‘Lot of us breaking the law,’ fumes driver given $150 ticket for license plate frame – photo shows he was off by inches

A DRIVER has expressed his frustrations after getting an $150 ticket for his license plate frame - he claims others must be breaking the law then too.

"Recently, I got pulled over and the officer told me I had an illegal license plate frame," the car owner explained to local CBS affiliate WGME-TV.

"He said it's a $150 fine because the frame cannot cover any part of the plate that says Maine or the registration stickers," he went on to explain to the station while asking for guidance.

"Is this true? If it is, a lot of Mainers are breaking the law."

In assistance, the news team informed the querying driver and others who may not be privy to Maine road laws that it's actually true that a car owner can get ticketed for the offense.

All the numbers, letters, and words on a license plate need to be "plainly visible and legible," according to Maine Law.

A warning was issued to Maine car owners recently as WGME-TV noted that many Mainers could be eligible to be pulled over for their license plates.

Last year, Maine’s Traffic Violations Bureau recorded over 30 tickets for illegible plates.

Technically, there are no policies that specifically address frames and covers.

But, according to Maine Law, the "manner of display" is important when it comes to license plates.

Local authorities in Maine advise against them noting "public safety."

Apparently, many of the frames drivers use interfere with the basic purpose of the plate.

The license plate is meant to act as identification for the vehicle.

Frames and covers on it could make officers' jobs more difficult and they may also block toll readers.

Law enforcement also reads the license plate for drivers' up-to-date registration to pay for road maintenance and repairs, WGME-TV reported.

Title 29-A of Maines' Motor Vehicles and Traffic states that a "registration plate must be displayed horizontally," and "only one set of Maine registration plates may be displayed on one vehicle."

What is the law in Maine?

The vehicle registration laws in Maine don't technically have any policies that address frames and covers but drivers could still get fined.

• The law says that the position of registration plates specifically matters in the state.
• A registration plate must be displayed horizontally.
• In Maine, only one set of plates is supposed to be displayed on one vehicle.
• Registration plates have to be attached to the front and the rear of Maine cars unless it is a vehicle with an exception like:
• The law regarding license plates also changes for truck tractors.
• For all vehicles, Maine law says that registration plates must always be properly displayed.

SOURCE: Maine Legislature

"A registration plate must be attached to the front and the rear of each vehicle," the law also states about license plates.

There are exceptions as a vehicle may not need the plate in the front and back if it's a trailer or semitrailer.

For those types of automobiles, the registration plate may be attached only to the rear of that trailer or semitrailer.

In the same way, a motorcycle registration plate may not be attached to the front of that motorcycle, according to Maine law.

Though the ordinance may not specifically mention plate frames and covers, it does state:

"Registration plates must always be properly displayed."

The law says that license plates and all of the numbers, letters, and words on them "must always be plainly visible and legible."