Beware Disney World License Plate Frame

[disney4rfamily]

Earlier this evening I was pulled over in NJ for making a wrong turn at an intersection. The officer let me go with a warning because I was from out of state in a confusing, unfamiliar area. However, he did give me a ticket for having "Unclear Plates". My $9.95 Walt Disney World license plate frame just ended up costing me another $54 because he couldn't tell what state it was from. For anyone else who bought this little souvenir at Disney World, you might want to think twice about leaving it on your car - you could be fined for it. Mine is now sitting on my counter - expensive lesson learned.

 

[dolfinjuls]

I live in Jersey and once about ten years ago was given the same ticket for a dolphin license plate cover. I was told it was because they couldn't view the "garden state" wording on my license. The New Jersey wording was clear and in the open!
So even though I have really wanted that disney cover, I'll never get one!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Hmmm.. I'll have to double check mine. I've had a DCL frame for a few years and never been pulled over. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

 

[LoverDisney]

I realized that the license plate covered "Pennsylvania" after I returned home. So after talking to someone from the police department I was told that I would be pulled over and fined if the name of the state was covered. I mailed them back and got a refund.

 

[DisneyBill]

Is it not possible to petition the Governor of applicable states to have them modify their states plates to conform to the shape of Disney license plate frames? ...Just saying...

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I know somebody who got pulled over in Illinois because their Green Bay Packers license plate frame covered too much of their sticker.

They let her go with a warning, her husband was in law enforcement and it was his car she was driving.

 

[gdrj]

Earlier this evening I was pulled over in NJ for making a wrong turn at an intersection. The officer let me go with a warning because I was from out of state in a confusing, unfamiliar area. However, he did give me a ticket for having "Unclear Plates". My $9.95 Walt Disney World license plate frame just ended up costing me another $54 because he couldn't tell what state it was from..

The $54 ticket may have been his way of giving you a break on a moving violation. I've been pulled over in NJ and instead of giving me moving violation was given no proof of insurance ticket (Insurance card was out of date). FIne but no moving violation, no insurance issue.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

The $54 ticket may have been his way of giving you a break on a moving violation. I've been pulled over in NJ and instead of giving me moving violation was given no proof of insurance ticket (Insurance card was out of date). FIne but no moving violation, no insurance issue.

True. A moving violation would cost much more plus add points to your driving record, causing a rise in insurance premium. Compared to what it could have been, $54 isn't so bad. Still a bummer though.

 

[angwill]

Illinois is the same way. I got pulled over on our way down to Disney a few years back and the officer fave me a warking sying I needed to take the Disney plate holder off because they are not allowed in IL. I was very polite and told him I would be taking it off but in the back of my head I was saying yeah right that isn't happening. I still have it on my car today.

 

[starwood]

DS actually got a ticket for that! I was so angry. They are out to get the teenage drivers by us. He didn't stop at the stop sign on an ice cream truck (which there is no law against). The officer didn't give him a ticket for that but did give him a ticket for his license plate frame. It is a moneymaker around here.

 

[Swimalie]

Several years ago my swimming group decided to get license plate frames. We researched what was allowed as far as coverage and bought ones that were legal. There are a lot of states where the state, county and registrations stickers must be fully visible, even with a frame on the plate. And in some states, a full, clear cover is totally illegal.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

DisneyBill has the right idea!

(and glad to hear the PP got a rerund after mailing the frame back to Disney)

 

[jgreco]

I had a clear cover over my plate (clear, you could still see everything!) and got a ticket for that. Probably because it would somehow interfere with red light cameras or something.

 

[patsal]

On the registration information in NYS it clearly states that all plate covers that obstruct any information on the plate are illegal. I have nver used one for that reason. I alwasy think about how cute the ones at WDW are, but never buy it!

 

[NC State]

That's why I haven't purchased one. North Carolina now has the same law.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

Earlier this evening I was pulled over in NJ for making a wrong turn at an intersection. The officer let me go with a warning because I was from out of state in a confusing, unfamiliar area. However, he did give me a ticket for having "Unclear Plates". My $9.95 Walt Disney World license plate frame just ended up costing me another $54 because he couldn't tell what state it was from. For anyone else who bought this little souvenir at Disney World, you might want to think twice about leaving it on your car - you could be fined for it. Mine is now sitting on my counter - expensive lesson learned.

Of course you need to make sure that nothing is covered up on your plate. I'm not sure you need to put a beware message. A friendly reminder to use common sense before putting one up suffices.

Cheers

 

[WDW Lover]

I had an older Disney license plate frame (I live in Texas)... I don't think it covered anything, but it wouldn't matter anyway because for some reason while I was gone one weekend my husband somehow managed to break it in half (while it was on my car). So I no longer have one, and haven't found one I have liked to replace it. Now I am wondering if I should even bother to replace it if you can get fined for it blocking out part of your license plate!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I bought a silver Disneyland license plate frame a couple of years ago. On the bottom, it has the castle and two ribbons that come up above it. When I put it on my car, I noticed that the ribbons partially covered two of the digits in my plate number. I showed it to my retired police officer father and he said you can't cover any portion of your license number. He was able to cut off the metal ribbons so that each side is even. It still looks fine and my entire number is now visible. If it wasn't able to be modified, I would have taken it off completely rather than risk a ticket.

 

[starwood]

I bought a silver Disneyland license plate frame a couple of years ago. On the bottom, it has the castle and two ribbons that come up above it. When I put it on my car, I noticed that the ribbons partially covered two of the digits in my plate number. I showed it to my retired police officer father and he said you can't cover any portion of your license number. He was able to cut off the metal ribbons so that each side is even. It still looks fine and my entire number is now visible. If it wasn't able to be modified, I would have taken it off completely rather than risk a ticket.

Our problem isn't that the numbers are being covered. A small part of the words garden state are covered BUT you can still read it.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I know in many cases, dealers will put them on your car bearing their advertisement when you buy the car. (In Illinois for example where it is illegal and I didn't even know that until this thread)

I have removed them when I got home, not because I knew it was illegal... just because I thought they were ugly and looked tacky. But in many cases, people just leave them for years.