no front license plate ticket

D

David Beltz

Guest
Jurisdiction
Oregon
Portland oregon parking attendant cited me $80 for no front license plate.
The enclosed citation was issued on my 69th birthday exactly 5 minutes before I returned to my car from my birthday lunch at the VQ. I was flabbergasted at the citation‼

I purchased my vehicle in February 2009 from a used car dealer in Tigard. That dealer did not provide me with license plate frames or license plates. He did not inform me that both plates are required by code nor has anyone else informed me of this requirement.

The past 7 years I have not had a front license plate because I did not know one was required on the front of a vehicle and I did not have a plate frame. Since police officers stop vehicles from behind they read the rear license plate. It is common sense they don't read the front plate. I have had 2 moving violations in the past 6 years and the police officers did not inform me or cite me for no front license plate. Thus, I never knew one is required.

citation is based on City of Portland Title 16 Ordinance 165189
How can I have this taken off my record??
 
If the law requires that you have one, ignorance of the law is not a valid defense.
You can appear in court and contest the ticket and maybe you'll get a sympathetic judge.
 
You've lived there all this time and didn't notice everyone else has front plates? It's not because they think they look cool; it's the law in OR. I'm sure you'll be able to get a reduction or a fix it ticket where you prove it's now installed and they cancel the fine or reduce it but you'll likely have to go down or hire a ticket fixer attorney. Is all that worth 80 bucks, you decide.
 
That dealer did not provide me with license plate frames or license plates.

Then where did you get the single plate from?

According to ORS 803.525:

The Department of Transportation shall issue two registration plates for every vehicle that is registered by the department

He did not inform me that both plates are required by code nor has anyone else informed me of this requirement.

He had no obligation to do so. Knowing the law is up to you.

City of Portland Title 16 Ordinance 165189

Hmmm. Doesn't appear to be an ordinance number 165189 in Title 16 of the Portland ordinances:

Title 16 Vehicles and Traffic | The City of Portland, Oregon

Maybe you can get it dismissed because it doesn't exist.
 
The enclosed citation was issued on my 69th birthday exactly 5 minutes before I returned to my car from my birthday lunch at the VQ. I was flabbergasted at the citation‼

Thanks for including all of the totally irrelevant details. And just where is this ticket "enclosed"? I don't see it anywhere.

That dealer did not provide me with license plate frames or license plates.

So you just drove the car off the lot with no plates?

How can I have this taken off my record??

What record? It's a parking ticket.

You sound like a whiny kid rather than a mature adult. Anyone who lives in a particular state for any length of time knows whether they need one or two registration plates.

Now you'd better go find out where that other plate is or you might get MORE parking tickets (or worse) if someone is using it illegally.
 
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