# Enforcing other State's laws?



## Bob Hubbard (Dec 17, 2013)

Hypothetical question for the LEO's  here.

 I'm a NYS citizen. I'm driving a car with NY plates.  NYS MV law states the car must have 2 plates, 1 in front, one in back.

 I'm driving the car outside of NYS.

 Question is, can you pull me over and issue a citation for driving in  violation of NYS MV laws?  A NY cop in NY can.  Can a non-NY cop do so?


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## ballen0351 (Dec 17, 2013)

I cant enforce NY state laws.  MD requires front and rear tags as well.  I was once told if for example I knew NY required a front tag and MD requires a front tag and I catch you with out a front tag I can site you for violation of MDs law but I don't know if that's actually true.  Ive never been that bored to try and find out


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## Dirty Dog (Dec 17, 2013)

I have a hard time imagining anybody caring about something that minor, unless you did something to piss them off.

Colorado requires two plates. I don't have one on the front of the Vette. Never have. In the last couple years, I've been pulled over twice for speeding (one warning, 84 in a 75; one ticket, 97 in a 75). I got pulled over in Texas in October (warning, 85 in a 75). In none of these was the lack of a front plate ever mentioned.


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## Carol (Dec 17, 2013)

I would think it depends on the law, and the state.  Since plates were used as an example...

Drive with a missing front plate, this could be a tough one to enforce.  

Drive with no plates, or with just a front plate could be an issue.  Don't know the enforcement would work but that would certainly rouse the attention of the local constabulary.

Drive out of state with a temporary plate (such as the kind NH issues), and you're at the mercy of whether that state will recognize temporary plates.    Not all of them (including Mass.) do and can consider the car to be unregistered...which can cause the driver a lot of pain.  While I have not known anyone arrested for driving an unregistered MV (which is a criminal offense in some states), I know a few folks who have parked in an otherwise legal spot on the street with unexpired temp tags and then received a $50 fine from the municipality for parking an unregistered MV.    

This is not hyperbole, NHDMV even warns on their website that Mass. does not recognize temporary plates.
http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv/registration/temporary-plates.htm


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## Tenacious_Red (Dec 17, 2013)

No.


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## Tenacious_Red (Dec 17, 2013)

ballen0351 said:


> I cant enforce NY state laws.  MD requires front and rear tags as well.  I was once told if for example I knew NY required a front tag and MD requires a front tag and I catch you with out a front tag I can site you for violation of MDs law but I don't know if that's actually true.  Ive never been that bored to try and find out




I know in NM & ND that the citation would only go through if it was proven that the vehicle owner is now a resident of your jurisdiction and failed to comply by the laws to switch their DL and tags in time. In which they get a new citation.

BUT, I have heard that CA can give citations for tint laws to people out of state.


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## ballen0351 (Dec 17, 2013)

Tenacious_Red said:


> I know in NM & ND that the citation would only go through if it was proven that the vehicle owner is now a resident of your jurisdiction and failed to comply by the laws to switch their DL and tags in time. In which they get a new citation.
> 
> BUT, I have heard that CA can give citations for tint laws to people out of state.



I can enforce equipment problems in my state to vehicles registered in other states.  Things like Tint if its too dark for MD law even if legal in your state I can issue you a citation for it because its deemed unsafe for MD roads.


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## Tenacious_Red (Dec 17, 2013)

ballen0351 said:


> I can enforce equipment problems in my state to vehicles registered in other states.  Things like Tint if its too dark for MD law even if legal in your state I can issue you a citation for it because its deemed unsafe for MD roads.



Understandable, and I think equipment and safety issues are widely understood. However, being in a desert, where the sun shines everyday, tint is never really a factor. Most people driving through are from TX, AZ, UT, and places where tint is needed to drive safely, at least for those like me-- I melt in the sun haha.


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## crushing (Dec 17, 2013)

Dirty Dog said:


> Colorado requires two plates. I don't have one on the front of the Vette.



That would suck to have to put a plate on the front of a Vette.

Michigan used to be a two plate state, and the front plate always looked awkward, no, stupid on Vettes.   Michigan is seriously considering rejoining the two plate states.  I haven't looked at the money trail to see for whom such wasteful nonsense would benefit.


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## Dirty Dog (Dec 17, 2013)

crushing said:


> That would suck to have to put a plate on the front of a Vette.
> 
> Michigan used to be a two plate state, and the front plate always looked awkward, no, stupid on Vettes.   Michigan is seriously considering rejoining the two plate states.  I haven't looked at the money trail to see for whom such wasteful nonsense would benefit.



If it ever becomes an issue, I'll get something like this.






What? Of course there's a plate on the front. You must have overlooked it because it's not right in the center...


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## ballen0351 (Dec 17, 2013)

Dirty Dog said:


> If it ever becomes an issue, I'll get something like this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Seem cheaper just to take the ticket


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## Dirty Dog (Dec 17, 2013)

ballen0351 said:


> Seem cheaper just to take the ticket



It's a $75 fine, so a couple tickets and it's paid for. But as I said, it's not been an issue so far, so I'll do nothing unless it becomes one.


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## jks9199 (Dec 17, 2013)

Answered this in more depth elsewhere -- but I'm aware of mixed opinions, and it may come down to exactly how each state's laws are written.  Virginia code 46.2-613 covers registration violations, and requires, among other things, that any person operating a car display "the license plate or plates...assigned to it".  Reciprocity for out of state residents is covered in a separate code section, and the implication would be that an out of state car from a two plate state must display both plates.  Personally... I don't carry a list of two plate states, though I know cops who do a lot of interdiction, especially on major interstate routes, who do -- or who have the list memorized.  (To me -- major PITA for the reward to memorize it, since they change every once in a while.)  It's a tool and a justification for a stop -- but it's just not one I'm really caring to rely on too much for a major case.  I got enough other reasons in the motor vehicle code...


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