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$75.00 Parking Ticket in Denver for Not Having Front License Plate

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Colorado is one of the states that requires a front license plate on vehicles. Like many other Model S owners, I decided not to have the Service Center install the front license plate holder when I took delivery on May 3. They gave me the holder and they are happy to install it. I figured I would see whether and when I might get a "fixit" ticket from a regular police officer before I got it installed...

Well, I was pretty surprised yesterday when I came out of the Kaiser office on Franklin in Denver, to see a parking ticket for $75.00 for "Does not meet requirements of CRS 42-3-202. No front plate affixed." It looks like a parking officer was probably driving by, and decided to ticket me (even though I was legally parked) just for not having the front plate installed (as a primary violation). I wonder if I can dispute the ticket if I just get the front plate installed (like "fixit" tickets usually work)?

Anyway, I just wanted to spread the word about Denver parking officers writing silly tickets...
 
I just sucked it up and had the SC install my front plate. IMHO it doesn't look too bad... no worse than many other front plate implementations and in some ways, better.

Here in Ontario, you'll be ticketed for no front plate (not sure how much) and it isn't a "fixit ticket" either. You just don't see Ontario cars with no front plates. (You may get away with it near the Quebec border since Quebec doesn't require them).
 
Yes, but things like this are not typically "primary violations", that cause someone to be pulled over or cause a parking officer to stop to ticket an otherwise legally parked vehicle. I am sure that I will end up paying the fine to repay society for my evil law-breaking, but I just wanted to let other people in the Denver area know what might happen to them in Denver.
 
Yes, but things like this are not typically "primary violations", that cause someone to be pulled over or cause a parking officer to stop to ticket an otherwise legally parked vehicle. I am sure that I will end up paying the fine to repay society for my evil law-breaking, but I just wanted to let other people in the Denver area know what might happen to them in Denver.

Fair enough, but in Ontario you absolutely do get pulled over for this and this alone (happened to a friend who had his plate stolen and wasn't aware).
 
I had to pay a $60 fine for having an expired semester parking sticker at college, i couldn't find where to order them on the website because they changed it, it was BS. Also on the ticket it stated all the fines and costs and it said having no front license plate is a $75 fine as well.


The guy with the black Model S here doesn't have a front plate but he's a teacher so he probably gets a "pass". :cursing:
 
Yes, but things like this are not typically "primary violations", that cause someone to be pulled over or cause a parking officer to stop to ticket an otherwise legally parked vehicle. I am sure that I will end up paying the fine to repay society for my evil law-breaking, but I just wanted to let other people in the Denver area know what might happen to them in Denver.
While you're right in that you will almost never be "pulled over" while driving simply for not having a front plate (it's a huge hassle for them to pull you over, there are safety concerns when making a stop, etc when you aren't a danger to fellow motorists), parking officers have none of those concerns (they're already out walking around, you aren't around so there's no confrontation, etc). So it's simple to have them issue these kinds of tickets. As Bonnie posted it's hugely popular in California. As towns become more strapped for cash, expect this stuff to increase.
 
Thanks for reporting, Glenn. What about out of state cars, can they be ticketed, too? Wouldn't seem fair if you are from a state that doesn't require front plates and happen to be driving through one that does.
 
Thanks for reporting, Glenn. What about out of state cars, can they be ticketed, too? Wouldn't seem fair if you are from a state that doesn't require front plates and happen to be driving through one that does.

I doubt they'd do that. I also doubt if my province required a front plate, and I didn't have one, that they'd nab me if I was roaming some place else either.

I think it's more of a revenue grab from owners within the state/province where the requirement exists.
 
Glenn, Sounds like you were parked on private property, yes? If so, if you are on private property you don't need any plate nor registration. Only if they see you drive on to public property. If this is Kaiser owned parking, how does the giver of the ticket know, maybe you just drive it in circles in that parking lot endlessly.

LAX parking is city owned, hence all the tickets.
 
If this is Kaiser owned parking, how does the giver of the ticket know, maybe you just drive it in circles in that parking lot endlessly.

Or maybe you just remove the front plate every time you park on private property and affix it before you go back out?

If it is really private property and you can prove you have the holder and plate, and have a receipt for the holder that predates the ticket, they should throw out the ticket immediately.
 
IANAL, but I can tell you that in general courts hold that public parking lots (ie places that are publicly accessible and where the public parks are considered public for purposes of motor vehicle regs (and also things like firearm laws) so even though the parking lot may be privately owned, it is still considered a public place.
 
Yes, but things like this are not typically "primary violations", that cause someone to be pulled over or cause a parking officer to stop to ticket an otherwise legally parked vehicle. I am sure that I will end up paying the fine to repay society for my evil law-breaking, but I just wanted to let other people in the Denver area know what might happen to them in Denver.

I don't know about Colorado, I've been pulled over in Texas by the DPS (State Police) only because I didn't have a front plate. This was on a divided interstate-type highway with a 70mph speed limit in fact. I had just bought the vehicle and the plate was behind the windshield because I was waiting for the front mounting bracket to come in. I had mounted the rear plate the night before. If there was another reason for pulling me over, he didn't say anything about it. He gave me a written warning, and a verbal warning saying that he would be watching to make sure that I put the plate on. Sure enough, the very next day he pulled up along side, pulled forward to see that the plate was mounted, then dropped back and gave me a thumbs-up.
 
That sounds more like a bored police officer than anything else.

No, that's just the DPS in Texas, and they are known for doing things like that.

I've gotten a written warning by the DPS for "failure to stop at designated place" because the front of my car (and just the front) went beyond a stop sign on a very, very rural back road (no lines, curbs, lanes, etc.). I was driving a VW Golf, and the front of my car is very short and I had to pull a little past the "designated place" to see past the overgrown weeds on the corner. The signpost was even with my A-pillar as I sat and waited for him to go by on the crossroad. I turned right, he pulled over and let me go by, then pulled back in behind me and lit me up.

The DPS also gave me yet another written warning for "failure to pass" in the left lane of I-20 in East Texas. I was on cruise going about 5mph faster than a guy I was passing, but he sped up as I was passing him, so I kicked it up another 5mph, and he matched that too. About that time, we came over the crest of a hill and saw a DPS speed trap, and since we were both up to about 80 by this time, we both slowed down together. I was stuck in the left lane and got the warning.

Those have been the only times I've been pulled over for anything by anyone in the past 20 years and they took place in different parts of the state in different cars each time. If it's boredom, it's rampant in most of the DPS. My point in my original post was that having no front plate can be a primary reason for being pulled over, at least in Texas. Better just to have one and avoid the hassle.
 
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