Do any cars come with a clear license plate cover or shield?

July 25, 2009 9:16 AM

Does ANY car come from the manufacturer with a clear license plate cover or license plate shield?

I see many cars with clear covers on the license plate here in California. I read up on the relevant vehicle code (VC §5201) and I think there may be a distinction between "cover" (like a car cover or a cover that goes around the boarders of the license plate) and a shield (like a clear protector - just cannot interfere with cameras, visibility, etc).

It would be very helpful to know if any auto makers sell or sold cars with a clear shield as an OEM part. Can you think of any?

posted by unclezeb to law & government (8 comments total)

I can't think of one; plates, of course, don't arrive until after purchase, and a cover, particularly a neatly integrated cover, would make the installation of plates a hassle and potentially a source of trouble/damage.

In addition, many jurisdictions have prohibitions on any cover of a license plate, clear or otherwise, so money spent in manufacturing one which is just going to be discarded doesn't make much sense.
posted by maxwelton at 9:27 AM on July 25

The Citroën SM had a front license plate mount behind a curved clear plastic cover between the headlights. Pic of a US-Spec SM here.
posted by zombiedance at 9:48 AM on July 25 [2 favorites has favorites]

As an aside, you can cover up state slogans or mottos.

The State may not constitutionally require an individual to participate [p706] in the dissemination of an ideological message by displaying it on his private property in a manner and for the express purpose that it be observed and read by the public. - Wooley v. Maynard
posted by wfrgms at 9:55 AM on July 25 [3 favorites has favorites]

Great work zombiedance! Though I'm looking for something a bit newer, and hopefully a more commonly known US model if possible.

Nothing against the Citroen, but it's not as helpful for my purposes.

Any others? Thanks!!!
posted by unclezeb at 3:19 PM on July 25

Caution: License plate covers are not legal in all states. (Michigan comes to mind.)
posted by Drasher at 3:28 PM on July 25

Those clear covers are an accessory. I can't think of a single car currently being sold in the US that arrives at a dealership with a clear plastic cover over the yet-to-be installed license plate. None of our (Audi) cars come that way. The only plate related options involve a bracket on the front of the vehicle if the car is being delivered to a state that requires a front mounted plate.
Likewise with the chrome surround bracket. Usually, the dealer has a pile of "Joe Schmoe Yugo of Juno" brackets and they install them at the dealership at the time of PDI (pre delivery inspection).
posted by Jon-o at 3:54 PM on July 25

Likewise with the chrome surround bracket. Usually, the dealer has a pile of "Joe Schmoe Yugo of Juno" brackets and they install them at the dealership at the time of PDI (pre delivery inspection).

This.

Every car we've bought has come with some sort of advertisement in plate frame form. Kind of annoying, really.

My guess is that many of them are installed by the dealers.
posted by Netzapper at 4:10 PM on July 25

The license plate frame, at least, is easier to remove than the little badges that dealers sometimes install.
posted by box at 7:28 PM on August 23