Motor vehicle laws. Complicated jurisdiction question.

[AdvancedQs]

I have recently been wondering about something. I'll use a Florida RV as an example because I’m familiar with some things about that state and how it differs from others.

Florida: pretty dark window tints are allowed. Now, if I take my Florida vehicle up to a state where they do not allow window tinting, and my Florida vehicle has Florida license plates, Florida registration, I have a Florida license, can they give me a ticket for having window tints that meet the legal requirements of my state? Even if I’m just passing through another state?

what about inspection stickers? Florida doesn’t have motor vehicle inspections. What if you go through a state that requires motor vehicle inspections? Can you get a ticket for no inspection?

I ask because I did have something kind of similar happen to me. And they wrote up the ticket. Even though I was completely legal in my own state. they said I can just fight it in court and I would probably do fine. But why waste all this time?

[dedmiston]

AdvancedQs wrote:
Well, you might not know what you are talking about then. That’s what you are showing in this post.

Please stick to the topic if you're ignorant.

I’m not wasting my time on you. You can Google the law. Find it yourself.

I knew the idiots would come out of the woodwork the minute I started posting about the actual items. Maybe I’ll go back and delete that. So you can go back into the woodwork.

Based on your manners here, I think I know why the cop wrote you the tickets.

It’s a shame you got so rude and got your own thread shut down.

[fj12ryder]

Don't forget, much ticket writing is about revenue enhancement, not making sure the public safety is guarded.

[Grit_dog]

Spoon said it best. Roll all your windows down….
But to be fair, between the window tint question and the I don’t need insurance argument, it seems like you need to try to stick to reality and not your version of it.

[Ed_Gee]

My opinion.... your license plate issue is near identical to a front license plate requirement.... some states don't require a front license plate...and don't issue the second plate. Would be awkward if law enforcement wrote you a ticket on that!
Regarding you insurance issue.... sounds like the officer was really straining to write you the ticket... and as he said, you'll probablynget that thrown out.... nice to have the traffic court use Zoom, at least. But do consider.... you have no liability insurance and I am somewhat concerned where an out of state driver with no insurance can cause an accident and have no insurance policy to provide to the victim..... the court could hold that same view.... so be prepared.

[spoon059]

AdvancedQs wrote:
It’s the same in the state I was stopped in. If you are a resident of that state and registered in that state and you don’t have auto insurance, they tow your car immediately. But he couldn’t do that. Because I’m not a resident of his state. So instead he reached and try to find anything he could. He really didn’t know what he was doing.

Insurance is required in Maryland. A police officer on a stop can demand your license, registration and insurance. If you fail to provide proof of insurance then you can absolutely have your car towed, regardless of state of residency.

In fact, I've seen lawsuits where an officer allowed an uninsured vehicle to leave a traffic stop. The driver got into an accident a short distance down the road. The attorney for the struck vehicle found evidence of the traffic stop (maybe a ticket or warning was issued, I'm not sure) and found out that the officer let an uninsured motor vehicle continue down the road. The struck motorist succesfully sued that police department (they had bigger pockets than the striking vehicle) for allowed an uninsured motorist to drive.

[toedtoes]

The issue is really about can you reasonably expect an LEO in another state to know the laws of your state.

In most cases, this is a NO, you cannot reasonably expect an LEO in another state to know the laws of your state.

So, while you do not "legally" have to show proof of insurance or financial responsibility prior to an accident in New Hampshire, and that "follows you" to other states, an LEO in another state is not going to know that (and WILL NOT "just take your word for it") and will ticket you and let you deal with it in court.

I would suggest that if you plan on driving in other states a lot, that you talk to an attorney about the benefits/risks of carrying something like a notarized statement of financial responsibility to show in other jurisdictions, etc.

Otherwise, you will face this again and you may not have the luxury of a zoom hearing next time. And you can be pissed about it all you want, but it's perfectly legal for an officer to ticket you for a violation in that state and let you argue it in court.

P.S. It sounds like your vehicle is registered in Florida while you are licensed in New Hampshire. If this is true, then this is likely creating a greater chance of your being ticketed - most LEOs are going to question someone who is licensed in one state and driving a vehicle registered to them in another state - it raises red flags for them.

[spoon059]

20 years as a police officer...

Your tint is legal in Florida, but against the law in Maryland. A Maryland police officer can pull you over and write you a citation for the tint, its called reciprocity.

It has been my experience that if a judge learns that the tint was allowed in your home state, they will generally drop the charge. That is problematic for you to have to return to Maryland to fight the ticket though.

My suggestion is two fold.
1- Be courteous and considerate to the officer, and they will likely be courteous and considerate back to you. Conversely, act like a jerk to an officer and you shouldn't be at all surprised when they act like a jerk right back to you. In this circumstance, roll down ALL your windows so that an officer approaching your car can more easily see inside and quickly determine that you aren't a threat to them. Walking up to an unknown vehicle that first time and not being able to see inside will raise anxiety for any intelligent officer. Reducing that anxiety will go a long ways towards an amicable outcome for you!
2- If you are concerned about it, on top of being courteous and considerate, consider printing out the law from your home state declaring that the level of tint is lawful in your home state. There are 50 state with their own laws, I don't know every traffic law in my own state... let alone your state! If you tell me that your tint is legal at home and have paperwork to back it up (and followed point 1) then I am extremely likely to issue you a warning and be done with the stop.

[JRscooby]

ktmrfs wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Window tint enforcement can change as you drive thru a city, let alone a state.
Stopped because plate was not displayed like LEO expected? In another thread that can't happen. Other issue found after that stop? Another impossibility.

Now you are talking about something more important than window tint. Does any state actually require insurance? Think they really want proof of a minimum level financial responsibility. From what you have posted, you did not show that. In my state that can lead to arrest on the spot.

yes many state DO require insurance. The minimum amount of liability varies but states do require proof of insurance, even if your home state doesn't.

A quick check says NH and Virgina are the only states that don't require liability insurance.

Oregon requires you provide proof of insurance in order to register or re register your motor vehicle.

Well I know some big trucking companies do not pay insurance companies, but instead put up bond with states to satisfy responsibility requirements. (When leased to them I carried proof of that bond) My state requires the bond or proof of insurance to get plates. I know 1 of the talking points against letting non-citizens have a driver license is if have a accident, just go back home, avoid responsibility. (Nobody has explained how them driving w/o license is better) I guess now we got to worry about state not protecting us from people that live in other states?
BTW, OP. I have been rewarded 3 times, from 3 companies, logging over half million miles without accident. But I have had accidents.

[ken56]

Try posing the question to the/a/your states attorney's office or Secretary of State office or both. The police can write you a ticket no matter if they are wrong about the law as long as they think they are acting "in good faith". The judge determines validity at your inconvenience. Interesting question and I hope to see an answer in the future.

[AdvancedQs]

Well, I think I just found my own answer. Finally I googled it and found something.

what I am saying is true. You are only subject to the laws of your own state. There are only three states to participate in some weird program where you have to abide by the law of the state you are in rather than the state you are registered in. Those three states are Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Arkansas.

otherwise, you are governed by the state you are registered in.

Driver License Agreement

...
The two compacts, the Driver License Compact and the Nonresident Violator Compact, are combined in the latest reciprocal driving law, the Driver License Agreement. As of November 2010, there are only three member states in the Driver License Agreement, which are Connecticut, Massachusetts and Arkansas. With this new agreement, drivers face tougher fines when operating a motor vehicle in states other than the home state. Drivers may be held responsible for laws in another state when the law is not applicable in the home state. For example, window-tinting laws vary from state to state, but drivers will be held responsible when a vehicle does not meet the requirements in the state they are visiting or passing through

https://legalbeagle.com/7480058-states-reciprocal-driving-laws.html

Which is quite a relief because it’s the only thing that actually makes any sense. You can’t possibly meet the requirement for say, a car inspection, if you are from Florida and driving in New Hampshire. You don’t have car inspections in Florida. Yet they are a crucial part of safety in New Hampshire. And you are immediately issued a ticket if you don’t have an inspection.

Nor would everyone be able to know the entire country's set of laws or comply with them. It’s not even possible. complying with the laws would be completely impossible. especially for someone from Florida who drives into a state that requires automobile inspections.

glad to see there is some sanity. But I can’t believe the three states that do not participate in the sanity.

[AdvancedQs]

ktmrfs wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Window tint enforcement can change as you drive thru a city, let alone a state.
Stopped because plate was not displayed like LEO expected? In another thread that can't happen. Other issue found after that stop? Another impossibility.

Now you are talking about something more important than window tint. Does any state actually require insurance? Think they really want proof of a minimum level financial responsibility. From what you have posted, you did not show that. In my state that can lead to arrest on the spot.

yes many state DO require insurance. The minimum amount of liability varies but states do require proof of insurance, even if your home state doesn't.

A quick check says NH and Virgina are the only states that don't require liability insurance.

That’s some good googling. Finally. Somebody googled it. Anyway. How do you know this? Does that state that requires insurance also require an inspection sticker? What about the tinted windows? It’s all the same thing.

so far, I haven’t seen a real answer in this thread. Just a lot of thoughts and feelings.

just to keep things focused, I’m going to repeat the question again.

If a vehicle is correctly configured and legal to drive in its state including the physical set up and the paperwork set up, is it legal to drive the same vehicle in all 50 states? Is there reciprocity?

[ktmrfs]

JRscooby wrote:
Window tint enforcement can change as you drive thru a city, let alone a state.
Stopped because plate was not displayed like LEO expected? In another thread that can't happen. Other issue found after that stop? Another impossibility.

Now you are talking about something more important than window tint. Does any state actually require insurance? Think they really want proof of a minimum level financial responsibility. From what you have posted, you did not show that. In my state that can lead to arrest on the spot.

yes many state DO require insurance. The minimum amount of liability varies but states do require proof of insurance, even if your home state doesn't.

A quick check says NH and Virgina are the only states that don't require liability insurance.

Oregon requires you provide proof of insurance in order to register or re register your motor vehicle.

[AdvancedQs]

JRscooby wrote:
Window tint enforcement can change as you drive thru a city, let alone a state.
Stopped because plate was not displayed like LEO expected? In another thread that can't happen. Other issue found after that stop? Another impossibility.

Now you are talking about something more important than window tint. Does any state actually require insurance? Think they really want proof of a minimum level financial responsibility. From what you have posted, you did not show that. In my state that can lead to arrest on the spot.

It’s the same in the state I was stopped in. If you are a resident of that state and registered in that state and you don’t have auto insurance, they tow your car immediately. But he couldn’t do that. Because I’m not a resident of his state. So instead he reached and try to find anything he could. He really didn’t know what he was doing.

But you’re missing the point. Financial responsibility is determined after an accident not before. That’s how it works in my state..

and once you have had an accident, all bets are off. First, you have to pay for your accident. If you are at fault. And second, you are likely required to have insurance after you have an accident. Because they have determined that you suck at driving. Lol

Me? 34 years no accident. My entire driving life. I take safety seriously. And I pay attention. Have avoided tons of accidents in my time. So I’m not required to have insurance on my vehicle.

[JRscooby]

Window tint enforcement can change as you drive thru a city, let alone a state.
Stopped because plate was not displayed like LEO expected? In another thread that can't happen. Other issue found after that stop? Another impossibility.

Now you are talking about something more important than window tint. Does any state actually require insurance? Think they really want proof of a minimum level financial responsibility. From what you have posted, you did not show that. In my state that can lead to arrest on the spot.