Cops can’t legally pull you over starting July 1 if license plate registration is expired

A NEW law will ban officers from using expired license plates to conduct traffic stops, unless the license plates are older than a certain age.

However, drivers can still be cited for this, as long as the plates were not the reason they were pulled over.

California Assembly Bill 256 was signed into law in October 2023 and prohibits officers from using expired license plates as the sole reason to stop someone.

It specifies that expired stages can no longer be “the sole basis for any coercive measure before the second month following the month of expiration of the vehicle registration”.

However, if the vehicle is stopped for another reason, such as a broken tail light or for speeding, then expired license plates are a legitimate target.

“Notwithstanding this provision, The law project would authorize enforcement actions before the 2nd month following the expiration month if a vehicle is stopped for any other violation of the Vehicle Code,” the bill continues.

Before mentioning the changes made, he acknowledges that expired tags violate the law.

“Existing law requires current month and year labels, indicating the month and year in which a vehicle’s registration expired, to be affixed to the rear license plate assigned to the vehicle to the last previous registration year in which the registration plates were issued,” the bill reads.

“Under current law, a vehicle that fails to display the current month and year tabs or displays expired tabs is violating the law.”

The changes will come into effect on July 1, 2024.

Other laws passed by the Golden State this year directly affect drivers, such as AB 1606, which gives senior drivers additional ways to renew an expired driver’s license without going to the DMV.

One of the highlights of the bill is that it allows drivers over the age of 70 to take vision and knowledge tests virtually or remotely to avoid an office visit once the program is developed.

Regarding expired registration, AB 925 prohibits tow truck drivers from towing vehicles with expired registration without first verifying that the tags are more than six months old.

Drivers should obtain the information from the DMV before towing.

If an officer or traffic official does not have immediate access to this information, the bill prohibits any towing.

To the dismay of some urban drivers in Northern and Southern California, AB 645 allows Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, Glendale, Long Beach and the city and county of San Francisco to install speed cameras to curb driving dangerous.

There would be a limited number of cameras, and the cameras would be part of a five-year pilot program in school zones or areas where there are a high number of collisions or illegal street racing that tends to take place.

Additionally, AB 2773 requires peace officers who make a traffic stop or pedestrian stop to state the reason for the stop before inquiring further.

The only exception would be when the officer believes that keeping the reason hidden would protect life or property from a threat.

The bill also requires that this information be updated and added to the DMV driver’s manual.

It requires local law enforcement officers to report additional information about traffic stops to the DOJ.