Front License Plate Bracket

The plastic bracket is held on with two large sheet metal screws. You will probably have to drill two holes, after centering bracket, if it has never been installed. You shouldn't have to worry about the air bag sensors. There may be a thread on this somewhere, but it looks like a simple job.

 

If you look closely at the bumper, you should see two little dimples where the screws go. Assuming the bracket came with four fasteners, thread the bolty ones into the bracket, and use the screwy ones to mount the bracket on the car. If you're careful and operate in good light, you should get the bracket level. If you want to be really fussy, put one screw in, and use a level to locate the other one.

 

keep the NC plates until they expire, you paid for them after all and can't get a refund. Wait as long as possible b4 getting cali plates, with a prius the cops will never pull you over for something small, you have to do something very flagrant for them to pull over a prius.
Up here in Michigan we also don't have to have ugly front plates, I think Arizona doesn't require them either. It sucks to live in one of the other states. I recently went to Las Vegas and saw these beautiful porsches, benzes, ferraris, lambos and prius look like garbage because of the ugly front plates . . . its an outrage, write your congressman or governator lol

 

In PA we don't have front plates either, but in NJ (People's Republic of Corzine) you do.

 

We don't currently have to use them here in Alberta either, but the police forces are pushing to have them back. They make it easier to catch you with photo radar. You know, the automatic revenue gathering thing?

 

Well once you establish a residence in CA, you have 10 days to register your car with the DMV. As far as your comments that cops will never pull you over for something small.....yeah. Where you live maybe, but where Ilive the cops have nothing to do but make stops for small stuff since we have really no "crime".

Better advice to the OP would be to install the license plate under the factory position, on the grill section of the bumper with some cable ties. It lowers it and makes it less obvious yet still complies with the law without drilling holes in the front bumper. Everybody wins.

 

Although I bought my Prius in Florida where no front plate is required, when I moved to Texas I checked in the spare tire well and low and behold, there was a front plate holder and two mounting screws. Based on earlier posts here, I found the two dimples in the front bumper and it was a two minute job to mount the holder and new plate.

 

Here's the TSB on the front licence bracket:

 

that electrical tie idea on the front grill is a really good idea to both make the plate more inconspicuous and so you don't drill holes in case you ever want to bring the car back to NC or sell it to someone who lives in one of the good states that don't require front plates.

since plates are about 6 or 7 inches tall and the lower grill is only about 4" tall, the lower part of the plate will rub up against the very bottom painted portion of the front fascia, did you put anything b/t the paint and the plate to prevent scratches, such as double-sided foam tape or something better?

 

This was an interesting thread. I bought my car from a dealer in St. Louis and had it transported to Florida where I live not knowing about the front plate issue.

The car arrived with the front plate already mounted although not needed here in Florida, I decided to make use of it and had a custom plate made to show off my radio control flying hobby.

Had the plate been left in the storage compartment, I would not have even known about it.

 

I have driven various cars without front plates in the SF Bay Area in California for several decades and never been pulled over for no front plate. In fact I have been pulled over for other infractions in cars without front plates and they never both to mention it, much less write up a ticket for it.

I wouldn't worry about it. If you are stopped, it is a fix-it ticket which does not have a fine. You just need to install the front plate within a certain amount of time (30 days?).

Welcome to sunny California!

 

It should be a $1000 fine. With the number of people who ignore this law, the fines might solve the California budget deficit.

 

California License plate debacle

I was researching the California laws requiring a DMV Front license plate when I came across this Forum site.
I am a current owner of 2 Priuses, a 2006 & 2007 in Florida where a front license plate is not required.
I spoke with the California DMV and they concluded that it is agianst the law to drive a California registered vehicle without a DMV front license plate. She also claimed that some communities in California may be more lenient on upholding this law than others.
It appears that if in LA, you better have a Plate.

I founded an Environmental Campaign in Florida that utilizes a 100% recycled Green License Plate with proceeds to benefit front line Foundations and Sanctuaries.
What does this movement look like? a flickr slideshow link
Green License Plates - a photoset on Flickr
What Foundations are involved? our foundations link page
http://www.earthrehab.com/plate.html

Why California?
We (EarthRehab) were invited to the Living Green Expo 2008 in LA to showcase and explain our campaign and mission to California.
We would like to join Reef Check and the International Year of the Reef 2008 at the Expo, and raise some funds for Ocean Eco-system research.

If it is against the law to display our Green License Plate over the DMV plate then our current campaign will not work in LA.

A petition was found online to end the California Front Plate law, I signed it. It is a very silly law.

 

Did your's come with the screws to attach the front plate to the bracket/holder? I bought my car used from a state that didn't require them (where here they are required), but there were no screws/bolts to attach the plate and I'm not finding ones that fit. I took in the size/diameter/etc off of the PDF file that's listed on another post to the local Parts stores and the workers just give me a blank stare and keep trying to sell me the "universal" bolts which I tried and don't fit. Did a search on the web and not really finding anything from the online stores either. I'm going to try a larger chain store as soon as I can get to town, but does anyone have any other ideas?

Sorry for the long post and thanks for your help!

ETA: No problem attaching the bracket/holder to the front bumper.

 

I have a brand new unused front license plate bracket/holder. I didn't even open the small bag of two course threaded screws that are meant to attach the bracket to your bumper.
There are NO screws provided by Toyota to attach a plate.
Looking closely at the bracket screw hole to attach the plate, I see it's a fine threaded #6 hole.
I do know, at autozone or similar stores, are sold two type of screws, coarse and fine threaded.
It should be easy once you get to town.

ZC1

 

Does the bracket come standard and if not installed is just left in the storage compartment?

 

Here’s a new option for Californians.

Sticker front license plate


California pilot program allows front license plate stickers

License Plate Wrap

 

I have a Brand New, never used OEM Toyota Front License Plate Bracket that came with my Prius.
I will sell it for $40 with free shipping