Goodfellow's stance on vehicle license plates and window tinting Published April 13, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Dave Piskorick 17th Security Forces Squadron GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Does your state require two license plates? Thirty-one states nationwide, along with the District of Columbia, have this requirement (see table). For some, attaching a license plate to the front of the vehicle is a nuisance, it's not aesthetically pleasing, or the vehicle does not have a frame for the license plate. Texas is one of those states that require a front and rear plate. While Texas law doesn't articulate how the plate should be mounted, 17th Training Wing does define license plate mounting procedures for vehicles operated on the base. Per GAFBI 31-204, Air Force Motor Vehicle Traffic Supervision, "All vehicles registered in any state that requires two license plates will have the rear plate affixed to the rear bumper and the front plate affixed to a forward facing grill or bumper. License plates are not permitted to be placed on the front or rear dashboards or in a window." In addition to presenting a safety and security concern, improperly mounted license plates prevent law enforcement professionals from effectively performing their duties in detecting traffic violations that may endanger fellow motorists. Another concern for Goodfellow is window tinting. It may keep your vehicle cooler in the summer months and give you the added privacy you desire, but it is an infraction of state law to have your front side windows tinted in such a manner that allows less than 25 percent of light into the vehicle. There are no restrictions for tint on rear windows. In addition, the front windshield eyebrow must not exceed past five inches from the top of the window. Although each state is different, we will enforce Texas law as it is the least restrictive of all states. This does not mean that the state your vehicle is registered in won't enforce their law if you are in that state or that off base police won't enforce the law of the state your vehicle is registered in. 17th SFS has purchased window tint meters and will start using them as needed in coming days. Be aware that anything that limits operator visibility is dangerous and could result in serious injury to foot travelers, bystanders, and drivers alike. In our ongoing campaign to improve traffic safety and security on the installation, security forces will step up enforcement of these vehicle infractions while on patrol and at the base entry control points. Violations may result in a written citation, delay of entry and potential denial of vehicle access to the installation until properly corrected. Contact 17th SFS with any questions. They will be happy to answer your questions and provide feedback as to whether your vehicle is in compliance with state law. Happy motoring! States requiring two license plates Alaska California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Iowa Maine Maryland Minnesota Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Dakota Ohio Oregon Rhode Island South Dakota Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Wisconsin Wyoming
