There's no prize for anyone who can see why California police pulled over this Nissan, but there's still points for creativity

California Police recently pulled over a Nissan that looked like it had a fake license plate before realizing it was actually a DIY attempt at staying road legal.

The driver apparently replaced a missing plate with a carefully sketched replica on what looked like stiff paper or cardboard, complete with attempts at metallic sheen and the right spacing.

The California Highway Patrol gave the motorist ‘points for creativity’ in its report, which is a polite way of saying that the driver is still getting a ticket.

To make matters worse, the spare tire was lashed in the wrong place with what looked like a rear seatbelt or thick nylon strap, adding a second head-scratching violation to the stop.

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California police wasn’t pleased with the art project

Up close, the drawing was doomed: mismatched fonts, imperfect reflective qualities, and the kind of details that a patrol officer notices in a second.

There doesn’t seem to be any criminal motive involved, at least according to the California Police.

The owner reportedly just lost their real plate and made a hand-drawn license plate as a DIY replacement.

However, these infractions aren’t treated lightly.

In many states, driving without a properly displayed, state-issued license plate can mean fines, citations, and even impoundment until the car is properly registered.

“While we appreciate the effort to stay compliant after losing the original plate, California law requires vehicles to display state issued plates only,” said the California police.

“If your plates are lost or stolen, you can easily get replacements through the DMV instead of breaking out the art supplies.”

Altering your plates isn’t a small matter

Across the US, rules about license plates are strict and vary by state, but the principle is the same: plates must be issued by the state, legible, and not intentionally altered or obscured.

Common illegal tricks include spray-on covers, replacement plates printed at home, or temporary tags tucked into windshields in ways that hide expiration dates.

Courts and police typically treat deliberate plate alteration as more serious than simple forgetfulness.

This is because fake license plates can be used to evade tolls, parking tickets, or even law enforcement.

Steve Jobs reportedly drove a new Mercedes every six months in order to get away with not showing a license plate, although that loophole was eventually closed.

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