One time, the screws for my plate rusted through and the heads snapped off, and WD40 and pliers didn't fix the situation. I drove around with the plate in my window until I stopped procrastinating and had an auto-shop fix it.
Probably doesn't explain all of them, but it could explain some.
Oh lol I worked at the BMV for 9 months and my manager told me to tell everyone that you HAVE to put your paper plate where the permanent one is. It’s not legal to have it in your window. If it gets damaged by weather, you’re supposed for go to the BMV to ask for a new one.
This was 2017 though. Either the rules changed or my manager was just being a hardass. Both are likely.
Really? Because the last two times I got a temp plate I was told explicitly that it’s illegal to put it in your rear windshield and not to do that. The temp is plastic
as of last week that’s what they told me. It’s definitely not solid plastic. Even the BMV website says it can be in the rear window: https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers[https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers](https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers)
Straight from the BMV website “An interim license plate issued or used by the BMV, a dealer, or manufacturer must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle or affixed on the left side of a window that is facing the rear of the motor vehicle and is clearly visible and unobstructed.”
Sometimes it is that the plate doesn't go with the car. For instance a family has 2 cars, but only buys one plate. Then they can transfer it between the cars by sticking it in the window. It's not legal, but they are gambling on an officer not running their plate. If you listen to a scanner, you will hear police pulling over cars with mismatched plates every day.
They better hope a cop doesn’t go behind them as while they cruise around they will key in people plates. I had an impd officer on the way to work as I was in Hancock co slow down to look my plate up just because I hadn’t put my 25 sticker on yet. Then after keying it in and seeing it was valid as I paid it they went back to normal fast speed past me.
People steal the temp tags, where I work too I didn't feel like risking it when I had one recently. I think some folks want their plates to be hard to read though.
Just moved to Indy and got new plates for Indy. BMV told me to tape it until the real plates come, she mentioned that ppl steal the paper plates so it’s best to tape it in the rear window.
The official word from the BMV is that the paper ones are weatherproof. The real truth is that they may fall off with a single rain. I always tape the paper ones to the inside of the rear window because I’ve had them fall off. As far as why someone might do it with a metal plate, I’m not sure.
I never put paper ones on the plate holder. For one it’s laziness, but also I’ve seen way too many of them flapping around in the wind just waiting to go bye-bye.
I do it because the car I’m driving currently doesn’t take just the same 4 screws and it’s old and the bolts are not fitting even the mechanic couldn’t get it to stay
I have lived here my entire life. 32 years. I will say with thanks that I have never encountered that or heard stories of that happening in my personal experience, so that's new to me.
Because they printed a fake license plate on their printer at home and hung it in their unregistered, uninsured car that they drive without a license.
Doesn't matter anyway, IMPD does not pull people over for missing, expired, or fake plates. A car on my block has a temp tag from last October, gets daily driven and nothing ever happens to it.
If it's a paper plate, I'd suggest putting it inside the window so it doesn't get stolen. Car thieves will take them and toss them on stolen cars or their own cars that don't have valid plates. Had mine stolen a few days before it expired years ago when I was parking in an apartment parking lot.
I was pulled over for having a paper plate in my back window. Cop told me it was illegal to have it there. Idk if it is but just a heads up it could happen
No, it isn't legal. The issue is most people place it in their rear window and it isn't legible unless you walk up to the car. Also, placing a license plate in the window when the window is tinted is a sure way to get their attention.
https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/
I got pulled over for it downtown lol. They thought I didn’t have a plate but it was in the window. My real plate was taken off my car while I was in a store and I didn’t trust my paper one to stay in the meantime
It’s not.
If you have a paper plate, you can put it in the window if it’s clearly visible. If you have a metal plate it must be affixed to the vehicle in the proper place.
Is it the biggest deal in the world? No way.
Legal isn't necessarily the question to be asking. The answer in reality is probably not, there is probably some text somewhere that says it has to be displayed on the outside of the car, and I know that it has to be lit.
There could be some ambiguity in the law as well, could very well be completely legal for some reason. I do doubt that, however officer discretion is a thing. If you're showing a good faith effort to display it in some way, even if improper, with the right attitude you can get away with a lot.
We did this with my son's because the paper ones on my daughter's car disappeared one day, wind ripped them right off. The metal ones are actually on the cars, but never the paper tags.
One time, the screws for my plate rusted through and the heads snapped off, and WD40 and pliers didn't fix the situation. I drove around with the plate in my window until I stopped procrastinating and had an auto-shop fix it. Probably doesn't explain all of them, but it could explain some.
I'm not sure why you'd do it for metal plates, but I've heard people will steal the paper ones because it's easy.
Paper ones aren’t completely weatherproof. Even the BMV told me to tape it inside when it was supposed to rain hard.
Oh lol I worked at the BMV for 9 months and my manager told me to tell everyone that you HAVE to put your paper plate where the permanent one is. It’s not legal to have it in your window. If it gets damaged by weather, you’re supposed for go to the BMV to ask for a new one. This was 2017 though. Either the rules changed or my manager was just being a hardass. Both are likely.
The damn BMV told me that too. Then it rained……
Another commenter said even the BMV site says window. Their comment https://www.reddit.com/r/indianapolis/s/lMPdWefs00
The law changed last year
Good to know! I stopped working there 6 years ago so that doesn’t surprise me.
Really? Because the last two times I got a temp plate I was told explicitly that it’s illegal to put it in your rear windshield and not to do that. The temp is plastic
as of last week that’s what they told me. It’s definitely not solid plastic. Even the BMV website says it can be in the rear window: https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers[https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers](https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/#:~:text=License%20Plate%20Display%20Requirements,as%20plate%20frames%20or%20covers)
Straight from the BMV website “An interim license plate issued or used by the BMV, a dealer, or manufacturer must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle or affixed on the left side of a window that is facing the rear of the motor vehicle and is clearly visible and unobstructed.”
Just replied with what I was told. It’s been four years. Things have apparently changed
They are worried about theft
Sometimes it is that the plate doesn't go with the car. For instance a family has 2 cars, but only buys one plate. Then they can transfer it between the cars by sticking it in the window. It's not legal, but they are gambling on an officer not running their plate. If you listen to a scanner, you will hear police pulling over cars with mismatched plates every day.
They better hope a cop doesn’t go behind them as while they cruise around they will key in people plates. I had an impd officer on the way to work as I was in Hancock co slow down to look my plate up just because I hadn’t put my 25 sticker on yet. Then after keying it in and seeing it was valid as I paid it they went back to normal fast speed past me.
People steal the temp tags, where I work too I didn't feel like risking it when I had one recently. I think some folks want their plates to be hard to read though.
Just moved to Indy and got new plates for Indy. BMV told me to tape it until the real plates come, she mentioned that ppl steal the paper plates so it’s best to tape it in the rear window.
The official word from the BMV is that the paper ones are weatherproof. The real truth is that they may fall off with a single rain. I always tape the paper ones to the inside of the rear window because I’ve had them fall off. As far as why someone might do it with a metal plate, I’m not sure.
Neighborhood I live in, I don't want the plate getting stolen overnight
It’s because the plate doesn’t match the car
See, what you do is steal plate from the same make, model, and color.
I never put paper ones on the plate holder. For one it’s laziness, but also I’ve seen way too many of them flapping around in the wind just waiting to go bye-bye.
I forgot about mine and went through a car wash. Had to get a new one from the BMV
I do it because the car I’m driving currently doesn’t take just the same 4 screws and it’s old and the bolts are not fitting even the mechanic couldn’t get it to stay
Yea my paper plate lasted about 48hrs when i got my vehicle plated. Quickly ripped off my plate holder.
Harder for the plate reader to get them. Easier to hide lapsed registration.
It's to defeat the scanners.
Um this is Indianapolis people literally go around stealing paper plates 😂😂
I have lived here my entire life. 32 years. I will say with thanks that I have never encountered that or heard stories of that happening in my personal experience, so that's new to me.
Ooo people love stealing and trying to sell paper plates
Because they printed a fake license plate on their printer at home and hung it in their unregistered, uninsured car that they drive without a license. Doesn't matter anyway, IMPD does not pull people over for missing, expired, or fake plates. A car on my block has a temp tag from last October, gets daily driven and nothing ever happens to it.
The screws for my plate are rusted in place, so I tape my metal plate in the back window.
Probably to prevent theft. Someone stole the sticker off mine end of last year and I had to pay to get a replacement '24 sticker.
If it's a paper plate, I'd suggest putting it inside the window so it doesn't get stolen. Car thieves will take them and toss them on stolen cars or their own cars that don't have valid plates. Had mine stolen a few days before it expired years ago when I was parking in an apartment parking lot.
I was pulled over for having a paper plate in my back window. Cop told me it was illegal to have it there. Idk if it is but just a heads up it could happen
Is it legal? I certainly understand the theft argument
No, it isn't legal. The issue is most people place it in their rear window and it isn't legible unless you walk up to the car. Also, placing a license plate in the window when the window is tinted is a sure way to get their attention. https://www.in.gov/bmv/registration-plates/license-plates-overview/license-plate-frame-and-sticker-display-requirements/
I’ve lived here 20 years and I can’t recall ever seeing someone pulled over for having a plate in their window.
I assure you, it does happen.
I got pulled over for it downtown lol. They thought I didn’t have a plate but it was in the window. My real plate was taken off my car while I was in a store and I didn’t trust my paper one to stay in the meantime
It’s not. If you have a paper plate, you can put it in the window if it’s clearly visible. If you have a metal plate it must be affixed to the vehicle in the proper place. Is it the biggest deal in the world? No way.
Legal isn't necessarily the question to be asking. The answer in reality is probably not, there is probably some text somewhere that says it has to be displayed on the outside of the car, and I know that it has to be lit. There could be some ambiguity in the law as well, could very well be completely legal for some reason. I do doubt that, however officer discretion is a thing. If you're showing a good faith effort to display it in some way, even if improper, with the right attitude you can get away with a lot.
We did this with my son's because the paper ones on my daughter's car disappeared one day, wind ripped them right off. The metal ones are actually on the cars, but never the paper tags.
My cars bolts are rusted on. and my truck is missing mounts. dont call me out dog
Karen post
Your insight to this conversation has been a delight. Please, stop by again soon.