Got a ticket for an expired license plate sticker...

[jltapawan]

Hi,

I got a ticket for an expired license plate sticker (expired sept. 11) I got pulled over Sept 24. I also didn't have my insurance card in the vehicle and i was issued a ticket for that as well.

The total for both tickets is $175 ($110+$65)

I want to fight it in court do you have any advice for me?

Also on the tickets the officer made an error and put my vehicle as model year 2008 when in fact it is not a 2008. I was told that could invalidate the ticket is that true?

Thanks in advance.

[Whitedart]

Hi,

I got a ticket for an expired license plate sticker (expired sept. 11) I got pulled over Sept 24. I also didn't have my insurance card in the vehicle and i was issued a ticket for that as well.

The total for both tickets is $175 ($110+$65)

I want to fight it in court do you have any advice for me?

What were you pulled over for? And why did you not renew the validation sticker?

Also on the tickets the officer made an error and put my vehicle as model year 2008 when in fact it is not a 2008. I was told that could invalidate the ticket is that true?

That is not an error. If is for the year of your plate, not your vehicle.

[CheapScotsman]

wow ... you got off easy.

Here in BC, the government runs auto insurance along with the license plate "stickers". They are all in one.

No up to date sticker means no up to date insurance. My sister hit a road block about 15 years ago and had "forgotten" to get her license plate/insurance renewed.

A $1000+ fine, plus she had to buy insurance before she could drive it again plus she had to have her vehicle towed from the road block.

[jltapawan]

What were you pulled over for? And why did you not renew the validation sticker?

The officer told me I had not commited any driving infractions. She said she just noticed I had Sept Stickers and looked up my plates while she was behind me. I actually went to renew my sticker however my vehicle didn't pass emissions and I am/was in the process of fixing that.

That is not an error. If is for the year of your plate, not your vehicle.

I see, thanks for clearing that up.

[gman]

Hi,

I got a ticket for an expired license plate sticker (expired sept. 11) I got pulled over Sept 24. I also didn't have my insurance card in the vehicle and i was issued a ticket for that as well.

The total for both tickets is $175 ($110+$65)

I want to fight it in court do you have any advice for me?

Also on the tickets the officer made an error and put my vehicle as model year 2008 when in fact it is not a 2008. I was told that could invalidate the ticket is that true?

Thanks in advance.

What would be your argument?

By the way, if you want to use the following as an excuse, the chance is it probably will not help if it does not make it worse.

I actually went to renew my sticker however my vehicle didn't pass emissions and I am/was in the process of fixing that.

That means you knew you have an expired sticker but you drove it anyway.

[gfong]

From what you stated you do not have anything to go to court with. It is too bad that they did not tjust tell you to show up at the Police station with proof, but I guess as you had no insurance and the plates were out that is why the fine. Good luck.

[pintobean]

I want to fight it in court

What would be your argument?

By the way, if you want to use the following as an excuse, the chance is it probably will not help if it does not make it worse.

I actually went to renew my sticker however my vehicle didn't pass emissions and I am/was in the process of fixing that.

That means you knew you have an expired sticker but you drove it anyway.

I received a ticket for expired plates in September 2007.

I had tried to renew the sticker on time, but the ServiceOntario machine said that I needed to pass an emissions test first.

So I went to do the emissions test, but I failed. Apparently something was wrong with my catalytic converter. I had the catalytic converter replaced, and then tried the emissions test a second time. Unfortunately, I failed again.

My auto shop then did some more diagnostics, and found something else that was wrong (I can't remember what). A part needed to be replaced, but since it was still covered under my warranty from VW, my auto shop told me to take it back to a VW dealer and have it replaced there for free. So I took my car to VW and asked them to replace the part. They agreed to replace the part, but it took them 4 days to get the part delivered. In the meantime, my plates expired.

After the part was replaced at VW, I (illegally) drove my car 5 minutes back to my auto mechanic and had a third emission test done. Shockingly, I failed again. The mechanic said that there was nothing else wrong with the car, and he suggested that I needed to drive the car for a few days to "work in" the new parts and burn off the "oils and lubricants" that were probably making me fail the emissions tests.

I told him that my plates were expired and that I wasn't allowed to drive the car until I passed the emissions test...he told me I wouldn't pass the test until I drove the car for a bit.

So I was stuck in a catch 22.

I took the car home and decided to take it out for a drive the next day before taking it back for a fourth emissions test. While I was driving around, I got stopped by a cop. I explained this story to him, but he didn't care and issued me a ticket. Since I had already spent $400+ trying to pass the test, I decided to fight the ticket.

When I went to court for my First Attendance appointment, I took all my receipts with me. I presented my story to the prosecutor and he asked to see the receipts so he could see how much I had spent on fixing up my car. I showed him the receipts, and he agreed to withdraw the ticket.

So to gman, it is indeed possible to win such a ticket by saying that you were in the process of having the emissions test done (but obviously you have to be able to prove it).

To OP, If you are in a similar situation, you could probably win your case too.

[help_questions]

Hi,

I got a ticket for an expired license plate sticker (expired sept. 11) I got pulled over Sept 24. I also didn't have my insurance card in the vehicle and i was issued a ticket for that as well.

The total for both tickets is $175 ($110+$65)

I want to fight it in court do you have any advice for me?

Also on the tickets the officer made an error and put my vehicle as model year 2008 when in fact it is not a 2008. I was told that could invalidate the ticket is that true?

Thanks in advance.

MY ADVICE IS SCHEDULE A COURT DATE, AND FIGHT THE TICKET.
Don't plead guilty, do not pay the fight. Book the court date.

[gman]

MY ADVICE IS SCHEDULE A COURT DATE, AND FIGHT THE TICKET.
Don't not plead guilty, do not pay the fight. Book the court date.

So, you are asking him to go to the court to fight and plead guilty???

[googoo]

What would be your argument?

Sorry, I forgot when my birthday was


Brent

[help_questions]

So, you are asking him to go to the court to fight and plead guilty???

good eye.....it was a typo. I have corrected my post

[3weddings]

So you were aware of the fact that you were driving without the sticker AND didn't have your insurance in your vehicle and you want to get a free pass??

I can understand a day or so....but almost TWO weeks!!???

Pay the fine and

[techwiz]

I told him that my plates were expired and that I wasn't allowed to drive the car until I passed the emissions test...he told me I wouldn't pass the test until I drove the car for a bit.

You could've gone to the MTO for a 10-day permit. Just FYI, in case it happens again.

[SimSV]

What was the part that was under warranty when your catylic converter wasn't? is the car still warranty or not? This story puzzles me...

Anyway, you can schedule a court date and bring the insurance slip that shows you have coverage on the day of the offence and the no insurance charge will most likely be withdrawn by the prosecutor. I have recently been to court for something else and heard the prosecutor telling this to few people.

[Kranberry]

What did you fail on the emissions? I mean my car is no where near close to failing emission testing and my warranty expired years ago. Sounds like either VW makes crap or you got a lemon.

In terms of your argument, since you really don't have much to go on, you can try to plead your way out of the argument. Who knows what it will end up as.

Good luck