California Vehicle Code 5200 – Display of plates, tabs, and stickers. CVC 5200 requires California drivers to fasten and display license plates on their vehicles. Failure to comply is a violation of CVC 5200 with a punishable $197, plus court costs. Violations of this law include:
- Only displaying a single plate when the DMV requires two
- Driving without a license plate
- Fastening a license plate to the front of the vehicle and not the back
These violations are covered in CVC 5200, which states:
“(a) When two license plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear.
(b) When only one license plate is issued for use upon a vehicle, it shall be attached to the rear thereof, unless the license plate is issued for use upon a truck tractor, in which case the license plate shall be displayed in accordance with Section 4850.5.”
California Specialty License Plate Laws
As stated in the law above, California vehicles are required to have two license plates, as opposed to most other states, which only require one. Specialty plates in California are also subject to different laws than your standard license plate. Vehicles that may qualify for specialty plates include:
- Historic vehicles: vehicles manufactured after 1922 which are at least 25 years old and of historic interest qualify. Check with your local DMV if you are unsure about your vehicle’s qualifications.
- Horseless Carriage: this type of specialty plate is for vehicles with an engine containing 16 or more cylinders manufactured prior to 1965, or for vehicles manufactured prior to 1922, regardless of the number of cylinders.
- Legacy: specialty “legacy” plates are available to all vehicles. This specialty plate is a replica of California license plates from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s.
- YOM: This stands for “Year of Manufacture,” which displays the year the vehicle was manufactured. Any vehicle manufactured in 1969 or prior can display a YOM specialty plate with DMV approval.
- Specialty License Plate Types: California allows ordering specialty plates for:
- Special recognition – veteran status, Legion of Valor, Purple Heart, Gold Star Family
- Occupational – dealers, dismantlers
- Legislative – Senate, Assembly
Defenses for CVC 5200 Violations
There are legal defenses for California Vehicle Code 5200 violations. Three common defenses to CVC 5200 charges include:
- Police made a mistake: policemen have a lot of responsibility and they can make mistakes. If you are ticketed for a CVC 5200 violation, a simple defense is to prove the policeman made a mistake.
- Emergency situation: a defense for failing to display your license plate is an emergency that prevented you from mounting it on your vehicle. Proof of the emergency and evidence showing you recently received your license plate would be required.
- Police had no probable cause: According to the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, police must have probable cause before they can detain or arrest you. If you were stopped without probable cause then any evidence obtained during the stop would be excluded from your case.
Fastening a California License Plate
According to California Vehicle Code 5201 license plates must be securely fastened to the vehicle which they are issued. The plates must be clearly visible with no additional decals blocking any part of the license plate. Other requirements can be found in CVC 5201, which states:
“(a) License plates, including temporary 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 so that the characters are upright and display from left to right, 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…”
The statute goes on to include the exceptions to the mounting height for specific vehicles. These exceptions include:
“(1) The rear license plate on a tow truck or repossessor’s tow vehicle may be mounted on the left-hand side of the mast assembly at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.
(2) The rear license plate on a tank vehicle hauling hazardous waste, as defined in Section 25117 of the Health and Safety Code, or asphalt material may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.
(3) The rear license plate on a truck tractor may be mounted at the rear of the cab of the vehicle, but not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.
(4) The rear license plate of a vehicle designed by the manufacturer for the collection and transportation of garbage, rubbish, or refuse that is used regularly for the collection and transportation of that material by a person or governmental entity employed to collect, transport, and dispose of garbage, rubbish, or refuse may be mounted not less than 12 inches nor more than 90 inches from the ground.
(5) The rear license plate on a two-axle livestock trailer may be mounted 12 inches or more, but not more than 90 inches, from the ground.
(6) (A) The rear license plate on a dump bed motortruck equipped with a trailing, load bearing swing axle shall be mounted more than 12 inches, but not more than 107 inches, from the ground.”
