I think referring to that registration document with information in a 10
point font folded into the document to the size of a business card in the
front window as
"on display" is a generous use of the phrase. ;)

When I bought my car recently the dealer folds it and tapes it into the
windshield in such a way that any information on the document is not visible
through the
window. I mean you could read CA DMV but nothing else--maybe the VIN # was
visible on that document in that 10 point font. But it's not like an
inspection sticker from some states where it is color coded by year and has
a visible number on it referring to a month. It's a plain white piece of
paper about 3"X5" folded over and over until it's a little smaller than a
business card.

Also things may be different here in the LA area where traffic infractions
are all but ignored by a completely underfunded and understaffed police
force.
But I do remember back east if you drove with a tail light out or even a
license plate light out you were sure to get pulled over whether you were in
a VW bus or my mom in her Volvo.

Whatever the case, with DMV closed for business I guess none of it matters.
And don't get me started with 1 out of 4 drivers uninsured in CA or in LA if
you're in t

Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA

On Sat, Jun 11, 2011 at 1:19 PM, Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@gmail.com> wrote:

> No plates... yes.  However, you must have some form of registration
> document on display.  When a dealer sells a vehicle, they are required to
> put a registration document on the windshield (right, upper corner).  That
> document is good for 180 days.
>
> If you don't have plates, you need to have a temporary registration in the
> rear window (little red paper that is stuck to the inside).  Temporary
> registrations are usually only good for 1 or 2 months.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Oxroad
> Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2011 12:35 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: can't register my Vanagon, Calif madness, LVC
>
> For those non-Californians--
>
> It's completely legal to drive in California with NO License plate on your
> vehicle.
> It's largely reserved for brand new cars where you don't get license plates
> from the new car dealer and drive off the
> lot with no license plate, no temporary plate, no nothin'.
>
> You then wait for you license plate to arrive in the mail from DMV which
> usually takes about 6 weeks. It's pretty much up to you when of if you put
> them on the vehicle as it seems not to be a reason from police suspicion.
>
> The thing is people drive illegally with no plates on their cars for years.
> As you may have guessed a lot of crimes committed with the use of a car are
> committed by vehicles with no plates.
> "Yes officer it was a 2011 black Cadillac Escalate with no license plates."
> "I'll put out an APB"
> Joke is almost all 2011 Cadillacs and ever other brand have no license
> plates. Good luck with the APB.
>
> No plates saves the drivers from parking tickets, red light tickets, and
> being identified if they decide to hit and run or commit a crime. And like
> I
> said,
> they run there cars for years this way at least in the LA area.
>
> I've also seen plenty of used cars without plates. While in CA you sell the
> license plates originally on the car with the car and the new owner
> registers it with your "Old "plates, I guess if a car doesn't have CA
> plates
> when it's sold it's OK to drive it while you wait for DMV to mail the
> plates. Or if your plates are stolen you have to wait from the DMV to get
> it
> together.
>
> With the new and consistent budget crunch it may take even more time to get
> your license plates. How's your cross country trip gonna go with no plates?
> ;)
>
> It's a mess. Prop 13 in CA in the 1970s forbids the state from reassessing
> your home, so you pay 1970s value property tax on your home until you sell
> it. If you bought it in the '80s you're locked in there, in the 90's the
> same and so on. You may be in a million dollar home but you pay taxes as if
> it was worth $30K. Kind of stresses the budget, along with a lot of
> mismanagement and graft.
>
> But it rarely rains in SoCal.
>
> Best,
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westy
> LA,CA
>
> On Sat, Jun 11, 2011 at 4:22 AM, Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > What if you lose your tag or it gets stolen? Oh, look, your tag is gone
> > (quickly, hide it!). Someone must have STOLEN it. Oh D-A-R-N, now you
> have
> > to get a NEW one immediately!
> >
> > Chris.
> >
> > Wyslane z iPhone'a
> >
> > Dnia Jun 10, 2011 o godz. 21:47 mark drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
> > napisal(a):
> >
> > > My tags will expire in a few weeks so I have been wondering where my
> > > registration renewal notice is. They always come a couple months in
> > > advance. I just found out that the State of California is not accepting
> > > payment for tags due in July and August since they hope the legislature
> > > will soon raise the fees above what they are currently due to be.
> > >
> > > I'm not so concerned about the amount that I will pay as much as I am
> > > with the disorderly conduct of the State in putting it's citizens in a
> > > bind for such trivial reasons. Calif says late fees and expired tag
> > > violations will be waived but what effect does that have on other
> > > jurisdictions for those of us who plan summer travel in our vans?
> Really
> > > Officer, I wanted new tags but the government wouldn't sell them to me
> > > before I left. At the very least this provides probable cause for
> > > stopping me that otherwise might not exist.
> > >
> > > They should just let me pay the amount that is currently authorized and
> > > then send a bill for any extra should that occur.
> > >
> > >
> > > Mark
> >
>
>