Front License Plate

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 08:55 AM

Just looked up license plate requirements in the great state of Maryland - seems you have to have a front one as well as back. Curious how stringent they are on this - how many of you guys go naked up front?

Blade929 · 07-10-2013, 09:28 AM

I've gotten pulled over multiple times with several tickets. I started using the RHO plate and taking it off just for big events.

ERinEC · 07-10-2013, 09:35 AM

I've owned my car for about 9 months and never had an issue. I know someone who has driven without one for years in MD and he never got pulled over for not having a front plate.

The guy I bought my car from is a cop in VA and he said he doesn't pull people over for that reason alone. I think you will be okay.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blade929

I've gotten pulled over multiple times with several tickets. I started using the RHO plate and taking it off just for big events.

Oh gripes. Where do you live?

mdosu · 07-10-2013, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERinEC

I've owned my car for about 9 months and never had an issue. I know someone who has driven without one for years in MD and he never got pulled over for not having a front plate.

The guy I bought my car from is a cop in VA and he said he doesn't pull people over for that reason alone. I think you will be okay.

I haven't had a front plate since 2010 (briefly had a Rho plate for 6 months in 2011). I can confirm I've never been pulled over in VA for this. Though, my data point is bias, I don't DD my car. But it does come out quite often on weekends. Arlington, Fairfax, VA State, Arlington parking enforcement, and Paul Blarts all have left me alone.

for the people in MD, are you getting pulled for this mostly my MoCo PD or MD Highway Patrol?

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 10:23 AM

$55 a pop isn't cheap! I think in Cali it was only $20 or $25 per offense....

huyner328 · 07-10-2013, 10:30 AM

I got pulled over once in Falls Church where it's 25mph... useless cop.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huyner328

I got pulled over once in Falls Church where it's 25mph... useless cop.

Pulled over and ticketed? Or just warned?

huyner328 · 07-10-2013, 11:21 AM

Ticket. Went to court to show a picture of a tow-hook plate and got off it. Basically can't do that anymore though... hah.

pseto · 07-10-2013, 11:32 AM

BTW, DC also tickets for no front plate regardless of where you live.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huyner328

Ticket. Went to court to show a picture of a tow-hook plate and got off it. Basically can't do that anymore though... hah.

Argh. I'm gonna look into non-drilling solutions. I don't like the tow-hook, off-center look.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 12:56 PM

Think I might go with the Skene Design...has anybody heard of this one?

http://www.skenedesign.com/FPBracket/Gallery.shtml

mdosu · 07-10-2013, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WangTa

Argh. I'm gonna look into non-drilling solutions. I don't like the tow-hook, off-center look.

this version is more complex...requires taking bumper off, but it's no drill, center mount. There's also a suggestion to use a spring wing bolt instead of taking the bumper off.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407288

pseto · 07-10-2013, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdosu

this version is more complex...requires taking bumper off, but it's no drill, center mount. There's also a suggestion to use a spring wing bolt instead of taking the bumper off.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407288

Here's another solution using essentially the same thing from BELL. Doesn't require taking off the bumper, but does involve drilling underneath the bumper. Takes about 10 mins to do and cost less than $10

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Automotiv...m/B0013HP98C/2

SonnyJack · 07-10-2013, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WangTa

Just looked up license plate requirements in the great state of Maryland - seems you have to have a front one as well as back. Curious how stringent they are on this - how many of you guys go naked up front?

7 yrs with no front plate and just one ticket. State Troopers seem to be only ones who care and that was who got me. Cop was cool about it and I didn't mind. I see Howard County cops all the time and they don't seem to care at all.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseto

Here's another solution using essentially the same thing from BELL. Doesn't require taking off the bumper, but does involve drilling underneath the bumper. Takes about 10 mins to do and cost less than $10

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Automotiv...m/B0013HP98C/2

Thanks guys - these are all really helpful. Just checked the reviews on the BELL one. It looks great, but seems to rust really really quickly.

Here are some other pics of the Skene design one. It's def not cheap though. The $10 Bell one is enticing...just wish it was stainless.

mdosu · 07-10-2013, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WangTa

Thanks guys - these are all really helpful. Just checked the reviews on the BELL one. It looks great, but seems to rust really really quickly.

Here are some other pics of the Skene design one. It's def not cheap though. The $10 Bell one is enticing...just wish it was stainless.

i believe those all require drilling into the bumper and using self-tapping screws.

Haywood · 07-10-2013, 02:22 PM

VA cops are worst than MD and definitely will pull you over. I got pulled over twice with my 135i. Just warnings so I was lucky. I still have my temps tags so will decide what to do when my permanent ones come.

WangTa · 07-10-2013, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdosu

i believe those all require drilling into the bumper and using self-tapping screws.

Yeah, but I guess it's the bottom of the bumper vs the front visible side?

mdosu · 07-10-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WangTa

Yeah, but I guess it's the bottom of the bumper vs the front visible side?

true. you can also just buy the Bell frame mount, and do what this guy did with the flex head wrench

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=374893&page=8

this way, you don't drill or take off bumper.

This is all part of an extensive thread on the no-drill option. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=374893

pseto · 07-10-2013, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WangTa

Thanks guys - these are all really helpful. Just checked the reviews on the BELL one. It looks great, but seems to rust really really quickly.

Here are some other pics of the Skene design one. It's def not cheap though. The $10 Bell one is enticing...just wish it was stainless.

Sand it down and paint it black so it will blend in better with the mesh background. Takes care of the rust issue too.

Lorde · 07-10-2013, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdosu

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERinEC

I've owned my car for about 9 months and never had an issue. I know someone who has driven without one for years in MD and he never got pulled over for not having a front plate.

The guy I bought my car from is a cop in VA and he said he doesn't pull people over for that reason alone. I think you will be okay.

I haven't had a front plate since 2010 (briefly had a Rho plate for 6 months in 2011). I can confirm I've never been pulled over in VA for this. Though, my data point is bias, I don't DD my car. But it does come out quite often on weekends. Arlington, Fairfax, VA State, Arlington parking enforcement, and Paul Blarts all have left me alone.

for the people in MD, are you getting pulled for this mostly my MoCo PD or MD Highway Patrol?

I have gotten pulled for no front plate, driving like grandma, in moco, Howard, and Anne Arundel counties.

07-10-2013, 08:55 AM	#1
WangTa First Lieutenant 35 Rep 335 Posts Drives: E90 M3, E46 m3, Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	Front License Plate - Maryland Just looked up license plate requirements in the great state of Maryland - seems you have to have a front one as well as back. Curious how stringent they are on this - how many of you guys go naked up front?
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

07-10-2013, 09:28 AM	#2
Blade929 Lieutenant 44 Rep 443 Posts Drives: 325Ci - E90 ///M - 330 - X5D Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Maryland iTrader: (2)	I've gotten pulled over multiple times with several tickets. I started using the RHO plate and taking it off just for big events.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 09:35 AM	#3
ERinEC First Lieutenant 54 Rep 302 Posts Drives: '11 AW E92 M3 Join Date: May 2012 Location: MD iTrader: (1)	I've owned my car for about 9 months and never had an issue. I know someone who has driven without one for years in MD and he never got pulled over for not having a front plate. The guy I bought my car from is a cop in VA and he said he doesn't pull people over for that reason alone. I think you will be okay.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 10:23 AM	#6
WangTa First Lieutenant 35 Rep 335 Posts Drives: E90 M3, E46 m3, Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	$55 a pop isn't cheap! I think in Cali it was only $20 or $25 per offense....
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 10:30 AM	#7
huyner328 Former N54 Fanatic 84 Rep 1,927 Posts Drives: Slow Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NoVA iTrader: (8) Garage List 2014 Range Rover Sp ... [10.00] 2012 Fiat Abarth [10.00]	I got pulled over once in Falls Church where it's 25mph... useless cop. __________________ FREE MIXES! https://soundcloud.com/djbradpiff
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 11:21 AM	#9
huyner328 Former N54 Fanatic 84 Rep 1,927 Posts Drives: Slow Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NoVA iTrader: (8) Garage List 2014 Range Rover Sp ... [10.00] 2012 Fiat Abarth [10.00]	Ticket. Went to court to show a picture of a tow-hook plate and got off it. Basically can't do that anymore though... hah. __________________ FREE MIXES! https://soundcloud.com/djbradpiff
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 11:32 AM	#10
pseto Major General 810 Rep 7,750 Posts Drives: E92 M3 ZCP, F80 M3 ZCP- beater Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Rockville, MD iTrader: (4)	BTW, DC also tickets for no front plate regardless of where you live. __________________ Paul Seto - BMW Car Club of America President, National Capital Chapter (MD/DC/NoVA) Director, National Events ///M Chapter Become a BMW CCA member; Click HERE to join and use my member #339225 for a referral Join our NCC Facebook Page
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 12:56 PM	#12
WangTa First Lieutenant 35 Rep 335 Posts Drives: E90 M3, E46 m3, Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (0)	Think I might go with the Skene Design...has anybody heard of this one? http://www.skenedesign.com/FPBracket/Gallery.shtml
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-10-2013, 02:22 PM	#18
Haywood I know a thing or 2 about a thing or 2... 3101 Rep 3,470 Posts Drives: E36 M3 Coupe, e39 M5, i3s Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: LI, NY iTrader: (11) Garage List 2003 BMW e39 M5 [0.00] 1997 BMW e36 M3 [0.00]	VA cops are worst than MD and definitely will pull you over. I got pulled over twice with my 135i. Just warnings so I was lucky. I still have my temps tags so will decide what to do when my permanent ones come. __________________ 2019 Imperial Blue Metallic i3s BEV 2003 Le Mans Blue e39 M5 Dinan S1 1997 Alpine White e36 M3 (the old gal) 2013 Mineral White e92 M3 (sold ) 2014 Carbon Black 650i M-sport (sold)
	Appreciate 0 Quote