LEO only: CA - Driving without valid License/Reg Issues

[Ralph]

Hello,

This is for LEO response only. This ticket was issued in California.

My girlfriend was driving my daily driver (96 accord) over to her friends house just a couple of miles away. The car is insured and had the insurance in the glove box. I previously had the car PNO (non-Op) and went to re-register it. I paid the fees ($100+) to get it registered. I received a Temporary Registration tag (Red, #7 July) so I can drive it until I go smog it. Until then I have no up to date "tags" on the rear license plate, they're showing March 07 or something similar.

I've placed the temporary tag on the lower front of my front windshield in the corner. I would have placed them in the rear windshield but the car, when i bought it, has too dark of rear tint and I figured it would be hard to see it. On the underside of the temporary red tag it says it can be affixed to the REAR or the FRONT... Plain as day.

Now the GF has her permit to drive, but not her license. She is SUPPOSED to be with a licensed 21+ driver to be able to drive legally on the roads. She was upset at something (not me) and was going to take a drive with her friend.. who is licensed. Thing is, as you know, she didn't make it there. She was within 1 block of her friends house when she got lit up.

The cop gave her a ticket for driving without a license and for expired registration.

I drove over there to be ready to pick her up, knowing she can't drive away at that point. She was having a hard time getting the cop to understand the car is REGISTERED just not up to date on the tags..

He ended up towing the car. He stated it was because she drove without a license. Also said it was MANDATORY 30 day impound and $600+ in fees...

I don't really care too much about the money but I would really want to have my car back in my possession.

I know the driving without a license thing ticket was 100% VALID. She did it, no excuse.

Question: Did he have to tow the vehicle away for the license violation? He kept insisting the tags were expired.. I asked him what that big red 7 was for on the front of my windshield.. no response. If I pay DMV reg fees but don't receive my tag (awaiting smog) but have the Red Temporary Sticker... how can I get a ticket for expired registration???? That would mean everyone with those Temp stickers would be able to get towed.

Thanks for any insight you can provide me Please keep the flaming to a minimum... lol

 

[Ralph]

Adding to this, he circled "Infraction" on the VC 12500(a) violation..

 

[mkb116]

What agency was this?

 

[Ralph]

Bakersfield Police Department

 

[Ralph]

He told my GF it was being towed for both Expired Registration and no license. :\

 

[Ralph]

Did he have to tow for unlicensed? Varies agency to agency so his agency may require it. If you have the temporary "7" he can't impound for unpaid fee's but he can stop you for expired registration. Technically your registration is expired, its only a fix it ticket anyways, so all you do is go to the office and get it signed off once its paid for. There is also another section which applies to not have the current tags, so either way you can get cited whether you have the temporary registration or not. But he can't impound for it. Clear as mud?

Thanks for replies.

The registration fees were all paid. All the DMV is waiting for now is the Smog certification, then they will hand over the tags. I cannot smog it now because its currently at the tow yard.

So like you said above. I should still have a good chance of turning the tow into a weekend tow rather than a month long tow? After talking to a supervisor at the local station ? thanks