What To Do About HAVING EXPIRED TAGS – PART 1
By: Nathan Mallon | 13. Feb 2009
So I currently have expired license plate tags on my car, I mean, they only expired on December 20th, 2007. I have decided to turn the whole situation into an experiment. How long can a person get away with driving on expired tags? Huh, that’s a good question, I really have no idea, but I’m sure I’ll find out!
It is kind of hard to believe that I have been driving the car almost every day for over a year with the expired tags, I was even pulled over for speeding about a month ago and not a word was mentioned by the highway patrol officer who pulled me over for going 22 mph over the speed limit in Kentucky and failing to use my turn signal while switching lanes. Right when I saw the cop car lights flashing behind me I thought “This is it, I’m busted, he is going to nail me for my tags in addition to speeding, dang it!!!” My brother and I were sitting in the car and as we were waiting for the cop to come and tell us about the ticket we both said he is going to get me for the tags, but nope, not a word was mentioned.
I just want to take this moment to say to all the highway patrollers out there, you guys really need to pay more attention.
Maybe it is because I currently have Ohio plates on my car although I have lived in Tennessee for over a year now, maybe since my license plate looks different those who are looking at it are distracted from the expired tags and pay no attention to it. There have been several occasions where I have been driving with a police car following directly behind me and I was not stopped. I definitely made sure to turn off or switch lanes as soon as I could obviously but it goes to show that attention isn’t being paid to my tags.
So I really do not know what to do about my expired tags. How long do you think I can go? We are at 386 days and counting. Can I make it 2 years? 5 years? longer?
[...] on my car, actually I’ve had expired tags on my car for a little while now…read “What To Do About HAVING EXPIRED TAGS” [...]
Well I hope you don't plan on driving that car to Florida anytime within the next 5 years. I just got my first ever speeding ticket and the cop definitely looked on my tags to make they were up to date.
I don't know your money situation, but if you just have money laying around to pay for a ticket for having expired tags, then I say go for it!!!!!!! if not, I think you should get them updated. you never know !
Have you been busted yet? It is crazy but I am in the exact situation. I even live in Tennessee and have Ohio plates! It's been over a year now.
Haha, that's great, glad to know that I'm not alone…and I've still not been busted!
How long has it been for you? Maybe you can write a blog about it for us sometime.
-N
Mine expired feb 2008…. but I have a dealership frame around my plates and it sort of covers the date. I think our saving grace is that the plates are our of state, i don't think they notice as much. However, I'm originally from Michigan, went to school in Ohio and then moved here… i still have a Michigan license, so if I do get pulled over (knock on wood) I will get in double-trouble for not having a TN license!
I've heard they can tow or impound your car for tags over 6 months… so I may cave soon:)
It's good to find someone who understands what it's like to drive every day. The constant checking the rearview, the trying to have someone behind you all the time, switching lanes… I've even gone out of my way and the wrong direction because I see a cop coming. I feel like a fugitive on the run every day!:)
I agree with you, I think having out-of-state plates definitely distracts them from seeing my expired sticker tag. I do have a TN license though.
I can totally relate to the paranoid driving though, I've definitely gone out of my way to get cops off of my butt while driving as well and I tend to drive the speed limit more as well just so I don't get pulled over again. I doubt I would be as lucky as the last time I was pulled over.
Anywho, thanks for sharing and visiting our silly site, & keep us posted on your situation!
My tags expried July 06. There are Louisiana plates, but I live in Mississippi and I think that has been factor for cops not to notice. I am finally going to try and get them registered in Mississippi, but I am scared to see what kind of fines I will be getting. Has anyone else had expired plates registered?
yeah… I think it does help having out of state tags for cops not to notice…. and, I don't think there are any extra fees for registering expired tags.
well… I guess it could be different for every state
Thought I'd give you an update:
I just got my new TN plates. While there are no fees for expired tags, it IS a bit trickier than I thought. I gave them all my required info, but since my OH registration was not up to date, they were insisting that I needed an up to date one from Ohio in order to get my tags. However, i happen to lease my car, so I had a very recent power of attorney that stated my leasing company would allow me to register my car in TN. They pulled some strings and decided to honor that for me so I could get my plates….
However, if I hadn't had that– I would have been screwed. I would need to have my car registered in Ohio, but that's pretty much impossible since I'm a resident of TN with a TN license. Ohio won't let you renew your tags in ohio when you don't live there. (I've tried)
So… I hate to be a downer, but you might want to look into that if you ever decide to get TN plates. It's a little bit harder than I thought…. just thought you'd want a head's up! If Ohio lets you get them, you will most likely have to pay for the 2 years you missed before they do….
Thanks for the heads up Lisa!
I remember reading that I needed to get a power of attorney as well since I also lease my vehicle, so if/when I cave and decide to renew my tags hopefully I will follow the same path you did since I am a resident of TN with a TN license too.
My tags have been expired for 477 days & counting!!!
Haha… awesome that you lease your car too! You should be okay then… just play dumb and tell them you haven't been driving your car since they expired. That's what I did.
Just don't get pulled over… they can impound your car! eek!
I feel a little bit like I beat the system since I didn't pay to get my tags for an entire year and never got pulled over… woohoo!
3 years
Dang…and still going?
You should win some kind of award… a bad bad award of course… but an award… I mean, we wouldn't want to encourage such behavior
I have just recently joined this game, I am only 2 months overdue but I am working on it!
soo here's the update: April of 08 till September of 09.. almost a year and a half. I had them changed this past week. I feel good. I feel better about myself. Glad to join the ranks of legal drivers… I almost want a cop to drive behind me for a while now.
I got busted today! Mine are expired for 8 months now and BAM! Blue Light Special. I have a court appearance I can't even get out of it by mailing a fine in. I just hope they don't charge me for all the months that it has been expired.
Did you get towed?
i need to know quickly if my tags are a month expired and i'm driving and get pulled over by the police will i get a fix it ticket, ticket-ticket. Im praying the answer is not towed because they expired on 10-22-09 and i will pay them on december 1, 2009. Can anyone please help me before i jum back in this car stressed out today.
Typically you have the entire month that your tags expire in… sooo you probably had all of October and they are expired this month. If you are sneaky sneaky you probably can make it till dec 1st… I mean that is only 9 days away! We made it over a year… but then again the only way to be sure is to get them renewed now. Godspeed
Typically you have the entire month that your tags expire in… sooo you probably had all of October and they are expired this month. If you are sneaky sneaky you probably can make it till dec 1st… I mean that is only 9 days away! We made it over a year… but then again the only way to be sure is to get them renewed now. Godspeed
im in the same boat the tags on my boyfirends car are expired cant get them because he has a o2 sensor messed up it wont pass emissions and his lic recently got suspened so i have to drive he had ga plates and i have a pennsylvania lic so im always scared to drive anywhere if i get a fi ne thts ok but i dont want to go to jail idk how tn law is with tht can anyone who reads this help me out
i got stopped driving my moms car after it was about 27 days expired. i got a 78 dollar ticket i believe. i lost my license for not paying it. but in tennessee u dont have to show ID or a license or anything, u need a tag and some money to get a sticker. im not sure if you guys are talking about past visits or if my clerk is corrupt but its always been simple. my name isnt even on the tag.
You need to grow up and be accountable you moran.How pathetic are you going on line bragging about how you feel you are above following laws like the rest of us….youre a real winner
what's a moran?
I hadnt gotten new tags since april 09…JUST got busted 3 days ago for it on 6/19/2010
P.s. The cop said they were 2 months expired on the ticket