Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

If your state issues expiration stickers for the plates, are they for one or both? Are having the stickers beneficial, and if they are attempted to be removed, do they tear? I had removed the stickers with great difficulty from my old plates for my plate collection, and that got me wondering why a thief would go to the trouble when the sticker just tears.:confused: Sorry if this is a repeat post. I think I may have posted this before.:o

If your state issues expiration stickers for the plates, are they for one or both? Are having the stickers beneficial, and if they are attempted to be removed, do they tear? I had removed the stickers with great difficulty from my old plates for my plate collection, and that got me wondering why a thief would go to the trouble when the sticker just tears.:confused: Sorry if this is a repeat post. I think I may have posted this before.:o
We only have one plate for the rear. Expiration Stickers are issued, and yes, they are supposed to tear. More importantly, they have the Registration Plate Number printed on the sticker itself, so we rarely have stolen stickers.

In Washington, plates are required on the front and rear of the vehicle; however; the Expiration Stickers are only required on the rear plate. They used to be required on both, but I think that stopped around 2001, because there are a lot of cars driving around with something along the lines of "MAY 2001" on the front plate. When I get new registration stickers, I dont take the old one off, I just clean the dust and dirt off of it and cover it with the new one,

The stickers are supposed to tear, however when you get a few years piled together they tend to come off all as one big sticker since the one on the bottom could have been out in the elements for something like 10 years. Personally,after I put on my new stickers I crosscut them with a razor to ensure that if someone tries to steal them, they come off in little bits.

And yes they are stolen. However, in CA driving with expired registration is a fix-it ticket with a $10 correction fee. Driving with stolen tabs however is a misdemeanor charge that can get you arrested and get you sentenced to jail time.

Personally, I rarely stop people for expired registration. BUT, if I run your plates and see that you have stolen tabs, I guarantee a ticket and a tow for that vehicle. It has led to arrests several times and I certainly cite for every possible thing I can find in the vehicle. If someone is willing to go the extra mile to try to fool me with false tabs, I'm willing to go the extra mile to ensure they pay the price. Normally when I find false tabs on the vehicle, it is almost a guarantee that the car is expired, there is no insurance, and the driver has a suspended license.

Indiana is rear plate only. I have had SEVERAL instances where someone has taken the year sticker ( we have 2 stickers one for month one for year ) off a plate and put it on their own. In Indiana this is called Iterim plates and is a Misdemeanor. However if its a stolen sticker then its theft D Felony period.

I've gotten quite a few stolen license plate tabs. If the sticker is fairly new then it should peel off pretty easy.

Here in TX our stickers are placed inside the vehicle on the widshield. This slowed down the theft/borrowing of the stickers but did not eliminate the problem.

They are supposed to tear when removed. We do not have those stickers here in NY. We have different ones that go on the interior windshield. But I have seen the sticker from out of state plates and they are usually on the rear plate. (usually the only plate on the vehicle depending on the state requirements)