Clear license plate cover legality?

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by yamota

Why do they even sell these things?

They do help keep plates cleaner but the problem is they can fade and people don't replace them when they yellow or get dirty. Hence the obstruction charge. The vast majority of police officers. Say 99.9 % have no issues with the clear covers as long as they stay clear. I never charged anyone in my career with having a dirty one but did pull them and told them to remove them. I'm sure some did and some didn't. The person who said they got a ticket (09 post) got one erroneously in my opinion but of course the so called clear cover was no longer clear. I never ever saw an officer write a ticket for one of these on one that was truly clear.

[slowlane]

They were originally intended just for vehicles on display in dealer showrooms - to somehow make the vehicle look more dignified or classy - but then vehicle owners started buying them too in auto-parts stores. For drivers really serious about evading traffic cameras, there is even a mail-ordered chemical you can spray or paint-on that makes your plates shine and hard for the cameras to read. On a few occasions I have acted as vigilante and broken off a few brittle yellow covers when I was positive the owners weren't around. However, nowadays most of them are made of hard durable unbreakable plastic.

[coolio69]

I look hispanic and I've been pulled over twice for having these. Once in Fairfax county and once in Arlington County. I've never gotten ticketed, but rather the cop told me that it's "illegal" to have them on.

Let me rephrase that, the second time, I was in a fairly new toyota highlander with my father driving. I was in the passenger seat. It could be a case of (dare i say it?) racial profiling or probable cause.

The first time it was in my Honda accord, which while not new, was certainly not a beater car. I took off the cover after I got the warning. My dad did the same.

[TPL]

I've had a clear one on my car for eight years, and never once have I run into an issue with it.

[TPL]

Originally Posted by slowlane

They were originally intended just for vehicles on display in dealer showrooms - to somehow make the vehicle look more dignified or classy - but then vehicle owners started buying them too in auto-parts stores. For drivers really serious about evading traffic cameras, there is even a mail-ordered chemical you can spray or paint-on that makes your plates shine and hard for the cameras to read. On a few occasions I have acted as vigilante and broken off a few brittle yellow covers when I was positive the owners weren't around. However, nowadays most of them are made of hard durable unbreakable plastic.

Don't touch other peoples property, bottom line.

[Oz_22151]

So as long as it doesn't "alters or obscures the letters, numbers, decals" its okay then. Yeah!

[Dwatted Wabbit]

These are state laws. This is the best I could find:

http://driversdonttext.com/Plate_Cov...s.aspx :think: