BayouCityGirl Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 I am a bit confused. In my apartment I have seen some shiny new Escalades/Chevy Avalanches/Caddilacs, and some other Louisana cars have no front license plate. The thing that confuses me is this: In Texas it is by law to have a front/back license plate. If one is a evaucee or lives/resides here in Texas and has a Louisana plate...don't they have to follow by our laws? Their not in Louisana anymore. They are living there. So they can get away with the plate only in the back? If they need a front plate, why don't they cops stop them or something be said? (I don't know who'd say it but I'm just wondering) I remember my brother had his front plate in his windshield long ago and a cop stopped him. Even my dad getting ticketed for having a burnt out license plate bulb in the back of his car (that goes over the plate). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Only Texas residents have to have the front plates. As long as New Orleans residents are just "visiting", they don't have to get Texas plates. Once they decide to become Texas residents (i.e., they are not going back) they then have 30 days to get Texas plates. Since the decision to be a resident is in their minds only, it will be tough to prove otherwise, at least for several more months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Actually Red, since the vehicle is obviously titled in Lousyana they have til the registration sticker runs out, if they still have a Louisiana address. They can renew said registration if they continue to have a Lousyana address, even if they are "living" here. Lousyana only requires one tag, the state laws transfer with the origin of the tag, not the state that it is in. It is up to the owner to register the vehicle here if this IS his/her new permanent residence. Taxes are 2% cheaper here, but if they have financed the vehicle and title it in Lousyana, there are NO REPO LAWS in Lousyana, so, if they decide to not pay on it, it is hard to get the car back, that is why some do not change over, but like Red said also, some haven't decided wether they are going to be a permanent resident or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Here's another neat trick, TJ. Once a LA tag expires, it is illegal to drive on Louisianna roads, but not Texas roads. It is illegal to have an expired TEXAS license plate in Texas. So, as long as you are technically a LA resident, if you have expired LA tags, there is no crime. Neat, huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
editor Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Here's another neat trick, TJ. Once a LA tag expires, it is illegal to drive on Louisianna roads, but not Texas roads. It is illegal to have an expired TEXAS license plate in Texas. So, as long as you are technically a LA resident, if you have expired LA tags, there is no crime. Neat, huh? That's a very cool little loophole. FWIW, my college roommate got busted for only having one license plate in New Jersey. We were going to school in Pennsylvania where only one tag was required, so he took the front one off. When he drove back across the border the state troopers got him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 Here's another neat trick, TJ. Once a LA tag expires, it is illegal to drive on Louisianna roads, but not Texas roads. It is illegal to have an expired TEXAS license plate in Texas. So, as long as you are technically a LA resident, if you have expired LA tags, there is no crime. Neat, huh? yup, i had a very old car that would not pass emissions testing here, but i was driving it in st. louis for 3 years with an expired inspection sticker and tags with no issue (i even got a speeding ticket). its no problem if you're a student. i got rid of it there, so i never drove it on TX roads again. i have a friend here who was a co-op (working 8 months here, but still a student) with Georgia plates. when she got pulled over the constable was not happy about her having GA plates, even though she said she was a student. he didn't do anything to her, but it took her a bit of convincing. he couldn't do anything, but its just a hassle to deal with. is there some type of law, if you live in a state, and work there for a certain number of months, that you have to claim residency? i have several friends here - one with Mass plates, one with MO and its been a few years now. they refuse to get a TX DL and tags. yes, that's how anti-TX they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 I have seen a few Texas cars without front license plates, I don't know if they've been ticketed before or not of course, though it must not be a big fine where they take the time to put a plate in the front.And I got pulled over for the license plate lights in the back of my car for being out, but fortunately I only got a warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 my friend got a ticket, over $100. i put my front plate on when i came back here, not worth it...petition for one platemaybe something is already in the works?require only rear plate in TX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 it seems like in a big city like Houston, license plates would be only a minor traffic fine that police wouldn't really worry about compared to other offenses. But I guess not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJones Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 yup, i had a very old car that would not pass emissions testing here, but i was driving it in st. louis for 3 years with an expired inspection sticker and tags with no issue (i even got a speeding ticket). its no problem if you're a student. i got rid of it there, so i never drove it on TX roads again. i have a friend here who was a co-op (working 8 months here, but still a student) with Georgia plates. when she got pulled over the constable was not happy about her having GA plates, even though she said she was a student. he didn't do anything to her, but it took her a bit of convincing. he couldn't do anything, but its just a hassle to deal with. is there some type of law, if you live in a state, and work there for a certain number of months, that you have to claim residency? i have several friends here - one with Mass plates, one with MO and its been a few years now. they refuse to get a TX DL and tags. yes, that's how anti-TX they are. If you are not a student or a member of consulate from a foreign country, and you get pulled over here, and you give a Houston or Texas address, 9 times out of 10 the cop will ask how long you have lived here, if you claim to have lived at a different address than the one on your license for over a month, the officer will usually say, I advise you to get a Texas license, even if you just got your new Michigan license 2 months ago. It will be logged into the system when and if they give you a ticket. The next time you get pulled over, you will no doubt get an additional ticket for not having proper ID if you have not complied. I'm sure Red can explain better than I about how lying to an officer does not bode well with them. You will probably get a "fix-it" ticket, that means since you are living here you will have 10-days to comply with registration or inspection, whatever the case may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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