WBCCI Region 3

Effective Dec. 1, 2009, North Carolina joined the list of states requiring the state’s license plate information to be fully visible. Plates can no longer be partially covered by a license frame.  This law does not prohibit license plate frames but requires frames, if used, must provide clear readability of state name and registration stickers.

Vehicle owners can be cited for the offense and, after Nov. 30, 2010, fined $100 for the violation.  [https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/pio/releases/details.aspx?r=3104]

Here is an abstract of the new North Carolina law, SESSION LAW 2009-456, HOUSE BILL 67:

AN ACT to prohibit the covering of the State name, year sticker, or month sticker on a State license plate by a LICENSE plate frame and to direct the joint legislative transportation oversight committee and the revenue laws study committee to study the authorization of special registration plates.
[see the NC statute here ]

North Carolina is not the first, and likely is not the strictest in this law.  I did a brief survey of other states’ requirements regarding license plate frames and easily obtained this partial listing:

Arizona prohibits covering the state name at the top of license plate
A.R.S. 28-2354(B.)

Illinois requires license plates not be obscured by frame  625 ILCS 5/12-610.5

Massachusetts laws state a number plate frame that obstructs any part of the plate is illegal, and you could be fined for having an obstructed plate.Michigan prohibits covering any registration information, per Michigan State Police

New York and New Jersey apparently also have similar legislation, but I did not find specific source for this.

Oregon requires plate frames or holders must not prevent the numbers, letters, or stickers from being readable (See ORS 803.550 for more information).

Texas has had similar legislation since 2003/2007, per Snopes article

The wording of Arizona’s statute, in particular, seems intended for enforcement only for Arizona plates.   Some other states’ rules don’t specify what state name must remain unobscured, so their law might easily be applied to out-of-state drivers.

It is highly likely most states have legislation requiring owners to maintain readability of the license, or registration, plate.  What use is the license plate if it isn’t clearly readable?

Debbie and I stumbled onto this requirement two days ago (maybe while we were researching truck weighted tags — another story entirely).  We took a quick look at our license plates (truck and trailer) and realized the trailer’s plate frame (from Airstream store) covered almost 1/3 of state name “North Carolina” at bottom of license plate.

We easily lengthened the license plate’s holes to allow sliding the frame down almost 3/16 inch.  North Carolina’s name is clearly legible, and the stickers at top corners still aren’t obscured.  Our license plate frame rides lower on the license plate and still looks great on the tag.  I’d rather spend a few minutes on a small fix than a few hours fixing a small ticket.

See You Down The Road,

Jim Cocke

Does your Airstream trailer have federally-required reflectors properly installed at the rear?  Some new Airstreams, manufactured between 2002 and 2009, were not produced with required rear reflectors.  This is the subject of a recent recall notice by Airstream Company and, according to Airstream Company, affects 2,052 trailers.

The Recall:
Airstream is apparently sending out notifications and reflex reflectors to all registered owners of 2002-2009 16′, 19′, and 22′ travel trailers.  Airstream states the specified trailer models potentially lack required rear safety reflectors.   Since the factory-installed tail lights on these models (Bambi, International, Safari, 75th Anniversary, DWR, and Ocean Breeze) lack the legally required reflective qualities, new reflectors need to be added to these vehicles.

What should you do?
Do you have an Airstream 16, 19, or 22 built between 2002 and 2009?  If you do not have reflectors, act now or immediately upon receiving the recall notice to install reflectors.  If you have reflectors, are your reflectors in good repair and conspicuous to another vehicle behind yours?  Try to imagine what another driver, from behind you, would see under low-light or reduced visibility conditions.  You may need to address this to reduce the chance of a potentially serious accident.   Take a careful look TODAY at the rear of your trailer!

The Requirement:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a long-standing requirement for provision of reflectors on motor vehicles and trailers [Part 571.108].  This requires all cars, trucks, and trailers sold in the United States to have reflex reflectors on the vehicle rear.  Somehow, certain models of Airstream trailers produced between 2002 and 2009 escaped the factory without the required safety equipment.

Summary of rear reflector requirements from Tables in 571.108:
Reflex reflectors shall be located at the rear on each side of the vertical centerline as far apart as practicable, at the same height not less than 15 inches, nor more than 60 inches height above road [at curb weight].

Links for more information:
Below are three links, these are correspondence between Thor/Airstream and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Airstream’s proposed owner notification letter.

Non-Compliance Notice

Recall Acknowledgement

Owner Notification Letter

Excerpts from the Regulations:
Below are excerpts from the NHTSA regulations regarding reflectors for trailers.  These excerpts provide the reader with the Purpose, Scope, and Applicability of the reflector regulations. These are verbatim from NHTSA Regulations Part 571 Standard 108:

Part 571: Motor Carrier Vehicle Safety Standards

Subpart B—Motor Carrier Vehicle Safety Standards
§571.108 Standard No. 108; Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.

S1. Scope. This standard specifies requirements for original and replacement lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.

S2.Purpose. The purpose of this standard is to reduce traffic accidents and deaths and injuries resulting from traffic accidents, by providing adequate illumination of the roadway, and by enhancing the conspicuity of motor vehicles on the public roads so that their presence is perceived and their signals understood, both in daylight and in darkness or other conditions of reduced visibility.

S3. Application. This standard applies to:

(S3)(a) Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers (except pole trailers and trailer converter dollies), and motorcycles;

(S3)(b) Retroreflective sheeting and reflex reflectors manufactured to conform to S5.7 of this standard; and

(S3)(c) Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment for replacement of like equipment on vehicles to which this standard applies.

Notice of this recall also posted on Carolinas Unit of NC website at Safety Alerts page.

Jim Cocke