The state patrol in Minnesota, like many other police agencies, use license plate scanners in their patrol cars that can read up to 1,000 plates per minute, but they are unable to read the vertical plates on some custom motorcycles. “It didn’t take too much to sneak a new law through and after the 2008 session vertical plates were illegal,” said Todd Riba, ABATE of MN Legislative Director, “but not for long.” ABATE of Minnesota’s lobbying team and State Coordinator started to work on the problem, and State Senators Amy Koch and Ray Vandeveer stepped forward to carry their bill.
The state patrol didn’t want to give up its ability to read motorcycle plates, but ABATE didn’t want the custom bike folks to lose the right to trick out their rides. It took a lot of creative thinking to come up with a solution, but in the end that’s what happened. The bill passed and the Governor signed it into law, becoming effective August 1st. Here is how it works: the DVS will offer vertical reading license plates. You will be able to mount these plates in vertical license plate brackets and law enforcement’s scanners will still be able to read them. The plates can be ordered just like vanity plates and riders will have to pay an extra fee, but these new vertical reading plates should keep you out of trouble and if you sell the bike you can keep the plate for your next custom ride.
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