There’s a new law in Arizona effective January 1, 2009 that makes it illegal (and expensive) to have a license plate frame that obscures the word “Arizona” on any Arizona license plate.
A.R.S 28–2354 states (in part):
A person shall display all license plates as required by subsection A until their lawful use expires or is canceled or revoked. A person shall maintain each license plate so it is clearly legible and so that the name of this state at the top of the license plate is not obscured.
Take a stroll through any parking lot and note the number of cars sporting license plate frames that obscure the word “Arizona”. It’s a bunch, trust me. Most are the result of cheap license plate frames put on by car dealers for advertising. Some have sports teams, causes or associations. Whatever the purpose of the frame, come January 1, many of the existing frames in use will cost you.
Cost, as in $135 plus court fees. Court fees are dependent on the city where the violation is discovered — count on an additional $15 –$25 on top of the $135.
My understanding is that this is a “primary violation” meaning the cops can pull you over for this and only this reason. This isn’t some “add-on” you get nailed for if you’re caught speeding. After Jan 1, that cop behind you at a red light can turn on the flashing blues for no other reason than your license plate frame is a bit too wide.
I’m reading conflicting reports on what happens if “Arizona” is partially obscured. Most say it’s a violation if any part of Arizona is covered, some say it’s up to the discretion of the police.
For $150, I wouldn’t leave it up to the discretion of anyone. Best just to remove the frame all together.
Here are some photos, courtesy of Dave Smith in Tucson, writer of the fabulous Real Estate Blog Lab, TucsonAZRealEstateBlog.com and other worthy endeavors.
This license plate frame is probably illegal.
This license plate frame is legal, albeit unattractive.
Why the change?
Arizona needs the money? Kidding. Maybe. Lawmakers are saying that with the 60+ different plates Arizona offers up, police and crime witnesses are having increasing difficulty identifying if a license plate is from Arizona.
The law was actually passed in 2006, but its activation was delayed until Jan 1, 2009 to give car dealers time to adapt.
I shall refrain from wondering why it would take 3 years to implement a change to cheesy advertising…
Out of state visitors need not fear a wallet fleecing. This statue only applies to Arizona license plates.
According to the Arizona Republic, half of the 26 vehicles in the Arizona Senate parking lot on Tuesday were sporting soon to be illegal license plate frames. In my short stroll around my neighborhood this afternoon, 8 out of 9 cars with plate frames would be in violation come January.
So get yourself a screwdriver and stroll around to the back of your car. Unless your license plate frame allows “Arizona” to be completely uncovered, I’d put that screwdriver to use.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I hate the cheap one the car dealers put on. I pay for the car but they want the advertising. I even had one who put a new one on my car after I took it in for repairs. I had removed the first one. So I took that one off as well. But I have to agree why does it take several years to put this change into place?
Ashley Drake Gephart´s last blog post..Air Quality in Albuquerque Schools
We have the same law in NJ. Most of the time police don’t stop you for that violation, but if they need an excuse to stop you, they have one. And, if you get smart with them you get moved up from a warning to a citation. That and things hanging from your rear view mirror and talking on a cell phone. Use the screwdriver and don’t get smart.
Thanks Jay! I just heard about this and thought they were joking. Guess not, I printed out your article and hung it on the board at work.
Like Ashley, I take the plate holder off when I get the car from the dealer. I might keep it on if they paid me a substantial advertising fee. I especially don’t like when they put a decal on the back as well. That’s more difficult to get rid of. Happy Holidays!
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Jay, I read somewhere that the delay was given so that car dealers would have time to make new plate holders. Makes as much sense as anything, I guess.
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Not sure if its mandatory or up to the discretion of the officer? Well, if you run a red light, you are clearly in violation. If you run a red light in the presence of the officer or not in the presence of an officer, it is still a violation. (Forget red light cameras for the purpose of this argument.) Regardless of the extent of the violation, it is up to the discretion of the officer to stop and/or cite you. If however, you do not run a red light, then the officer has no cause to stop you.
Just get rid of the iffy plate cover and you won’t have to find out how discretionary the officers are.
I just don’t get it. I could understand if it obscured the numbers on the plate, but I don’t see the trouble with covering up the edge. I also remove the dealer frames from my car. Well, we didn’t on the last 2 (Scion xBs) as we know the owner of the dealership.
But, I did threaten to refuse delivery if they put a tacky metal stickon badge on my new car.
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To me that sounds like that are being nitpicky. I guess it is just another way for the state to get your money.
With the government putting up cameras everywhere to watch us, now we have ornaments the state doesn’t like. Arizona is still the most beautiful part of the country, but it’s laws are making it increasingly unattractive.
Being a former Police Officer, I think this is a great law. You have no idea how many times you are behind vehicles and have hard time reading the license plate because of all these vanity plate holders. I wish they would pass this law in Las Vegas!
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We have been getting a lot of those stoplight cameras around where I live in the last few years, so you see some pretty obscured license plates driving around. I was actually behind this guy this weekend and couldn’t even read his license plate.. He had one of those plastic covers that goes over the entire license plate. I imagine it is only a matter of time before we get similar restrictions to those you mentioned.
I think in a lot of cases, it really will be up to the officers discretion, but there is no reason to test it or risk being pulled over for something so silly.
If only they would do that for use of cell phones while driving.
Of course they would be like California it is a $25.00 fine for talking on the cell phone. Which is a bigger offense here. We charge $135.00 for a license plate violation while while some dork driving aroud oblivious to their surrondings while talking on a cell phone gets a $25.00 fine. Doesn’t make much sense does it.
COMMUNISM!!! YOU CAN FEEL IT WHEN U CROSS THE STATE LINE FROM CALI. THERE ARE CAMERAS A FEW MILES AFTER U ENTER THIS STATE, AND NOW, DESCRESSION ON HOW A POLICE OFFICER IS FEELING THAT DAY, WEATHER OR NOT HE WILL PULL U OVER FOR YOUR LICENCE PLATE COVER?? THIS STATE SUCKS……..
Yeah…I can see how the large purple cactus and the large, clearly visible letters at the bottom of the plate that say “The Grand Canyon State” could make it pretty easy to confuse Arizona with, say, Connecticut, the other “Grand Canyon State.” This kind of trivial, nitpicking legislation is the kind of thing that shows you exactly how far off base the state legislature has gotten. I’d be curious to see exactly how many criminals “got away” in the past five years because their license plate was obscured. Better yet, I’d better hear reports from the state at the end of next year touting the super-increase of criminals apprehended because license plate frames were outlawed. My guess is it won’t happen. Just another retarded Arizona state law. Any law that is “up to the discretion of the police officer” to issue a citation can be read to be a “revenue generating mechanism” rather than an actual crime. Either the law is enforced, or it isn’t. That kind of inconsistency breeds contempt (already done), and further reduces respect for all laws.
that is the worst law i ever heard of. So stupid soccer moms can drive in the carpool lane with their 2 year olds counting as another occupant… but I can’t have a license plate holder? Yeah that’s right, i said stupid soccer moms. THose of you who are actually smart realize the point of the HOV lane is to reduce pollution and congestion… the passenger, should be someone who would have otherwise been driving and contributing to that. Your kid, as much as ya love her, can’t reach the pedals yet, hun.
This has got to be the DUMBEST law of recent times! I always thought that our peace officers were professionally trained to do their job efficiently and without error. This law is nothing but a slap in the face to our Police, Sheriff and DPS Officers! How about a law that makes sence like OUTLAWING cell phones while driving? Oh, maybe that makes to much sence!!!!!! DUH!!!
FYI according to the Mohave County Sherrif’s Officer the word Arizona is not to be touching the frame at any point. I was warned this morning!
The fines imposed should bump up the christmas party fund