Actually, the Temp sticker goes in the rear window, not the front, and a missing front plate ticket is way more than a few bucks.
I’ve had a few Corvette’s, and the later models with the plastic front end would look like crap with a front plate instead of the insert with the “CORVETTE” inlay, so I did that instead on my 98 Convertible.
I was pulled over almost immediately and wasn’t given a ticket, but a warning and was told the fine was around $200 for no front plate.
After that, I would keep the front plate in the car and if I was pulled over, I would tell the officer I just lost my job and need to sell the car, and I took the front plate off and put the insert in its place to take pics as I’m putting the car up for sale, and would show the officer the front plate which I kept in the car.
Of course, it helped that I kept the car washed and polished (not waxed!) and in immaculate condition, so I never got a ticket, but at times was made to put the front plate on the car, on the spot.
IDK what the exact dollar fine is, but it’s in the hundreds of dollars for no front plate once they’ve been issued by CA DMV and you have received them.
I see. Here you can tell a car that is parked in the *hood.* The owner stands the plate in the back window and never ever has one mounted on the front bumper. Apparently, stealing front plates is quite common in urban cities.
I’ve seen and heard about people with *cute* front plates being pulled over....just one more reason for the cops here to harass the serfs.