CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A lot of people like to customize their vehicles. We see paint jobs, custom license plates and spoilers. Another inexpensive way to personalize your care is with a license plate frame.
But one Charlotte resident posted on the neighborhood social networking app Nextdoor, saying she was pulled over by CMPD and the officer said her license plate frame was illegal.
THE QUESTION
Are certain license plate frames actually illegal to have on your car?
THE ANSWER
Yes, a license plate frame that blocks a portion of your license plate on your vehicle is illegal.
OUR SOURCES
WHAT WE FOUND
According to North Carolina law, anyone who willfully covers any part of a registration plate is not in compliance with North Carolina law and could face a fine.
This means if your license plate frame covers any part of your registration sticker, license plate number, or even the name of the state, you are no longer in compliance with the law.
Tim Aycock with the Matthews Police Department said officers need to be able to see a person's license plate in its entirety.
"It's important for us because we can see that letter marker so we can see what vehicles are registered to what plate," Aycock said.
Keeping license plates fully visible helps officers solve crimes, according to Aycock.
"That way we can identify that certain vehicle with a crime or an investigation that will help to rule out or rule in very quickly if it’s the right car or not," he said.
So, before you take your car out for a spin, check that your frame is not blocking any important information on your plate – because, not doing so could cost you.
"If it blocks any numbers, any lettering or words at all we can pull someone over and it’s a ticketable offense," Aycock said.
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