BUMPERS in California

[Terrymo]

Section 28071 - Front bumper and rear bumper required equipment for passenger vehicle
Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper. As used in this section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle. This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system pursuant to either state or federal law, or to any passenger vehicle which was not equipped with a front or rear bumper, or both, at the time that it was first sold and registered under the laws of this or any other state or foreign jurisdiction.

Ca. Veh. Code § 28071

Amended by Stats. 1973, Ch. 451.

What’s your interpretation of this?

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[dstevens]

What’s your interpretation of this?

Not a lawyer etc.

"any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle."

Anything goes as long as you have one. Might need to look up the definition of manufacturer to see if it includes aftermarket.

"This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system..."

Vehicles with no bumpers from the factory can ignore this.

 

[Terrymo]

Not a lawyer etc.

"any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle."

Anything goes as long as you have one. Might need to look up the definition of manufacturer to see if it includes aftermarket.

"This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system..."

Vehicles with no bumpers from the factory can ignore this.

I guess to me it’s like driving over the speed limit. Make adult decisions. Accept adult consequences.

 

[dstevens]

I guess to me it’s like driving over the speed limit. Make adult decisions. Accept adult consequences.

I believe we have worse things to worry about. For what its worth in the last 25 years I've never run a front license plate on any of my vehicles and never had a problem, so it depends on enforcement.

 

[Terrymo]

I believe we have worse things to worry about. For what its worth in the last 25 years I've never run a front license plate on any of my vehicles and never had a problem, so it depends on enforcement.

Same. No front plate since I can remember. Don’t drive a vehicle that looks hoopty or drive like a jackass. There’s plenty of other vehicles and drivers looking for attention

 

[zouch]

and our Mercedes was ticketed *twice* for not having a front license plate, while parked on the street.

it's our favorite situation:
"it depends".

I believe we have worse things to worry about. For what its worth in the last 25 years I've never run a front license plate on any of my vehicles and never had a problem, so it depends on enforcement.

 

[jaymz]

What’s your interpretation of this?

My interpretation is that if it’s sold as a bumper - it’s a bumper. I’d have no reservations about mounting whatever aftermarket bumper I so desire.

 

[Maverick909]

lol, they don’t do anything with bumpers. Or license plates. Hell 1/4 the cars out there don’t have insurance or registration. Get what you want and enjoy it. Just know that it’s something that can give an officer probable cause to pull you over. So don’t drink and drive

 

[Terrymo]

I don’t know. Cheech and Chong had a front plate and they were always getting pulled over

 

[Mgdstar]

I have a friend in Southern California that did not have a front plate on his Wrangler and got a $350 ticket. He said he got the fine reduced after proving he put a front plate on.

 

[2nd 392]

What’s your interpretation of this?

Dated “1973” the year of the ugly bumper law. The old metal bumpers were replaced with the
5 MPH impact energy absorbing ones.
72

73 “Urethane” bumper

 

[azjl#3]

That is incorrect statement. In California, if any driver that operates a vehicle on a public highway with any unapproved device, can be cited, regardless of who the vehicle registered owner is. And this especially includes lighting devices and has been in affect before the 70s.

true, they use the violations as a reason to pull you over, to find more reasons.

 

[2nd 392]

true, they use the violations as a reason to pull you over, to find more reasons.

Excuse provided- 70’s , every election year the local Sheriff would start getting headlines by “cleaning up prostitution”, “running the Hells Angels out of the county”, etc. The last one put a harassment target on anyone riding a HD. Several full anal exam inspections, IE- Two cars, three Deputies, shotgun in hand, for a “flickering taillight”. When he was writing the ticket for it since nothing else was found I tightened the ground wire with a dime, gave the ticket back “repaired, sign it off”…… But when the old downtown Victorian Cathouse the state big shots frequented was Busted they failed to give the normal Bust warning to them and State assemblymen, a judge or 2, etc caught in the “Bust” got headlines alright. Lost him the big shot’s backing, and the election.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

What mods are illegal? Actual vehicle codes? Even non-dot mods like headlight bulbs don't apply to the consumer. Those are regulations for commercial vehicles and manufacturers which aren't enforceable on us the end user. You haven't gotten a ticket as there's almost nothing in the vehicle code for them to ticket you for.

Beadlock wheels, tires that extend past the fenders, ride height greater than 5" from stock, non-DOT compliant lights, any modification to intake or exhaust, window tint that block more than 30% of light, anything that significantly changes your MPG without proper CARB certification, sound systems that can be heard 50 feet from a vehicle, more than two fog lamps, more than 2 spotlights (32 candlepower or less), more than 4 lamps lit at a single time, phone mounts that interfere with your view, rear window decals outside of the lower corner 7" square, etc. As mentioned, emission changes are the only ones that you can't get around. Others are things that you would probably never get pulled over for directly but they can give you an equipment violation for them you piss them off enough during another stop.

 

[Nokones]

Beadlock wheels, tires that extend past the fenders, ride height greater than 5" from stock, non-DOT compliant lights, any modification to intake or exhaust, window tint that block more than 30% of light, anything that significantly changes your MPG without proper CARB certification, sound systems that can be heard 50 feet from a vehicle, more than two fog lamps, more than 2 spotlights (32 candlepower or less), more than 4 lamps lit at a single time, phone mounts that interfere with your view, rear window decals outside of the lower corner 7" square, etc. As mentioned, emission changes are the only ones that you can't get around. Others are things that you would probably never get pulled over for directly but they can give you an equipment violation for them you piss them off enough during another stop.

The 7 inch square in the lower right corner applies to the windshield not the rear window. You can paint the rear window completely blacked out providing that you have a mirror on the passenger side of the vehicle.

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