Law on placement of licence plate, seen some tucked in front of back wheel???? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Law on placement of licence plate, seen some tucked in front of back wheel????

chingo

chingo

Well-known member
Lately i have been noticing that people are tucking licence plates in front of back wheel, i have been told that some mfg's have put them here on purpose to give their bikes a better look, R6's for one. Is this true and is there laws that dictate from what distance a plate has to be visible, cause you can see these plate if your right up to the bike (ie staggered formation type close) but any further back they are hidden by fender covering back tire. Also can you cut plate, if you don't touch the actual numbers??? Just wondering :confused::unsure::whistle:(y)(n)
 
These plates are visible from the rear, but you need to be close up to them because if you are say 3 car lengths back you can only see top half of plate. Is there an actual distance somewhere in the HTA that states what visibility is???
 
chingo said:
These plates are visible from the rear, but you need to be close up to them because if you are say 3 car lengths back you can only see top half of plate. Is there an actual distance somewhere in the HTA that states what visibility is???
Click to expand...
No specific viewing point in HTA. The following sections sort of provide a viewing point and make that location clearly illegal.

(3.0.1) The number plates shall not be obstructed by any device that prevents the entire number plates including the numbers from being accurately photographed using a red light camera system. 1998, c. 38, s. 2 (1).

(3.1) The number plates shall not be obstructed by any device or material that prevents the entire number plates including the numbers from being identified by an electronic toll system. 1996, c. 1, Sched. E, s. 2 (1).​


This section makes anything forward absolute rear of the vehicle illegal but feel free to argue in court that a plate on your front fork facing backwards complies with "rear of the vehicle".

(4) The number plate for a motorcycle, motor assisted bicycle or trailer shall be attached to and exposed in a conspicuous position on the rear of the vehicle. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 628, s. 9 (4).

As TK4 said, also altering in any way is illegal. There is an HTA section for that too. Most tucked plates are curved so that's another ticket.

Find me a manufacturer that sells a tucked plate. I'll wait. The closest you will find will be dealers selling tail tidies or plate relocate to swingarm for the cruisers but those are often not legal (like how service ontario sells plate covers or dealers install plate frames that are clearly illegal). The ticket goes to the driver, not the one installing illegal equipment.
 

Number plate to be kept clean​

(2) Every number plate shall be kept free from dirt and obstruction and shall be affixed so that the entire number plate, including the numbers, is plainly visible at all times, and the view of the number plate shall not be obscured or obstructed by spare tires, bumper bars, any part of the vehicle, any attachments to the vehicle or the load carried.

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h08#BK41
 
Ash said:

Number plate to be kept clean​

(2) Every number plate shall be kept free from dirt and obstruction and shall be affixed so that the entire number plate, including the numbers, is plainly visible at all times, and the view of the number plate shall not be obscured or obstructed by spare tires, bumper bars, any part of the vehicle, any attachments to the vehicle or the load carried.

Law Document English View

Welcome to the new e-Laws. It’s now easier than ever to find Ontario laws. We welcome your feedback.
www.ontario.ca www.ontario.ca
Click to expand...
Yup. If the officer can find an angle where it is blocked, it fails that section. Instead of Chingo's original premise of "it needs to be visible from a point", the default position of the hta is it needs to be visible from every single point behind the vehicle.
 
Last edited:
thanks for the clarifications, as i think back, i can't believe all the riders with illegal plate as defined above, such as cruisers with plate beside axle of rear whee:cool:l, plates mounted sideways:eek:, plates bent at weird angles:unsure::unsure:, plates on a pull chord that flip up when needed:sneaky:, plates mounted to battery box in front of rear tire;), mine sits right under my rear taillight with a white light shining on it. Forgot to ask, you definetly need the white light or a light shining on it so it can be seen at night, correct:)
 
chingo said:
thanks for the clarifications, as i think back, i can't believe all the riders with illegal plate as defined above, such as cruisers with plate beside axle of rear whee:cool:l, plates mounted sideways:eek:, plates bent at weird angles:unsure::unsure:, plates on a pull chord that flip up when needed:sneaky:, plates mounted to battery box in front of rear tire;), mine sits right under my rear taillight with a white light shining on it. Forgot to ask, you definetly need the white light or a light shining on it so it can be seen at night, correct:)
Click to expand...
Yup, that's another ticket. Honestly, there are so many riding without any plates or with plates completely obstructed that they rarely get to those with minor modifications. Plate tickets are more value added if you get stopped for speeding and act like a dick.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
Modification also opens you up to being stopped at any time. It takes care of the probable cause for the police.
Click to expand...
fun fact, while driving you can be stopped at any time by police in Canada anyways. whomp whomp

www.theglobeandmail.com

Can police legally pull me over just to check something?

Police ‘have a lot of latitude to say they’re checking the licence, registration and insurance status, mechanical fitness of the vehicle or the sobriety of the driver’
www.theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com
 
Brian P said:
The probability is much higher if you attract their attention, by having or doing something illegal.
Click to expand...
or riding say an H2? 😁
 
Lots of cars/ trucks have the issue with bike carriers etc.
I guess technically they might be able to get you for towing a trailer, since its attached by a hitch, and obstructs your rear plate.
 
Baggsy said:
Lots of cars/ trucks have the issue with bike carriers etc.
I guess technically they might be able to get you for towing a trailer, since its attached by a hitch, and obstructs your rear plate.
Click to expand...
Letter of the law is you are supposed to move plate to bike carrier and often install auxiliary lighting too. Cops have handed out tickets for obstructed plate. Probably not common but it's possible and it would be hard to beat in court. Are you going to argue that it was only obstructed for a short drive? Guilty.
 
Brian P said:
The probability is much higher if you attract their attention, by having or doing something illegal.
Click to expand...

Why I’m keeping my 2024 expiry plate stickers attached.
“He’s a good citizen that dutifully paid his plate renewals, let’s go after that Mustang running straight pipes and limo tint instead”
 
Wind Shear said:
Why I’m keeping my 2024 expiry plate stickers attached.
Click to expand...

My stickers expire in October. Plan to renew them online and keep documentation in vehicles in case I'm stopped.

I'm not expecting any LEO issues in Ontario. Has anyone with an expired sticker experienced any issues with cops stopping you in other provinces or south of the border?
 
ReSTored said:
My stickers expire in October. Plan to renew them online and keep documentation in vehicles in case I'm stopped.

I'm not expecting any LEO issues in Ontario. Has anyone with an expired sticker experienced any issues with cops stopping you in other provinces or south of the border?
Click to expand...
IIRC, a province to the east is handing out prick tickets for expired stickers (maybe QC?). Scrape them off if they are expired to avoid that ticket.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom