Two different license plates on one car (Orlando: crime, home) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

seain dublin · 07-31-2009, 09:55 AM

I have noticed several cars that have a Florida plate in the back and a license plate from NY, NJ, MA, etc in the front.

Why is that allowed? If you have a hit and run or witness a crime but only see the front of the car you are seeing an old bogus plate.

I realize FL only has the plate in the back( I think it should be in the front as well) .I just don't understand how it is legal to drive a car with plates from two different states.

If they feel the need to advertise their home state, well get a bumper sticker, but get the plate off the car.

Trusses · 07-31-2009, 10:03 AM

I dont know. That's a good question. I see it a lot in Orlando. A FL tag on back and NJ or NY on the front. To be honest, I think it's a "hey, look at me, I am originally from NY/NJ" almost like a sense of extreme pride.

FlyMIA · 07-31-2009, 10:15 AM

I had a Virgin Island plate on the front of my car for a few years. The plate expired in 1972! People place these plates just to put them on their car, they are not actual plates being used, it is like placing a car dealership plate on the front or some type of Police association etc.. I really do not see the need for a front plate and neither does Florida. There are no laws on what you can put on your front so you can put what ever you want as long as it is not an active plate of course.

Also since Florida does not require a front plate it would actually help if a car had something on the front since it is either oh he had a New York plate on the front or just had nothing.

seain dublin · 07-31-2009, 10:24 AM

I think your right. They are trying to let people know where they're from. Who really cares...LOL.

My issue is if you have a hit and run or you witness a child being taken against their will and all you have in your line of sight is the front plate and then it turns out to be an old expired tag it causes a problem.

Not only that but who is going to think, "oh I better get the back plate as the front one could be an old out of state plate".

A car can only be registered in one state and you usually have to surrender the old plates at the DMV.

If you car is registered in Florida, just have a FL plate. If it is registered in NJ, then have Jersey plates. But not both.

It is a safety issue if you need to give information that would help the police.

I have never seen that before. In most states I would think you would get pulled over and questioned as to what was going on.

s8film40 · 07-31-2009, 10:36 AM

I don't think it really matters what type of plate is on the front if there is not anything legally required. The alternative to your scenario if there were nothing on the front is that someone witnessing something with a line of site of the front would instead of having bad or outdated information would have no information. I can imagine a situation like this turning into a "stupid criminal story" where someone commits a crime only the front is seen and instead of having nothing on the front has an outdated plate from another state, which eventually the police trace back to the criminal who didnt have to have anything there in the first place.

seain dublin · 07-31-2009, 10:57 AM

Well I have to disagree, you shouldn't have two different license plates on one car.

If you see a license plate on the front of a car you are going to think that is where the car is registered. If there is no plate in the front and you need to get the plate you will do your best to see the back of the car.

If see someone with say a NY plate and they do a hit and run or some other crime and only have front view of the car, you shouldn't have to think gee I better try and get a look at the back because it might be an old plate.

If they want to advertise where they're from put a NJ Giants or an I Love NY on the front. A license plate is put on a car for identification purposes, not to advertise where you used to live.

Why should the police have to waste time and energy tracking down expired plates when time matters, like a child being abducted.

The best solution is for Florida to have two plates like most states.

s8film40 · 07-31-2009, 11:03 AM

Well I never have been a fan of the one license plate law in Fl, but something is better than nothing so I have no complaints about having old plates on the front. I guess if your not from Fl you might think the front plate is accurate, but generally regardless of the state if you see both sides always go with the back.

Granny Sue · 07-31-2009, 11:11 AM

Personally I think too much is getting read into it.

No, technically it's not legal but not high on the list of important things to enforce.

I think people just do it for nostalgia. I guess I could adjust my tinfoil cap and find some diabolical reason for it too I guess.

seain dublin · 07-31-2009, 11:34 AM

Well Granny Sue if your grandchild was abucted( and please I am not wishing this on you) and an eyewitness got a the front plate of the car and it turns out it as an old out of state plate and the police have to waste time and energy tracking it down it becomes an issue.

A license plate is on the car to identify the vehicle. Not to adveritse where you used to live.

I just saw this twice recently. I wouldn't have thought and I don't think most people would I better get the back plate for the police as the front one is for "nostalgia".

TriMT7 · 07-31-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seain dublin

Well Granny Sue if your grandchild was abucted( and please I am not wishing this on you) and an eyewitness got a the front plate of the car and it turns out it as an old out of state plate and the police have to waste time and energy tracking it down it becomes an issue.

A license plate is on the car to identify the vehicle. Not to adveritse where you used to live.

I just saw this twice recently. I wouldn't have thought and I don't think most people would I better get the back plate for the police as the front one is for "nostalgia".

I disagree. People who live in Florida know that the only valid license plate is the BACK license plate. If you want to ID a car, you take the time to look at the back of the car.

Why not outlaw ALL front license plates? Or, for example, ones from Vegas that are fake, but look like Nevada plates? As someone mentioned above, if a car DOES have an old license plate on the front of their car, and that's all you manage to see (or take the time to look at), that plate number is traceable just like any other license plate, even if it's old.

I don't have ANY license plate on the front of my car (and wouldn't want one, because it's unnecessary and ugly).

Personally, I'm more offended by people who have front plates that "Spoiled" or "Blessed" or some tacky airbrushed horses than an old state license plate.