Joined
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3,778 Posts
Know the law next time you get pulled over. I've heard of quite a few fix-it-tickets lately. Even I was trying to follow "rumored regulations". The key thing to take in about the license plates is that is subject to individual interpretation as to what is "clearly visible".
License Plate Codes:
5201. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the
vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from
swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible,
and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible.
The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor
more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate
shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground, except as
follows:
(a) through (e) do not apply to motorcycles
(f) No covering may be used on license plates except as follows:
(1) The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to
protect it from the weather and the elements does not constitute a
violation of this subdivision. Any peace officer or other regularly
salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws,
including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may
temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect
any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle.
(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a
violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or
impair the recognition of the license plate information, including,
but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and
registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over
the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.
(g) No casing, shield, frame, border, or other device that
obstructs or impairs the reading or recognition of a license plate by
a remote emission sensing device, as specified in Sections 44081 and
44081.6 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be installed on, or
affixed to, a vehicle.
5202. Every license plate issued by this State or any other
jurisdiction within or without the United States shall remain
attached during the period of its validity to the vehicle for which
it is issued while being operated within this State or during the
time the vehicle is being held for sale in this State, or until such
time as a vehicle with special or identification plates is no longer
entitled to such plates and no person shall operate, nor shall an
owner knowingly permit to be operated, upon any highway any vehicle
unless the license plate is so attached. Special permits issued in
lieu of plates shall be attached and displayed on the vehicle for
which issued during the period of their validity.
5203. This chapter does not apply to plates which the department
pursuant to law has ordered to be surrendered, transferred to another
vehicle, or removed.
5204. (a) Except as provided by subdivisions (b) and (c), a tab
shall indicate the year of expiration and a tab shall indicate the
month of expiration. Current month and year tabs shall be attached
to the rear license plate assigned to the vehicle for the last
preceding registration year in which license plates were issued, and,
when so attached, the license plate with the tabs shall, for the
purposes of this code, be deemed to be the license plate, except that
truck tractors, and commercial motor vehicles having a declared
gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more, shall display the
current month and year tabs upon the front license plate assigned to
the truck tractor or commercial motor vehicle. Vehicles that fail to
display current month and year tabs or display expired tabs are in
violation of this section.
(b) The requirement of subdivision (a) that the tabs indicate the
year and the month of expiration does not apply to fleet vehicles
subject to Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 5300) or vehicles
defined in Section 468.
(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply when proper application for
registration has been made pursuant to Section 4602 and the new
indicia of current registration have not been received from the
department.
(d) This section is enforceable against any motor vehicle that is
driven, moved, or left standing upon a highway, or in an offstreet
public parking facility, in the same manner as provided in
subdivision (a) of Section 4000.
5205. The department may make appropriate rules and regulations for
the use and display of stickers or devices issued in lieu of license
plates, and shall publish a summary thereof.
Turn Signal Codes:
24953. (a) Any turn signal system used to give a signal of
intention to turn right or left shall project a flashing white or
amber light visible to the front and a flashing red or amber light
visible to the rear.
(b) Side-mounted turn signal lamps projecting a flashing amber
light to either side may be used to supplement the front and rear
turn signals. Side-mounted turn signal lamps mounted to the rear of
the center of the vehicle may project a flashing red light no part of
which shall be visible from the front.
(c) In addition to any required turn signal lamps, any vehicle may
be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps mounted to the
rear of the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in its rearmost
position.
(d) In addition to any required or authorized turn signal lamps,
any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps
that are mounted on, or are an integral portion of, the outside
rearview mirrors, so long as the lamps flash simultaneously with the
rear turn signal lamps, the light emitted from the lamps is projected
only to the rear of the vehicle and is not visible to the driver
under normal operating conditions, except for a visual indicator
designed to allow monitoring of lamp operation, and the lamps do not
project a glaring light.
License Plate Codes:
5201. License plates shall at all times be securely fastened to the
vehicle for which they are issued so as to prevent the plates from
swinging, shall be mounted in a position so as to be clearly visible,
and shall be maintained in a condition so as to be clearly legible.
The rear license plate shall be mounted not less than 12 inches nor
more than 60 inches from the ground, and the front license plate
shall be mounted not more than 60 inches from the ground, except as
follows:
(a) through (e) do not apply to motorcycles
(f) No covering may be used on license plates except as follows:
(1) The installation of a cover over a lawfully parked vehicle to
protect it from the weather and the elements does not constitute a
violation of this subdivision. Any peace officer or other regularly
salaried employee of a public agency designated to enforce laws,
including local ordinances, relating to the parking of vehicles may
temporarily remove so much of the cover as is necessary to inspect
any license plate, tab, or indicia of registration on a vehicle.
(2) The installation of a license plate security cover is not a
violation of this subdivision if the device does not obstruct or
impair the recognition of the license plate information, including,
but not limited to, the issuing state, license plate number, and
registration tabs, and the cover is limited to the area directly over
the top of the registration tabs. No portion of a license plate
security cover shall rest over the license plate number.
(g) No casing, shield, frame, border, or other device that
obstructs or impairs the reading or recognition of a license plate by
a remote emission sensing device, as specified in Sections 44081 and
44081.6 of the Health and Safety Code, shall be installed on, or
affixed to, a vehicle.
5202. Every license plate issued by this State or any other
jurisdiction within or without the United States shall remain
attached during the period of its validity to the vehicle for which
it is issued while being operated within this State or during the
time the vehicle is being held for sale in this State, or until such
time as a vehicle with special or identification plates is no longer
entitled to such plates and no person shall operate, nor shall an
owner knowingly permit to be operated, upon any highway any vehicle
unless the license plate is so attached. Special permits issued in
lieu of plates shall be attached and displayed on the vehicle for
which issued during the period of their validity.
5203. This chapter does not apply to plates which the department
pursuant to law has ordered to be surrendered, transferred to another
vehicle, or removed.
5204. (a) Except as provided by subdivisions (b) and (c), a tab
shall indicate the year of expiration and a tab shall indicate the
month of expiration. Current month and year tabs shall be attached
to the rear license plate assigned to the vehicle for the last
preceding registration year in which license plates were issued, and,
when so attached, the license plate with the tabs shall, for the
purposes of this code, be deemed to be the license plate, except that
truck tractors, and commercial motor vehicles having a declared
gross vehicle weight of 10,001 pounds or more, shall display the
current month and year tabs upon the front license plate assigned to
the truck tractor or commercial motor vehicle. Vehicles that fail to
display current month and year tabs or display expired tabs are in
violation of this section.
(b) The requirement of subdivision (a) that the tabs indicate the
year and the month of expiration does not apply to fleet vehicles
subject to Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 5300) or vehicles
defined in Section 468.
(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply when proper application for
registration has been made pursuant to Section 4602 and the new
indicia of current registration have not been received from the
department.
(d) This section is enforceable against any motor vehicle that is
driven, moved, or left standing upon a highway, or in an offstreet
public parking facility, in the same manner as provided in
subdivision (a) of Section 4000.
5205. The department may make appropriate rules and regulations for
the use and display of stickers or devices issued in lieu of license
plates, and shall publish a summary thereof.
Turn Signal Codes:
24953. (a) Any turn signal system used to give a signal of
intention to turn right or left shall project a flashing white or
amber light visible to the front and a flashing red or amber light
visible to the rear.
(b) Side-mounted turn signal lamps projecting a flashing amber
light to either side may be used to supplement the front and rear
turn signals. Side-mounted turn signal lamps mounted to the rear of
the center of the vehicle may project a flashing red light no part of
which shall be visible from the front.
(c) In addition to any required turn signal lamps, any vehicle may
be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps mounted to the
rear of the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in its rearmost
position.
(d) In addition to any required or authorized turn signal lamps,
any vehicle may be equipped with supplemental rear turn signal lamps
that are mounted on, or are an integral portion of, the outside
rearview mirrors, so long as the lamps flash simultaneously with the
rear turn signal lamps, the light emitted from the lamps is projected
only to the rear of the vehicle and is not visible to the driver
under normal operating conditions, except for a visual indicator
designed to allow monitoring of lamp operation, and the lamps do not
project a glaring light.