# Law enforcement types: A question about vehicle registrations. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386 "2020-04-22T23:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/21 "2020-04-23T16:00:56Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > They’d just have to get into the vehicle and steal the garage door opener. And… at least look at the registration. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/22 "2020-04-23T16:03:57Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Yeah, but it occurred to me that they wouldn’t have to steal the vehicle. They’d just have to get into the vehicle and steal the garage door opener. > > It’s not something I’m personally worrying about, but I can see why some people might. Yeah, I get it. The requirement that you keep your address in your car could be a problem for some people. But in many cars, the garage door opener is the car itself. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/23 "2020-04-24T00:41:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Same here. I drive a stick shift so that’s in my favor. Are they less likely to be stolen? Genuine puzzled question. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/24 "2020-04-24T00:57:47Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Are they less likely to be stolen? Genuine puzzled question. A smaller and smaller percentage of Americans know how to drive a shift. This stops the impulse thieves. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/25 "2020-04-24T02:03:00Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > In California in the 50s, it was mandatory to have the registration with name and address, visible from outside the car. Buy a display sleeve that fit around the steering column. New Buick convertible parked on Hollywood Blvd, let’g go see whose it is. Hey look – Kirk Douglas. Cal DMV was open records. Lost track of a friend, post card to DMV, reply in a few days with current addy, no charge. Different world in those days, It factored into a lot of Perry Mason mysteries back then. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/26 "2020-04-24T14:38:15Z")
I’ve never, ever heard of anyone carrying their vehicle registration in their wallet. I cannot believe this is a common habit. > [@TriPolar](#): > > And… at least look at the registration. Write up a decoy registration with a fake address and hide the real one in the car. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/27 "2020-04-24T14:43:39Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Write up a decoy registration with a fake address and hide the real one in the car. This is a pretty good idea. I’d just keep a copy of the real one with the address blacked out. That would remind me there’s the real one hidden someplace instead of handing a fake one to a police officer. Of course it is all unnecessary because they can find out everything based on the license plate, and it would be more up to date information. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/28 "2020-04-24T15:01:00Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I’ve never, ever heard of anyone carrying their vehicle registration in their wallet. I cannot believe this is a common habit. > > Write up a decoy registration with a fake address and hide the real one in the car. How big are these registrations in IL and CA that they cannot fit (or be folded in half to fit) in a wallet? Are we confusing a registration with a title? Hell, even New York registrations were the same size as a license for years and then it was enlarged enough so that you had to fold it in half. I cannot imagine any reason for that doc to be any larger. In Maryland they’re 4.5 inches square and easily fold up (folded twice it is smaller than my license). ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/29 "2020-04-24T15:20:15Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > How big are these registrations in IL and CA that they cannot fit (or be folded in half to fit) in a wallet? Are we confusing a registration with a title? > > Hell, even New York registrations were the same size as a license for years and then it was enlarged enough so that you had to fold it in half. I cannot imagine any reason for that doc to be any larger. Either you misremember or they changed it back - my NY registration is the almost exactly the same size as my license - it’s just a little bigger to allow for what I assume is some sort of code at the bottom. I don’t think you’d have to fold it for any wallet- but you certainly could fold just the bottom quarter-inch or so… ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/30 "2020-04-24T15:26:41Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > How big are these registrations in IL and CA that they cannot fit (or be folded in half to fit) in a wallet? Are we confusing a registration with a title? > > Hell, even New York registrations were the same size as a license for years and then it was enlarged enough so that you had to fold it in half. I cannot imagine any reason for that doc to be any larger. > > In Maryland they’re 4.5 inches square and easily fold up (folded twice it is smaller than my license). Mine is an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/31 "2020-04-24T15:38:18Z")
For those who carry the vehicle registration in their wallets, what happens when you let someone borrow your car, or you drop it off for service? What happens if there is a traffic stop? I doubt you remember to take the registration out of your wallet. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/32 "2020-04-24T15:50:17Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Mine is an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. Mine too. It never occurred to me that some states use wallet sized registrations. Ignorance fought ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/33 "2020-04-24T17:20:19Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > For those who carry the vehicle registration in their wallets, what happens when you let someone borrow your car, or you drop it off for service? What happens if there is a traffic stop? I doubt you remember to take the registration out of your wallet. I don’t really let people borrow my car - my husband and I each carry copies of both car registrations and when my son used to drive one sometimes , he had a copy as well. As far as repair shops, , they’ve never asked for the registration certificate because apparently the only consequence of not having the registration certificate is that the police will scan the registration sticker on the windshield. I’ve never heard of someone getting a ticket for not having the certificate if there was a valid window sticker. ( maybe it happened before the window sticker had all the info) I just looked up the VTL, and it actually says > [@](#): > > ``` > If a vehicle does not have affixed a validating sticker > > ``` > > which indicates the plate number, the vehicle identification number and > the expiration date of the registration, the failure to produce the > certificate of registration, or a photostatic copy of such certificate, > shall be presumptive evidence of operating a motor vehicle or trailer > which is not registered as required by this article. so apparently the police cannot issue a ticket for driving an unregistered vehicle if you don’t have the certificate but do have a valid sticker. I haven’t been able to find anything that states not having the certificate is a separate violation from an unregistered vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/34 "2020-04-24T17:51:36Z")
I find this thread greatly amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/35 "2020-04-24T18:06:05Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I find this thread greatly amusing. Me too. The OP is upset over someone stealing the car and potentially finding out where they live so they can use the garage door opener to rob them. The vehicle still would have the license plates on it and it is simple to find out the owner’s name and address just from the license plate. That is why most people who post pictures of their car on-line obscure the plate. And your state’s DMV, (Dept. of Motor Vehicles in my state), is probably selling your information anyway. I know that Oregon does. They made $11.5 million last year doing just that. > **[The Oregon DMV took in $11.5 million last year by selling your information](https://katu.com/news/following-the-money/the-oregon-dmv-took-in-115-million-last-year-by-selling-your-information)** > > PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) - Your information is being sold by the Oregon DMV and you might not even know it. Between July 2018 and July 2019, the Oregon DMV brought in $11. 5 million from selling driver information to companies, according to department... This is why when you move and put in a change of address at the DMV as required, you can be inundated with junk mail. The DMV sold all the people’s change of address info. I really would not worry about the registration being kept in your car. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/36 "2020-04-24T18:06:48Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > How big are these registrations in IL and CA that they cannot fit (or be folded in half to fit) in a wallet? Are we confusing a registration with a title? I just ran out to my car to check. It’s approx 8.5 x 11" and thicker than regular copy paper, more like a light cardstock. Maybe about as thick as a magazine subscription insert? It’s also got an area that’s even thicker yet since there’s a piece of label backing from when the sticker arrived. But even if it was wallet sized, I’d still leave it in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/37 "2020-04-24T18:31:55Z")
I looked it up: Illinois says: > [@](#): > > The Registration ID card is located on the Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice you may have received in the mail. It contains your personal vehicle information that is documented with the Secretary of State’s office, your mailing address and the State Seal. > > Illinois law requires the registration ID card to be carried in all second-division vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Because some of our neighboring states require the ID card to be carried in all vehicles, we suggest that all Illinois motorists carry the ID cards in their vehicles. [https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/title\_and\_registration/regid.html#idcards](https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/title_and_registration/regid.html#idcards) Sounds to me like the intention is that the registration is meant to be kept in the vehicle rather than on the driver’s person. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/38 "2020-04-25T06:20:52Z")
I’m not carrying any registration or automobile insurance papers on my person. What if my bag was stolen or a man’s wallet pickpocketed? It’s safer in the glove box in the car. Where, IMO it’s supposed to be. Now, how to assess my taxes? Since the courthouse is locked-down in both counties I own land in. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/39 "2020-04-25T19:55:27Z")
My registration is a huge piece of paper, so I don’t get this carry in your wallet stuff. When I graduated from high school we got a little wallet sized mini-diploma. Do you guys use some service that shrinks your registration to wallet size? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2020, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386/40 "2020-04-27T10:30:19Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > Do you think there’s a garage anywhere that doesn’t have sufficient resources to force an entrance through a locked door given a couple of minutes and some privacy? Once someone has entered your garage and shut the door they’re in your house, key or not. Locking that door into your house does nothing but give you a broken lockset to repair. My bad, you’re right, that extra layer of protection does nothing at all. Go ahead and leave it unlocked at all times. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/law-enforcement-types-a-question-about-vehicle-registrations/852386.md?page=3)