Licence Plate Frames, Covers Illegal: Police

[GameBoy27]

You can use them to proclaim your devotion to the Leafs, to offer free advertisement for your auto dealership or to protect your plates from wear.

But the frame surrounding your car's licence plate or clear cover over it is illegal.

"The licence plate cannot be obstructed in any way shape or form," explains Const. Clint Stibbe with Toronto Police's Traffic Services of the little-known law. "That includes things like spare tires, bumpers, objects that have been attached to the plate, plate covers, any number of different things."

Though Stibbe says officers' can exercise their own discretion, violating this section of the Highway Traffic Act comes with a $110 fine. He could not say how often Toronto write up tickets for licence plate infractions.

Plate covers and frames are easy to find at department stores, auto part and sports memorabilia shops. Even the Ontario government sells them.

NEWSTALK 1010 observed clear plate covers for sale inside a Service Ontario office at Etobicoke's Cloverdale Mall on Tuesday. The Ministry of Transportation and Service Ontario have not responded to our request for comment or clarification.

"Just because something is sold or is available to be put on a vehicle doesn't necessarily make it legal," says Const. Stibbe.

Stibbe says the rules are designed to help officers identify a car's origin at a glance, so anything that alters a plate's colouring or blocks it, even partially, is not allowed. Simply have your licence plate number clear is not enough.

"(Frames) have a tendency to cover the "Ontario" designation and the "Yours to Discover". On its face that doesn't' seem very important, but when you are dealing with a car that is going out of country or one that's coming in from say, the United States--if certain parts of those plates are covered, it would in some cases not allow the officers to know what state that plate may be coming from."

Stibbe says this can make tracking a vehicle down after a crime that much more difficult

In many cases a dealership will slap a branded frame on your car's licence plates before you drive it off the lot. But Stibbe says the fact that you did not screw them on yourself does not get you off the hook.

"In the end, the only person that essentially is going to be held responsible for it is the individual operating the vehicle."

http://www.newstalk1010.com/news/2015/07/14/licence-plate-frames-covers-illegal-police

So in other words, if a Cop is an asshole (or needs to make his/her quota) then they'll give you a ticket. Of course they'll tell you it's all in the name of "safety". Yeah, right!

 

[GPIDEAL]

I don't mind a frame with some advertising on it, etc., but I've seen people with glass or plastic protectors which reflect light, sorta like a tint.

There are two things I can't stand, and if I were a cop, I'd ticket anybody that: a) has a faded plate and b) has a plastic cover or film that makes it hard to see or photographed (like by a 407 transponder point of entry or exit).

 

[Keebler Elf]

That's pretty funny because MTO sells clear plastic plate covers when you renew your license.

 

[westendman]

If the government sells them then they should do away with this law. Or stop selling them and make people more aware of this law. I've lived in Ontario for nearly 2 decades and this is the first I've heard this and I've always had a cover on my back plate.

 

[saxon]

Leave it to the government to double dip, they sell you a plate cover for a profit and then have you charged for covering up your plate and you pay the government a fine.

 

[jcpro]

Typical POS cop. Either enforce the law on the books or shut the hell up. The interpretation of a rule belongs to the courts. I would argue before the judge that non enforcement means that plate frames and clear plate covers are not an obstruction. The rule is sweeping, too sweeping.The spirit of the rule is to keep plates legible. I'd include a pic of my plate. I'm 95% sure I'd walk out of court without paying. Of course, I'm too busy to fight $110 minor equipment violation.

 

[red]

So in other words, if a Cop is an asshole (or needs to make his/her quota) then they'll give you a ticket. Of course they'll tell you it's all in the name of "safety". Yeah, right!

Yep.

 

[GameBoy27]

Leave it to the government to double dip, they sell you a plate cover for a profit and then have you charged for covering up your plate and you pay the government a fine.

I heard a Cop say "just because something is sold doesn't make it legal to put on your car". Maybe so if it was sold at Canadian Tire or other auto parts suppliers but at the MTO? The Cop went on to say it's illegal use frames because it makes it difficult to tell the origin of the plate.

Now this is technically illegal but they're trying to tell us a Cop can't tell where this plate is from and would warrant a ticket? Yeah, can't tell what Province or State that's from. Nobody said all Cops are smart.

 

[rhuarc29]

I started using a clear cover on the rear plate when someone stole my sticker. Now that it is worth $98 -1yr, $196 -2yr it is an even more tempting target for theft. I never get the 2 year sticker.

If someone steals your sticker, you can get a replacement for a relatively small fee. So unless it's an epidemic, I don't see the need.

 

[Twister]

You can get $150 ticket if the light bulb over your plate is off...

 

[GPIDEAL]

That's pretty funny because MTO sells clear plastic plate covers when you renew your license.

Clear ones are okay but I think the few that I've seen that are not perfectly transparent, might be after market.

 

[GPIDEAL]

I heard a Cop say "just because something is sold doesn't make it legal to put on your car". Maybe so if it was sold at Canadian Tire or other auto parts suppliers but at the MTO? The Cop went on to say it's illegal use frames because it makes it difficult to tell the origin of the plate.

Now this is technically illegal but they're trying to tell us a Cop can't tell where this plate is from and would warrant a ticket? Yeah, can't tell what Province or State that's from. Nobody said all Cops are smart.

Why is this illegal?

 

[GPIDEAL]

I started using a clear cover on the rear plate when someone stole my sticker. Now that it is worth $98 -1yr, $196 -2yr it is an even more tempting target for theft. I never get the 2 year sticker.

It would be very difficult to remove a complete sticker successfully to apply to another plate. WTF?

 

[drstrangelove]

Having severely tinted windows on the driver's compartment is also illegal, is far more dangerous, is very obvious to police, but still isn't enforced. I don't get it.

 

[GameBoy27]

Why is this illegal?

The law states no portion of the plate can be obstructed. In this case the "Yours To Discover" isn't visible. I know, ridiculous.

Check out rear plates on vehicles the next time you go for a drive. 99% of the cars I looked at had plate brackets.

Having severely tinted windows on the driver's compartment is also illegal, is far more dangerous, is very obvious to police, but still isn't enforced. I don't get it.

This drives me nuts. I hate it when I can't see which way the driver driver is looking. There's no way to confirm eye contact. It's dangerous and totally a safety issue. They should crack down on those mofos.