DES MOINES – Police will be within their rights to pull over anyone with a license plate that is not fully visible, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled last week.
The decision stemmed from a case of an Iowa crack cocaine dealer who was evading law enforcement officers in Davenport. The officers eventually pulled him over because his license plate was enclosed in a frame that obscured the county name on the plate.
The Supreme Court agreed that although the county name on a license plate is unnecessary to conduct a license plate check, it can be useful to help law enforcement track down a vehicle driven by someone who has been observed breaking the law. Citizens unable to remember a complete registration plate number may be able to help identify a particular vehicle by providing the county name with a partial number.
In summary, the Supreme Court ruled that Iowa Code section 321.37(3) is violated when the license plate frame covers up the county name.
The Iowa DOT website also reminds car owners that Iowa Code Section 321.37(3) states that “It is unlawful for the owner of a vehicle to place any frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters print on the registration plate.”
[poll random]
I think they should revisit whether there should be a county designation on Iowa’s plates now that they are only replaced once in 10 years.
I don’t like the idea that an officer can pull you over for no other reason than that the county name is partially blocked. This sets precedence that any blockage by snow would also give them the ability to stop anyone, since the county name is partially obscured.
I think it would make an interesting debate and I’d like to hear the arguments.
The excuse they gave us in Arizona was the frames are man made, mud and snow isn’t.
@maybe-I will bet they will pull people over for natural blockage too. They can pull you over for not cleaning your windows in the winter if they want too. They don’t do it a lot as the cops don’t want to be bothered. If you are out after 10:00PM they will use any excuse to pull you over and check you out.
Is the ruling about the intentional blockage or any blockage?
It’s quite common to see snow or road dust/grime blocking the visibility of some of the license plates.
most of the frames cover most of the county, that’s basically it.
What about the plates that are personalized for U of I or Iowa state or UNI?
They don’t print the county on those.
… and if not, why print it on any?
I’m all for county pride but I’ve noticed that, rather than read the plate number, I first read the county designation. If I really wanted to identify the vehicle, I should I read the number first as a matter of habit.
For law enforcement officials, they have access to the ability to learn where the vehicle is from using only the registration number. They don’t need the county designation. This is just a way to pull more over.
I have heard and used this same point many times but after being pulled over numerous times I finally decided to just give in.
Excellent point.
@Mediator-As I read it as “ANY BLOCKAGE”. That includes specialized plates too. Just another reason for search and seizure.
This should be real interesting. A great deal of the vehicles that drive by our house do not even have a license plate and a lot of them have school or designer plate holders that cover part of the plate. Look for a lot more arrest in the future.
I went through this in Arizona a few years back. A lot of people were upset about it but eventually they all removed their frames. As much as I disliked the decision I can understand why they made it.
I saw a license plate like this Saturday night in Clear Lake. Large Chicago Bears frame, obscuring much of the plate. Four men in the car, yelling and whooping it up, seemed drunk. Perfect reason for cops to pull them over, I thought to myself.