Document text
Putting license stickers on wrong can cost you Wednesday Dec 16, 2009 at 12:01 AM I made a mistake while applying my renewal stickers to my license plate. I accidentally covered the month sticker with the year sticker on the front plate. It was an honest mistake, because my car is registered until November 2011, so I thought the "11" was for the month, not the year. Oops. Will I get cited by a police officer if I explain the mistake? — Carol M., Medford I made a mistake while applying my renewal stickers to my license plate. I accidentally covered the month sticker with the year sticker on the front plate. It was an honest mistake, because my car is registered until November 2011, so I thought the "11" was for the month, not the year. Oops. Will I get cited by a police officer if I explain the mistake? — Carol M., Medford You are not alone in mucking it up while applying your registration stickers, Carol. "People do it all the time," Medford police Lt. Bob Hansen said. "Unfortunately, it could cost you if you're pulled over." Hansen said the fine for improper display of license registration stickers won't break your bank and many officers will chose to give you a "fix-it" ticket, which will give you 30 days to correct the problem for the ticket to be dismissed. "We certainly understand that people make mistakes and we aren't looking to punish people for these lower-level infractions," Hansen said. The problem could come from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Hansen said. Because the stickers are made to survive the elements on the outside of your car, they are nearly impossible to peel off and move to the correct spot. "Most people I've seen have to contact the DMV and get new stickers," Hansen said. "That's where the cost comes in." Just a reminder: Always put the year sticker on the right side of the license plate. And make sure the stickers are always visible. Some license plate brackets cover up the stickers, which could prompt an officer to pull you over for a little reminder to keep your license information in plain view, Hansen said. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected]. We're sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them.