Traffic Stop: "License and Registration Please."

[taseal]

It depends

in FL, there is a statute that requires you to have it. same with insurance. you must have them in the vehicle.

320.0605 Certificate of registration; possession required; exception.—The registration certificate or an official copy thereof, a true copy of a rental or lease agreement issued for a motor vehicle or issued for a replacement vehicle in the same registration period, a temporary receipt printed upon self-initiated electronic renewal of a registration via the Internet, or a cab card issued for a vehicle registered under the International Registration Plan shall, at all times while the vehicle is being used or operated on the roads of this state, be in the possession of the operator thereof or be carried in the vehicle for which issued and shall be exhibited upon demand of any authorized law enforcement officer or any agent of the department, except for a vehicle registered under s. 320.0657. The provisions of this section do not apply during the first 30 days after purchase of a replacement vehicle. A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

there is another for insurane.

so when I pull you over and ask you for it, you're supposed to have it on your possession.

if they don't ask you, they don't have to. it's not required to ask. I ask because I want to make sure it's on your person.

I can see it on my computer if it's registered anyways (insurance too...)

if all your windows are down, I might ask you to put a window up so I can see the tint level too. doesn't mean I must, but I can. same with the registration. I ask because you should have it on you.

I hope that explains it

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[iKelvin]

Not exactly been pulled over 1000 times but it's been different every time, they always want to see my DL but everything else was secondary.

[oakchas]

I do not know about your state. Some states require you to show your registration. Some states don't and don't
even issue one in a form that would be usable. I don't know if Iowa still requires, as it once did, that a registration
card be attached to your visor or steering column. So, your experience might be a Kansas thing.

No longer has to be visible in Iowa... You are correct, It used to have to be on the steering column or visor... most opted for the column... guess what... smart thieves (a rare breed, today) could get your address off the registration... and go hit your place while you were on the town... they might even pull the coil wore on your car to delay your return home....

The law finally wised up... and they quit requiring people to have the registration visible...

[rammerjammer]

I've had to show my registration here in Nebraska.

[BigStick]

In OR and WA, they ask for licese, registration and proof of insurrance.

[packinnova]

Here's something I find curious that I'd love to have clarified: I've seen posts either here or on other forums where allegedly the driver is asked by the LEO to produce a driver's license and registration. You also see it a lot in movies and TV shows (as if that's a reflection of reality.) I've been driving for 36 years and have been stopped by the police in IL, WI, MN, ND and KS and never once had to show my "registration". I don't even know what that is. Is it like a title? Nobody carries their title around, it's as valuable as the car. Driver's license, of course. Proof of insurance, yes. Registration, never. So, my question is: Where does this come from? Are there some states that require you to carry a copy of your registration (whatever that is)? Is this a holdover from some bygone era? Or is it simply a common misconception?

It's "proof" that you've paid yet another BS tax under the guise of stolen license plates. Why exactly do I have to re-register a vehicle I've already registered this year, the year before, and the year before ad infinitum? Oh right...

[MrBuckwheat]

In WI since we got the insurance requirement under uncle jim doyle. We have had to show proof if insurance and the receipt from the state when you pay for your license plate. I believe they call it registration. Along with your DL.

[mcp1810]

Part of it goes back to pre mobile data terminal days. In Maryland the vehicle description on the registration was model year, make, and style (4 door etc). To know that you had the exact vehicle for those plates you would have to compare the vin on the vehicle to the one on the card. When I would give an officer a tag return over the air it would be "...on a 1995 Chevy 2 door listed to.." Without running the vin decoder I would not know what model it was.

[dukalmighty]

Thanks everyone. Perhaps I've been remiss all these years. I'll have to check and see what KS requires. When I get my plates I file the paperwork with my other automotive stuff, such as maintenance records.

Kansas requires drivers license and proof of insurance,if your plate is current it will come back to you when they run it,your insurance card will also state the type of vehicle and Vin number .Years ago I stopped a vehicle with an expired plate,renewal sticker wasn't on it,I ran the tag it came back current,An old farmer was driving and I asked if he had is registration,he pulled it out and it had the sticker on it he was supposed to put on his plate,I helped him put it on and life was good

[357and40]

NEver been asked for registration. Missouri it is usually "License & Proof of insurance please." I do like the fact that every time I have ever been pulled over it has ended with "please." Manners are important!

[Hopyard]

It's "proof" that you've paid yet another BS tax under the guise of stolen license plates. Why exactly do I have to re-register a vehicle I've already registered this year, the year before, and the year before ad infinitum? Oh right...

And, you don't want to pay taxes? I don't either but somewhere along the way things have to be paid for.
Pot holes don't get fixed for free. Police don't magically arrive for free. Jails and courts aren't free.

[oldrwizr]

How nice that the Midwest doesn't require vehicle registration. If you get stopped in NC and other parts of the South, you'll get asked for your registration. I've been stopped about 10 times (hey, I'm old already!) and was asked for both every time. All were in NC.

P.S. I keep it in the sun visor overhead for just such an emergency.

[packinnova]

And, you don't want to pay taxes? I don't either but somewhere along the way things have to be paid for.
Pot holes don't get fixed for free. Police don't magically arrive for free. Jails and courts aren't free.

Perhaps when they quit squandering the money we've already paid them that is already earmarked for such purposes but magically that money is never enough or is "missing" at the end of the year... NOVA/Metro DC region for ya ;-p

[highvoltage]

Here's something I find curious that I'd love to have clarified: I've seen posts either here or on other forums where allegedly the driver is asked by the LEO to produce a driver's license and registration. You also see it a lot in movies and TV shows (as if that's a reflection of reality.) I've been driving for 36 years and have been stopped by the police in IL, WI, MN, ND and KS and never once had to show my "registration". I don't even know what that is. Is it like a title? Nobody carries their title around, it's as valuable as the car. Driver's license, of course. Proof of insurance, yes. Registration, never. So, my question is: Where does this come from? Are there some states that require you to carry a copy of your registration (whatever that is)? Is this a holdover from some bygone era? Or is it simply a common misconception?

Haven't been stopped in a long time, but I recall being asked for both license and registration. In NH you are issued a paper registration with stickers that are applied to your car's plates. It's a colored sticker with the year on it. Your plate has another sticker with your birth month, and your inspection sticker on the inside of your windshield is a colored sticker that matches the color of your plate sticker. And trust me, at the beginning of every month they do look to see if your inspection and registration stickers are valid.

[highvoltage]

It's "proof" that you've paid yet another BS tax under the guise of stolen license plates. Why exactly do I have to re-register a vehicle I've already registered this year, the year before, and the year before ad infinitum? Oh right...

In NH the yearly fee (which is what they call it) is based on the value of the vehicle being registered. Therefore it is a tax and is deductible.