Current license plates? important?

[iris lilies]

Many citizens drive around my city with expired license tags. A large majority of those expired tags are long expired by months and even years.

For those unfamiliar with this concept, the state of Missouri earns revenue for road upkeep by charging licensure fees to car owners.
Millions of dollars of revenue are lost to the state because some citizens don’t take it seriously, the current licensing of the vehicle.


Every few months on Nextdoor, the online forum for our city’s neighbors and neighborhoods, There is a discussion about this topic.

Some people are annoyed by that action saying it is failing to take responsibility for driving.Others see any negative talk about these citizens as persecution. “Why does it matter to YOU!!???” Is a common retort.Since I am a moderator on Nextdoor I have to keep my mouth shut.


So here’s my question to the social justice warriors of the world who claim this issue is not important: Since road maintenance is a socialized service for everyone, why is it ok for some people who use roads not to pay for those roads?

[Teacher Terry]

It’s not okay and here if your tags are expired you will be pulled over and given a ticket. The color changes yearly so easy to spot if yours are out of date. Plus the date is on them in big letters.

[catherine]

Don't the non-compliant worry about getting stopped by a cop? As it is, I actually have an expired NJ registration right now, because when I tried to renew in July remotely, my PIN didn't work, so now I have to deal with it when I go back. I was hoping to transfer my registration to VT, but you have to have your VIN# verified by a law enforcement officer before registering, and I was afraid they'd impound my car when they saw the NJ expired registration. What a hassle.

But beyond that, when DH and I were in the crapper we were chronically non-compliant because we were broke all the time, and we got stopped more than once, and it's a big PIA. It's one of those things that I look back on and say to myself, "Thank GOD those days are over!"

In general, I certainly have no problem paying to renew my registration and upholding my responsibilities as a person who uses the roads. I don't see not complying as any serious or meaningful act of rebellion.

[pinkytoe]

There is a whole segment of population now that don't follow rules and regs. People here just steal other people's license stickers off the plates if they don't want to pay. Back in Tx., stickers were on the inside of windshields so that didn't happen so much.

[LDAHL]

A lot of the people driving around with expired plates are also driving around without insurance. I consider that a bigger worry, so I have no problem with the cops being as aggressive as they like in stopping people with bad tags because so many locations ask for proof of insurance at the same time.

[bae]

We have a strange related issue here.

There are no state roads in the entire county. The entire county is made up of islands, not connected to the mainland by bridge. All roads here are paid for by the county (out of property taxes) or are privately owned and maintained.

The state still collects our car tab fees, even though not a single dollar of that comes back to the county. Some residents here, who may *never* take their car off the island (which is a pain and expensive) get a bit grumpy about this.

The state used to send the county some amount of the funds to be applied to our local road needs, seeing that there was an issue, but about 10 years ago during some budget crunch, they decided we didn't matter anymore, so they take our money, but return nothing.

I'm also curious about another fairness issue: I have 6 cars/trucks, and 3 trailers, all of which require tabs. I only drive one at a time. I'm sure paying a lot in fees, for zero benefit. I suppose the fact that the people down in Seattle have nice things is a comfort though.

[Alan]

We renew our plates each year by mail and once, about 5 years ago, mine somehow didn't get sent in for renewal. In Ohio your registration expires on your birthday and that year mine fell on a Friday. That afternoon I realized I hadn't received my new sticker to place on my plates so I did a quick search of paperwork and found that my renewal hadn't been sent so I decided to just run down to the local BMV office the next morning as they are open half days on Saturdays.

I got pulled over along the way but got away with only a warning, although the only reason I wasn't ticketed was because I had the paperwork on the seat beside me along with a check already made out to the BMV to cover my car, our motorhome, my motorcycle and a trailer. I'm not sure how anyone gets away with going for months or years when I couldn't get away with one day.

[JaneV2.0]

I've been stopped twice for expired tags, and ticketed once (in my defense that was while I was shuttling back and forth to Portland to attend to an ailing parent). I certainly have my "SJW" moments, but license tags are not an issue with me.

[Tybee]

My brother lives on an island and a lot of people keep island cars that they don't bother to keep current.

Some of them also keep mainland cars which they do keep licensed.

We keep ours licensed, as you will get a ticket if you don't. Or worse, maybe?

My dad drove my car once years ago and the registration was expired in my state, and he got a big fat ticket in his state. It was a mistake on my part, but my ex-husband had failed to register it, and the mail about registration was addressed to him.

[KayLR]

I've been stopped twice for expired tags, and ticketed once (in my defense that was while I was shuttling back and forth to Portland to attend to an ailing parent). I certainly have my "SJW" moments, but license tags are not an issue with me.

Move down here, Jane....no one gets pulled over for expired tags. It's my husband's hobby to note them as we sit at red lights. Many years expired, some of them. Not to mention the Oregon plates that "commute" to PDX every day from WA and back....and parked in apartment complexes all the time.

We can't complain too loudly I guess, with the initiative that just passed to lower the tags to $30 again. We can only complain about the lack of services and increasing potholes.

I don't blame you, Bae, for your complaints up there.

[Yppej]

While governor Bill Weld passed a law that if you had no tickets your registration would automatically renew with no fee. I loved it but his successor Jane Not Too Swift reversed it.

The state no longer sends reminders about expiring driver's licenses. Some insurance companies remind their clients but others do not. I believe in reminders.

[JaneV2.0]

Move down here, Jane....no one gets pulled over for expired tags. It's my husband's hobby to note them as we sit at red lights. Many years expired, some of them. Not to mention the Oregon plates that "commute" to PDX every day from WA and back....and parked in apartment complexes all the time.

We can't complain too loudly I guess, with the initiative that just passed to lower the tags to $30 again. We can only complain about the lack of services and increasing potholes.

I don't blame you, Bae, for your complaints up there.

My first violation was in Oregon, elevenish, on my way to work a graveyard shift. I'm always on top of my car tags now, but is that Vancouver or Portland getting loose with enforcement?

[KayLR]

My first violation was in Oregon, elevenish, on my way to work a graveyard shift. I'm always on top of my car tags now, but is that Vancouver or Portland getting loose with enforcement?

The 'Couve

[ToomuchStuff]

Besides no insurance, it is also common for them to have not paid their taxes. No money for sales tax, typically on an old, buy here, pay here, OLD used car, I would see either driving with a paper tag, or in a few cases, the application for a paper tag, taped to the rear window (back when I worked in a garage).

That doesn't even cover the vehicles that were not road worth (could see all four peoples feet, with what was left of the floor boards, down two inches below where it was supposed to be).:0!

[Gardnr]

It’s not okay and here if your tags are expired you will be pulled over and given a ticket. The color changes yearly so easy to spot if yours are out of date. Plus the date is on them in big letters.

Ditto!

[Simplemind]

It is a huge deal to me. No tags often means no insurance and I've been hit twice now by people with no tags and no insurance. In our city it is very expensive to get pulled over for not tags. You get more than a ticket, you get your car towed. In order to get it out of impound you have to go to the PD for a release. In order to get the release you must have current tags, valid insurance and a valid DL. The release costs $100 on top of the tow fees which go up by the day as people so inclined try to scrape the former together.
Oh the people who had meltdowns and screamed over those charges. Well sir, driving is not a right, it is a privilege and the law is clear. Many cars stayed in impound never to be retrieved. We wrote those releases out all day long......

[razz]

Licence (both driver and plate) and insurance coverage issues are very involved. I am amazed that Missouri would be that lackadaisical about the problem and cost.

The City of Toronto requires that all vehicles parked on street must be properly licensed, including having a valid Ontario licence plate validation," said Anthony Fabrizi, Toronto manager of parking operations.

"I can only get the licence plate sticker renewed if I have valid insurance," said Pete Karageorgos, director of Ontario consumer and industry relations for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. "But, if I forgot to affix the new sticker on the plate, my policy is still valid."

Knowing when your licence is due for renewal is essential. If you are caught driving with an expired licence, you can face a fine of $200.00 to $1,000.00 under the Highway Traffic Act.

While the fines associated with driving with an expired licence can be significant, the consequences could be even more severe in the event you or someone driving your vehicle is involved in an accident.

A condition of all automobile insurance policies in Ontario is that a driver must be “authorized by law” to operate a vehicle in order to be entitled to insurance coverage. In order to be “authorized by law” to operate a vehicle, you must have a valid driver’s licence that is not expired. In other words, if you operate your vehicle while you have an expired driver’s licence or lend your vehicle to someone who has an expired driver’s licence there is no insurance coverage on that vehicle. This means that you could be personally responsible for property damage and personal injuries in the event of a collision.

In the event that you are injured while driving with an expired licence, it may impact your ability to sue an at fault driver, or to claim various accident benefits.

In order to ensure you are protected, it is important to know when your licence expires and renew it well in advance of that date. Also, it is important to confirm that whoever drives your vehicle has a valid driver’s licence. It is better to ensure that you are protected, rather than getting a nasty surprise later on.



Driving without insurance first offense : Fines start at $5000 and could be as high as $25,000.
Driving without insurance second offense : Fines start at $10,000 and could reach as high as $50,000.
Fines Are Not The Only Penalty For Driving Without Insurance
In addition to fines, there are other penalties for driving with no insurance. They include:

Suspension : You could face a driver’s license suspension for up to one year.
Impound : You could have your vehicle impounded for up to three months.
Additional fees : The Provincial Offense Act tacks on an additional 25% surcharge to your fine.
Can I Lose My License For Driving Without Insurance?
A common question drivers ask related to driving without insurance is, “Can you get your license suspended for driving without insurance?”

As part of your first offense for driving without insurance, your driver’s license will be suspended for a minimum of 30 days. You could lose your driver’s license for driving without insurance for up to one year.

[KayLR]

Yep, razz....still, LE still has to have the motivation to pull people over. Here in my town, they'd be doing nothing else all day long in addition to checking out-of-state plates parked overnight in apartment complexes.

[Gardnr]

The state no longer sends reminders about expiring driver's licenses. Some insurance companies remind their clients but others do not. I believe in reminders.

I'm sorry. We're adults and should be responsible for our own privileges. Doesn't your DL expire on a birthday? Mine does-I check the year each year the 1st day of my birthday month.

[Yppej]

People are busy and forget things. My parents went on a trip and discovered my dad's license was expired when they went to pick up the rental car. My mom had to do the thousands of miles of driving herself. My dad is the most decent, honest person who will never drive 1 mile per hour above the speed limit. He would never intentionally drive on expied license, but is the absent minded professor type and he did. I believe in being compassionate and forgiving with people. To err is human, to forgive divine.

[razz]

I think that is why I like the plate renewal which must be completed by my birthday. I get the renewal notice about 8 weeks ahead and pay it well in advance, as soon as it comes in the mail. I plan for it as one of the events that comes with my birthday. My DH used to leave paying until closer to his birthday and a few times almost forgot to renew. It is so easy to do online now as well.

[jp1]

In California you have to keep your tags current if you ever plan to sell the car. The license plate stays with the car and the new owner won’t be able to register it without paying all the back registration and late penalties. Anyone buying a used car knows this and confirms current reg before buying.