Agreed! I was coming down 45 heading back from San Antonio and the speed limit was 70. In the right lane was a DPS Trooper doing 55. I passed him and as soon as I got passed him he lit me up. Long story short he gave me warning ticket and told me to remove the license plate cover. Anything covering the plate, even clear covers, are Illegal in Texas and another reason to get pulled.

 

Yes sir, ANY thing that obscures the view of the license plate is considered improper display of license plate. Alot of people put the dealer border things on their plate and it blocks the registrtaion sticker or state. I use that ALL the time to stop people. Alot of good arrests have been yielded from improper display. You would be amazed what you find from petty *** violations. Why...because most people dont know about them so they think that they legal when they arent. Clear covers, tinted, reflective ones, dirt, tape, stickers, ANYTHING on the face of the plate. Most people dont realize how much stuff is "illegal" and PC for being stopped. 8 out of 10 cars have PC to stop them after looking at them for 5 seconds. Then again, most cops, including myself, wont mess with you unless I have another reason for wanting to stop you.

 

Have been illegal in Illinois for almost 10 years.

 

This is the first time I'm hearing about these types of things(plate toll booth angle thingies, I've seen covers) I would assume they're illegal in NY as everything else is? I in fact just 2 weeks ago got a speed camera ticket in Long Beach NY, it was a new thing I obviously didn't know about. I was doing 22 in a 20(still broke the law but come on now) I like it better getting stopped by a Police Officer(I'm a retired NYC Correction Officer) the Police are pretty cool with us. btw in 20 years I have been stopped 2 times(I don't abuse the courtesy) they let me go both times(both times seat belt)

 

So I did some reading on Texas laws and it's a bit ambiguous as these plates are designed so they can be read at traditional angles. Also, I'm not sure I even need to worry about it as the tour pack might be back far enough to cover these mobile recovery agent cameras but IDK. I called a couple of our good gun customers that happen to be LEO and asked for their input. Both, each from different cities, said that if it obscures their view of the plate then they have PC to pull you over. They both also said that they would not pull you over if they could read your plate. One of them indicated that the point of the law is so that you don't put something on your plate to cover the numbers so they can be read from normal driving positions. Neither are lawyers but their input helps shed some light on it....

 

Texas code, read it and use your own good sense as to what it means:

Sec. 502.409. WRONG, FICTITIOUS, ALTERED, OR OBSCURED LICENSE PLATE.

(a) A person commits an offense if the person attaches to or displays on a motor vehicle a number plate or registration insignia that: ...
(5) has blurring or reflective matter that significantly impairs the readability of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered or the letters or numbers of the license plate number at any time; ... or
(7) has a coating, covering, protective material, or other apparatus that:
(A) distorts angular visibility or detectability;
(B) alters or obscures one-half or more of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered; or
(C) alters or obscures the letters or numbers of the license plate number or the color of the plate.
(b) ... an offense ... is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $200, unless it is shown at the trial of the offense that the owner knowingly altered or made illegible the letters, numbers, and other identification marks, in which case the offense is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (a)[(5) or (7)] if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
In terms of making “illegible the letters, numbers, and other identification marks,” notice that Sec. 502.409(a)(5) prohibits a blurring matter that “significantly impairs the readability of the name of the state in which the vehicle is registered or the letters or numbers of the license plate number at any time,” which is different from making the letters “illegible.” If the numbers and letters are not illegible, and are not altered, then the offense is not a Class B misdemeanor, and can be remedied by paying a $10 administrative fee (at least according to the statute, although that requires authorities to actually follow the law).

 

As I read that, clear covers are permitted, as they do not alter the color. But that's about it.

 

I too would assume so, any state that wants to ban large sodas, I feel would surely ban license plate covers.

 

So...you are unable to read the plate while at street level? Like sitting in a car?
I do not know. BUt a short story....I was riding my Electra Glide....and per chance, I went through a red light (Was yellow about two seconds before)....I saw the FLASH behind me. and said OH Crap.....No other cars at the intersection. Never got a ticket. Figured my tour pack may have blocked the plate?
Any who......if you can read a plate with these plate covers....what is the crime? (seen many trucks with tar/mud/dust.....even a truck carrying chickens that you would not care to stop.

 

You would be suprised how much a clear cover can alter the visibility of the plate. The glare from the plastic cover can block the plate digits. Like I said, I usually dont mess with somebody for it unless there is a greater reason I want to stop you and just need PC to stop you. I dont **** with people, but if I want to stop you, I stop you for the most petty *** ****, such as license plate not illuminated or something hanging on the rearview mirror is obscuring the driver's view because you find a hell of a lot more for that than a more major violation that everybody knows about and dosent violate when slinging dirt. I could go on with the most petty violations that MOST people dont know evern exist. I have people argue with me because the vioaltions that I use to pull you over is so petty that people arent aware there is such law. I dont argue for long because I spit out the traffic statute and tell them they are more then welcome to look it up. Not to mention, I am NOT going to argue with you on the side of the road.

Funny story on the arguing bit. I stopped a brand new truck for no license plate visible. Keep in mind, all I was intrested in was to make sure the truck wasnt stolen and was registered. If the guy would have have been civil about it, he wouldnt have never gotten a ticket. So anyways, When I put my take down lights on the rear of the truck (super bright LED lights) in the process of stopping him, I saw there was a temporary paper tag in the rear window, but it still wasnt readable. Now keep in mind, the rear window of the truck is tinted and it is night time and not a well lite spot. So I make contact with the driver and explain to him the reason for his stop and he immeditally begins to argue with me that I could not stop him for that and his licens plate is displayed in his window. So after about a minute of trying to explain to him and he getting more hostile I decided I would write him the ticket and send him on his happy way because I am tired of arguing with him. So I go get him to the sign the ticket and he isnt happy. So I tell him I will turn my lights off and have the setting as it was just before he got stopped and if he could stand back by my unit and read me the plate I would rip up the ticket and he would go on his happy way. So the dude goes back by my unit and stands there and stands there and stands there. So I eventually say, so what are the digits on the plate........he says he cant read them. Needless to say he got his ticket and we both went our seperate ways.

Most stops for improper display of license plate are ended with, Ok sir/mamn have a nice night.