Ticket - duh, and ouch

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I got a ticket today in Somerville for expired registration.  The danged license plate says "SEP" and today is "OCT".  I'm going to the RMV with a friend tomorrow (she's driving her car) to get the registration up to date. 2 questions for Davis Square:

1. Ticket is for $100.  If I get my registration fixed tomorrow, is there any way I can possibly get the ticket taken off/forgiven/lessened if I show them I fixed the issue ASAP?  Who do I talk to about that possibility?

2. Do I get points on my license for this and the associated raised insurance fees? 

I haven't gotten a ticket of any kind in over 15 years.  I feel so dirty!  and Bad!

Note to all: CHECK THE DANGED MONTH ON YOUR LICENSE PLATE AND ON YOUR WINDSHIELD STICKER TODAY!!!!
also: check when your driver's license expires.  It's no fun to get a ticket for something like that which is so easily avoided.

Addendum: I got the opportunity to pay the ticket with the same check used to pay the renewal, so the ticket is paid.  It was NOT a 'Somerville' ticket, it was a MA general ticket, complete with my driver's license info.  So according to what others said below, I'm likely to be surcharged.  Which sux.  So now I likely have 2 points against me.  When does the surcharge pop in?  How many years will I be surcharged for?

Comments

Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[ringrose.livejournal.com]

Be glad it wasn't found while you were moving.

Years ago, a friend was giving me a ride. She noticed a police car following her and pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Cop followed us and asked to speak with her a minute.

It turns out that (at least then, this was 10+ years ago) if he saw an expired plate he was supposed to pull you over and impound the car immediately. Getting home is then your problem.

Fortunately, the cop saw that the sticker had just expired and thought the rule was a bit harsh. He just gave her a warning.

(You're supposed to get a reminder sticker in the mail; she had just gone through a divorce and moved, and her ex didn't forward it.)

Re: Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[crschmidt.livejournal.com]

For the record, I got stopped while driving and given a ticket for expired registration. It was 5 months overdue (I never noticed it, honestly, and must have missed the replacement sticker) and I got the same "I should impound your car" story, but also didn't get anything other than a $100 ticket.

This isn't to say that this is a general rule, just that cops regularly say that they're supposed to impound your car, but I haven't heard of them actually doing it for just an expired registration :)

Re: Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

Happened to me once. Although they don't have to impound it, if you have a driveway to tow it to.

I was on the way to the airport for a funeral.... not a good day.

Re: Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

It happened to someone I know—TWICE. Two years apart. His car was registered at his dad's house, and he was living elsewhere, so he wasn't getting the reminder notices, and for some reason his dad didn't forward them. You'd think he'd have learned his lesson the first time, but no. I know that one of these incidents involved the police in Groton, and the other time might have been Westford or Chelmsford, or possibly Lowell. Either way, yes, they will impound your car for this.

Re: Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[turil.livejournal.com]

Yep, I had my car impounded once for an expired plate while I was driving in the middle of Belmont, and they took the plates too, and I had to get everything renewed before they released the car again.

Re: Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

Geez, that's crazy. A friend was pulled over in Michigan for expired registration, and there is NO fine if you show up at court with proof of registration in 20 days. Seems a lot more reasonable to me!