Trailer Plate Missing

[mean dad]

Good afternoon gentlemen...and ladies?

I'm driving a manufacturer's truck and trailer from our facility in Concord to a customer in Redding, and then to another site in Santa Clara. I noticed yesterday that the trailer's license plate is missing so I located the numbers and whipped up a reasonable facsimile on a computer and taped a copy to both fenders. While I did use similar fonts and colors and alignment because I'm ocd like that, it looks very much like I'm conveying official information and NOT like I'm trying to fool anyone into thinking it's an official plate.
I found registration for the truck in the glovebox but not the trailer, but I did find an insurance card for the trailer. All documents are tied to the manufacturer and both the truck and trailer have large pieces of electrical equipment on them with the manufacturer's name.

On a scale of "who cares" to OJ Simpson, how much attention will I attract?


Thank you.

 

[Rtmac]

I would tow the trailer with no plate and explain it if I got pulled over. I wouldn't tape anything to the trailer to draw attention.

 

[Enchanter]

I would tow the trailer with no plate and explain it if I got pulled over. I wouldn't tape anything to the trailer to draw attention.

This, a million times this.

If you really want to put something on the trailer, make sure it is very obviously not trying to look like an official plate. Forgery of an official plate is a bigger deal than running around without a plate. It's a 'wobbler' and could be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor. I'd roll the dice on the ticket / infraction instead.

 

[Dmitriy]

Good afternoon gentlemen...and ladies?

I'm driving a manufacturer's truck and trailer from our facility in Concord to a customer in Redding, and then to another site in Santa Clara. I noticed yesterday that the trailer's license plate is missing so I located the numbers and whipped up a reasonable facsimile on a computer and taped a copy to both fenders. While I did use similar fonts and colors and alignment because I'm ocd like that, it looks very much like I'm conveying official information and NOT like I'm trying to fool anyone into thinking it's an official plate.
I found registration for the truck in the glovebox but not the trailer, but I did find an insurance card for the trailer. All documents are tied to the manufacturer and both the truck and trailer have large pieces of electrical equipment on them with the manufacturer's name.

On a scale of "who cares" to OJ Simpson, how much attention will I attract?


Thank you.

Is this for work? Do they want to pay someone to get a replacement plate for the trailer? Will you need to stop at weight stations?

I mean chances are if you aren't speeding no one will look twice at you.

Also might want to avoid doing this today.....

CHP HITS THE BRAKES ON SPEEDING DURING 24-HOUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORT

www.chp.ca.gov

 

[bojangle]

This, a million times this.

If you really want to put something on the trailer, make sure it is very obviously not trying to look like an official plate. Forgery of an official plate is a bigger deal than running around without a plate. It's a 'wobbler' and could be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor. I'd roll the dice on the ticket / infraction instead.

"Yes, take them off and get rid of them. You could potentially be charged with a felony." ~ OJ Simpson

CVC 4463

(a) A person who, with intent to prejudice, damage, or defraud, commits any of the following acts is guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months, or two or three years, or by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year:

(1) Alters, forges, counterfeits, or falsifies a certificate of ownership, registration card, certificate, license, license plate, temporary license plate, device issued pursuant to Sections 4853 and 4854, special plate, or permit provided for by this code or a comparable certificate of ownership, registration card, certificate, license, license plate, temporary license plate, device comparable to that issued pursuant to Sections 4853 and 4854, special plate, or permit provided for by a foreign jurisdiction, or alters, forges, counterfeits, or falsifies the document, device, or plate with intent to represent it as issued by the department, or alters, forges, counterfeits, or falsifies with fraudulent intent an endorsement of transfer on a certificate of ownership or other document evidencing ownership, or with fraudulent intent displays or causes or permits to be displayed or have in their possession a blank, incomplete, canceled, suspended, revoked, altered, forged, counterfeit, or false certificate of ownership, registration card, certificate, license, license plate, temporary license plate, device issued pursuant to Sections 4853 and 4854, special plate, or permit.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=VEH&sectionNum=4463.

 

[Lonster]

"It was on there when I left the lot officer."

 

[Rtmac]

"I just work here, officer"

 

[FLH03RIDER]

Curious... If you do get pulled over (or at Scales - CA DOT - Scales) and don't have the trailer plate and get a "citation" does that get a point(s) on your license?
Or is it like a "fix-it ticket" and no point(s)?

Truck and trailer registered out of state?

 

[bojangle]

Curious... If you do get pulled over (or at Scales - CA DOT - Scales) and don't have the trailer plate and get a "citation" does that get a point(s) on your license?
Or is it like a "fix-it ticket" and no point(s)?

Truck and trailer registered out of state?

It's a fix it ticket that is the owner's responsibility.

 

[NorCal Factory]

How about get to AAA or DMV early and get a replacement? Someone who stole the other one could be running up bridge tolls.

 

[Tally Whacker]

So, on a similar situation, my Husqvarna used to mangle plates. I eventually got tired of going in and explaining at the DMV that the vibes from the bike simply caused the license plates to fail, so I made a color photocopy of the plate, laminated it, and mounted that on the rear fender. I tossed the actual plate in my little tail bag.
Now, I have to point out that from any more than about 20 feet away it looked exactly like the real thing, if a bit more curved to fit the fender than usual.
In two separate LEO encounters, neither of them said a word about the ersatz license plate. They ran the info, saw it was good, and that was that.
I did get a ticket for insufficient tread depth on the Supermoto slicks I was running, though...

 

[mean dad]

So.
Many.
CHP.

At one point I could see two separate stops in the oncoming lanes and one on my side.

At any rate I hit the road yesterday before I saw these replies, so I'm in currently in Redding with the felonious copies still attached.
I'll pull them off the trailer and keep them in the truck in case I get pulled over.


Also: pretty sure I was the ONLY trailer going anywhere close to 55mph. I felt like a freakin backmarker gettin lapped out there.

Also also: it's a Ford F250 flatbed pulling a BigTex trailer. I'm not required to stop at the scales, am I?
Because I didn't.