Anti-photo Radar License Plate Covers

[LexKid630]

I recently purchased (for the hell of it) a license plate cover that "bends" the light as you look at it from different angles. I highly doubt they work against traffic cameras (i'm not arguing about their performance), i just think they look very interesting! Then it came to my attention that these plates may indeed be illegal, so i did a little digging.

In many states, ANY license plate cover, whether it's clear or not, is illegal. But in my home state of Rhode Island, the law is ambiguous.

The only law here that pertains to license plate covers is as follows (i found this on the state's DMV website):

Do you have license plate covers on your vehicle? Are they tinted? Hopefully, if you answered “yes,” it was only to the first question. Tinted license plate covers are prohibited under the “Visibility of Plates” statute (31-3-12, RIGL), which reads…

Each registration plate and the required letters and numerals thereon, except the year number for which issued, shall be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of one hundred feet (100’) during daylight.

If you keep clear covers over your license plates, you’re helping to protect the plates from becoming scratched and soiled—so long as the covers remain serviceable and don’t become yellowed and cracked from the sun, etc. If you have tinted covers, however, the plates are no longer plainly visible, because you have altered the color scheme of the plate, as well as its readability. This is why the packaging for tinted covers usually read something to the effect of… “FOR OFF-ROAD USE ONLY.” Tinted covers, then, are not in your best interest—not only because they are illegal; but, should you ever be so unfortunate as to report your car as stolen, they may also diminish the chances of police recognizing your plate in traffic and, in turn, diminish your chances of recovery.

Now, what's interesting is that it doesn't specify in which direction the plates must be visible at this 100 feet. While looking at a plate with this radar cover from directly behind, the plate is not distorted in the least. It's at a 45 degree angle in either direction that half of the plate begins to disappear. So at 100' from behind the car, the plates are still as easy to read as they would be without the cover. So are they still legal?

I'm thinking an officer wouldn't know the specifics of the statute but it would be easy to argue if it ever went to court. What are your opinions? and please, let's not start a discussion on whether or not they actually work against speed cameras ;)

http://www.specterguard.com/originalsg.htm

[smooth1]

Here in Florida, they are just coming on board with the whole camera on the tag, and being able to issue a ticket via that means. Until now, and as far as I am aware, they still do not issue tickets via camera cops. I know they are working out the bugs now an are dealing with all the how to's and so on. I do have a plexi cover on my tag now, and it is tinted, like a smoked grey color, and I have a chrome plate cover around that. I have never had any issues. I allways get followed by a cop coming thru some heavy patrol areas like Metro West and few other areas. Is the law you quoted a law of the land or regulated by individual states? I never even thought about it, as I think about it now, I think I have had a smoked plexi cover on my plate for the last few years and have never had anyone say anything about it.

I know that the toll roads are clamping down on the liscense plate thing as that's how alot of them charge you now for Sun Pass, ( An automated toll system here in Florida.) But I think they can inly go as far as the police enforce it.

[LexKid630]

Here in Florida, they are just coming on board with the whole camera on the tag, and being able to issue a ticket via that means. Until now, and as far as I am aware, they still do not issue tickets via camera cops. I know they are working out the bugs now an are dealing with all the how to's and so on. I do have a plexi cover on my tag now, and it is tinted, like a smoked grey color, and I have a chrome plate cover around that. I have never had any issues. I allways get followed by a cop coming thru some heavy patrol areas like Metro West and few other areas. Is the law you quoted a law of the land or regulated by individual states? I never even thought about it, as I think about it now, I think I have had a smoked plexi cover on my plate for the last few years and have never had anyone say anything about it.

I know that the toll roads are clamping down on the liscense plate thing as that's how alot of them charge you now for Sun Pass, ( An automated toll system here in Florida.) But I think they can inly go as far as the police enforce it.

Well i think the law i posted is just for RI. I'm pretty sure every state's law on the issue is written a little differently as a few states clearly state ANY cover over the license plate is unlawful. i know it's illegal to have any cover in Minnesota. Not sure about FL though.

[smooth1]

I've also seen the spray that you put on the plate directly. I haven't examined the product, but it looks to be a can of high gloss clear enamyl or polyurathane.

[SW03ES]

Anybody watch Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel? They tested all these things, the license plate cover, the spray, and some other zanier ones. None worked ;)

As for legality they are indeed illegal in MD, anything that obstructs the view from any angle.