CHP to Cite New Residents Lacking California Plates

The California Highway Patrol will begin cracking down on new California residents who delay getting state license plates on their cars, a CHP spokesman announced.

Citing a new law, Sgt. Mark Lunn said that beginning Sept. 1, officers will issue citations to drivers who fail to get new plates from the Department of Motor Vehicles within 20 days.

Previously, a new resident could drive a vehicle with out-of-state plates for up to a year as long as the registration from the other state was valid.

CHP officers will be writing the citations during routine traffic stops when they ask for a driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance, Lunn said.