Expired Tabs Ticket in Washington

**Nopinkertons** · 02-01-2010, 10:59 AM

A couple weeks ago, (Jan 16), my husband was pulled over for driving with expired tabs. We had completely forgotten to renew the tabs--we hadn't been sent a reminder and so it just didn't occur to us. Totally our fault.

However, at the time he received the ticket, the police officer informed him that he had 30 days to correct the problem. We paid the ticket, renewed the registration, and received the tabs. However, my husband then went out of town on business, and didn't put the new tabs on the car because he was rushing around getting ready to leave, and anyway thought he had 30 days so could put the tabs on when he got back. I would not be driving the car while he was away.

On Jan 28, we received a second ticket for expired tabs while the car was parked in front of our house. When I called to say that the policeman had told us we had 30 days, I was told this was incorrect, and that we could get multiple tickets, even in the same day, for expired tabs.

The second ticket reads: Improper license display, section: 11.72.145.

My question is, do we have any recourse, given that my husband was told he had 30 days to fix it, and given that, at the time we received the second ticket, the car was properly registered, we had just failed to put the tabs on the car? The car not being driven at the time of the second ticket.

Will either ticket for expired tabs affect our insurance rates?

**Mr. Knowitall** · 02-02-2010, 02:37 PM

You don't have any recourse based upon your misunderstanding of what the officer told you. You will have to ask your insurance agent how the tickets might affect your rates.

**licensegrl** · 02-02-2010, 04:56 PM

The second ticket is not for expired license plates at all. It is for not properly displaying the decal or as you call it "tab" on the plate. This is not a major violation, but definately call your insurasnce company to see if it in addition to the initial ticket for expired plates, will effect your insurance rate.

**Nopinkertons** · 02-03-2010, 08:07 AM

Thank you, licensegrl. I had thought the police could look up whether your car is properly registered, and since the car was, I was unclear why we got a ticket. This makes sense, if the ticket was not for lack of registration but for not putting the tabs on--which we indeed didn't do. Thanks for the helpful reply.