8 Reasons You Can Be Ticketed For Your License Plate In Minnesota

License plates can be pretty complicated. Do you know that there are about 8 reasons you could be ticketed in Minnesota for your plates?

Some of the reasons are pretty self-explanatory, but some you might not even think about. The Land of 10,000 Lakes has rules that you have to follow about your license plates to ensure that police, cameras, and plate readers can easily read your plates.

Last month, we found out if it's required to have a front license plate in Minnesota. As we found out, it is required to have plates in the front and the back. However, there are a few exceptions: You are required to have one unless you are operating a semitrailer, small trailer, motorcycles, or mopeds, and if you have a collector's vehicle. That got me thinking about what other rules apply to license plates.

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I reached out to a Duluth Police Officer and checked out Driver and Vehicle Services, which is a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Here are 8 reasons you could be ticketed for your license plate in Minnesota:

Plate Display

First and foremost, all license plates are required to be displayed horizontally and in an upright position with the identifying numbers and letters facing outward from the vehicle.

You Must Have Two Licenses Plates, One For The Front and Back

As mentioned earlier, there are a few exceptions to this rule. However, you can not display them in windows. One must be on the front of the vehicle and the other on the rear of the vehicle.

Secure Those Plates

Not only do they need to be in the front and the back of the vehicle, but they also need to be properly fastened. You could be ticketed if your plates are slipping and sliding around.

You Must Have Current Tabs

This is a big one. The tabs on your vehicle must be current and cannot be obscured by a plate cover.

No Improper Covers

Since we're on the topic of plate covers, they cannot be glass or plastic. You cannot have a cover that distorts or obscures your plates. If the plates cannot be properly read or photographed, then your are in violation and could be ticketed.

Watch Out For Snow Ice

This one is another big one, especially living in what some call the "Frozen Tundra". If any area of your plate is covered by snow or ice, you can get a ticket.

Improper Illumination

You may wonder why your vehicle has small lights around the license plate area. That is so your plates can be seen at night. If they are not properly illuminated, that's right, you could see yourself getting a ticket.

You Can Be Ticketed While You're Parked

This one a lot of people don't know. If you have a license plate violation and you are parked on public property, you can still get a ticket. However, this does not include being parked on private property.

The more you know. As I said, some are common knowledge, but maybe there was one or two on this list that you didn't know. Take a look at how Minnesota plates looked like over the years below: