Revere (northern suburb of Boston) always checked for my front plate. They were classic a$$holes too and made me turn my pockets inside out everytime I went there, looking for dope.

 

[gilly6993]

I got pulled over by a Trooper for no front plate and recieved a ticket.....I called up one of their stations to ask if it was points on my insurance (it's 2 points) and the Trooper that answered the phone couldn't believe I got pulled over for just that....they usually don't do that....local cops with nothing to do may be a different story though....

 

[VenomSteve]

Wow, I wasn't aware that there are points for not having a front plate in MA. Back in OH, no front plate has nothing to do with points, and in fact if you do get pull over say for speeding and you were nice, they might just write you up for no front plate instead. The cost was between $85 to $125 depending on state vs county. That along with low insurance cost, 25 years one time registration for historic plate, cheap general registration and no inspection of any kind (in Stark county) sure makes it friendly to be a car guy there. That is one thing that I do miss. I wonder MA stack up with the rest of the country as far as being car ownership friendly. At this point I am going to assume CA is the worst.