Can I Get A Ticket For My Batman Frame In Washington?

As I was leaving work yesterday, my co-worker made a comment on my Batman license plate frame.

“You better take that off before you get a ticket!”

What? Since when? Then my friend told me that there was a new law that started on January 1st!

No, that can’t be. Plus, Batman doesn’t break the law…

Not counting the many cases of breaking & entering, assault, illegal surveillance, vigilantism, construction on the Batcave without proper permits, computer hacking, and concealed weapons.

And when you think about it, he probably doesn’t have a proper airplane or boat license, the Batmobile probably is not registered or titled, and if he had car insurance, then people would know his secret identity, so he’s probably driving without insurance, and I’ve never seen a Batmobile even have a License Plate (except Adam West’s ride in 1966).

But still… how can my Batman frame be illegal?

Doing a deep dive on my own Bat-Computer, the frame is NOT illegal as long as it is not obscuring, hiding, or changing any of the information on the plate.

What HAS become illegal in Washington state as of January 1st are license plate protectors.

The clear plastic covers that you can get on Amazon for around $20 are now officially prohibited.

They were kind of always illegal but were not mentioned by name until House Bill 1963, which passed back in June, and actually, fines for them have started this month.

If it’s a clear License Plate Protector, what’s the problem?

They may be clear, but the problem is that at night, the plastic can reflect the lights, making it difficult for authorities to read.

Then you get into the aspect of red light or toll cameras and the possibility of them having difficulty identifying plates.

Now that it’s a new year, you can be pulled over for it, and the fine could be more than $100.

As far as my Batman license plate frame… it is all good, according to page 4, line 1 of House Bill 1963:

“License plate frames may be used on license plates only if the frames do not obscure license tabs or identifying letters or numbers on the plates and the license plates can be plainly seen and read at all times.”

So, I am all good until some Joker tells me differently.

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