Front License Relocation For Light Bar?

You are right that WA state law requires you to have the front plate but there is a little known loophole to this.

A state patrolman pulled me over in my FJ40 around 10 years ago, I had just mounted a new front bumper but had not mounted the plate yet. He told me you only have to have it in your possession, it is not required to be mounted. I pulled the plate from under my seat and showed him I did have it. He said great, have a good day and left without ticketing me. Unless the law has recently changed, you should be ok as long as you can physically show it to the officer.

My theory is the WSP uses your front plate as a reflector when they point a radar gun at you. If it's not there, they see that as probable cause to pull you over and investigate. Since then I have kept my front plates mounted, just to keep our ticket happy, state revenue makers from pulling me over.

I too wanted to put a long light bar in the same spot on my 99 Taco. I ended up mounting 2 of these small led light bars on either side of the front plate. They work well and the state cops leave me alone. Good luck!

 

Well, your theory is a bit off. Most LEOs use LIDAR now, but even radar guns don't need a license plate to get a good return. I could go into all sorts of details on why (I process/analyze radar data for a living), but suffice to say the license plate isn't that great of a reflector relative to the rest of the target (bumper, grill, hood, etc...).

Also, either your patrolman was wrong, or the laws have been updated since you got lit up...
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/pasfaqs.htm

But practically speaking, it mostly has to do with being able to identify your vehicle from the front or the back, not revenue. Some states just enforce that more than others and use your wallet to help enforce that.

Some toll bridges (Golden Gate, for example) also use your front plate as your toll charge, rather than a fastpass or whatever they're called.

 

Thanks for this information. It appears the RCW codes regarding plates were updated in 2014. Sorry for any misinformation I have inadvertently spread. The good old days are truly gone.

 

I recently put LED bar in my front bumper and haven't put my plate back on yet. I keep it in the truck and if I get pulled over I was gonna just offer to zip tie it on right there on the spot. Might not be the best idea, but it's what I've got going for now