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Denounced on License Plate: "Outright Scam"

Driver hit with €135 fine for replacing 'F' in 'France' license plate with a Corsican sticker, finding the penalty excessive despite sticker usage being typically unenforced.

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Driver hit with a 135 euro fine for covering 'F' on license plate with Corsica sticker, arguing...
Driver hit with a 135 euro fine for covering 'F' on license plate with Corsica sticker, arguing excessive penalty. Placing stickers on license plates is traditionally against the law, albeit seldomly enforced.

Denounced on License Plate: "Outright Scam"

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Showcasing Corsican pride on a vehicle can land you in hot water, as one driver learned when she received a hefty €135 fine for slapping a Corsica sticker over the 'F' in 'France' on her license plate. She argued the pricey penalty was unwarranted, but covering up a letter on your license plate is against the rules, even if it's often overlooked.

The offending Bastia resident took to the airwaves of Ici RCFM, exclaiming, "€135, I call that daylight robbery." The listeners, sympathizing with her plight, voiced their support, with some commenting on the ubiquity of such stickers on license plates. However, the highway code is crystal clear – the left blue strip bearing the European symbol and the letter 'F' cannot be obstructed. Only the right side, showing the department number, can be adjusted, without matching the vehicle owner's residence.

Here's an interesting tidbit: while some letters on your license plate can be freely chosen by the driver, they must be registered before your vehicle is registered. Attempting to add a sticker yourself is forbidden, even if it closely resembles the original. The listeners chimed in with a reminder: sure, stickers are omnipresent on cars, but that's because these infractions are largely unchecked. But rest assured, they remain enforceable offense.

Who knew?- Crit'Air Sticker: Beyond license plate rules, there's a separate environmental sticker – the Crit'Air sticker – mandatory for vehicles in select French cities to combat air pollution. This isn't a modification to your license plate, but a distinct requirement for metropolitan driving[1].

  • Proscribed License Plate Mods: Unfortunately, there's scarcity of information about legal modifications to French license plates in the search results. Generally speaking, altering or adorning your license plate isn't allowed and might be unlawful.
  • Vehicle Essentials: Safety on French roadways is serious business, with regulations covering essentials like reflective jackets and warning triangles. However, these requirements are not directly related to stickers on license plates[2].

To obtain definitive information about what you can and cannot do to your license plate, it's best to consult official French government resources or automotive authorities.

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[1] Source: https://www.services-online.gouv.fr/autocontravention/vehicule-polluant[2] Source: https://www.lesvoiesdefrance.gouv.fr/circulation-routiere/equipement/obligation-vestiaire-safety-vest-et-triangles-de-signaux-de-rist.html

  1. The Crit'Air sticker, an environmental requirement for vehicles in certain French cities, is separate from modifications to license plates, although altering or adorning your license plate is generally not allowed due to strict regulations.
  2. While many drivers may decorate their cars with stickers, it's important to note that such infractions, if unchecked, remain enforceable offenses, as seen in the case of the Bastia resident who received a fine for obstructing a letter on her license plate in an attempt to show Corsican pride.

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