Out-of-state license?

[grandpacamper]

Been thinking about the concept of 'stealth' boon docking/camping.  I was wondering how much attention an out-of-state van generates with the local authorities.  I would think that parking in a quiet neighborhood, business parking lot, side street or whatever in a van licensed in another state would be a 'red' flag for a patrolman.  Wouldn't he/she want to run a check to see if the vehicle comes up on their screens as maybe stolen or something?  And, if nothing wouldn't they still be alerted to the purpose of the vehicle there?  Living in Utah I talked to a highway patrolman once, he said any van from out-of state alerts his notice especially on I-70 because of migrants or drug trafficking that travels that highway.

 

[Van-Tramp]

Never had an issue.

Go to any state, and you will see plates from many other states. It is normal. Any officer that "alerts" to an out of state plate is still living in the 19th century and not worth listening too. You do not need to justify why you are in any other state. Your vehicle registration, and driver's license, is 100% honored, acknowledged, and respected in any and all states.

Basically, don't worry about it

PS - Dont fool yourself that he will not know you are sleeping in it through. No matter how stealthy you think you are, he will now within 72 hours no matter the plate you have on your vehicle. Can you do it? Yes, but be prepared for late night knocks regularly.

 

[grandpacamper]

Sorry was just an observation while waiting in traffic. I noticed a car with out-of-state plates, license holder with his city name & an attached dealer ad installed on his trunk. From that I knew what state, city & dealer he had dealt with. As for the highway bull, that was back in the 70's or 80's when I-70 was the main route from S Cal or AZ eastward & the custom flowered van was the hippy or 'Deadhead' generation's mode of travel.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I would think that areas that drew a lot of tourists would have all kinds of out-of-state vehicles running around.  Places where they didn't see a lot of tourists, they might scratch their heads and wonder "what's THAT doing here"?

 

[highdesertranger]

uhm, I-70 doesn't even come close to So Cal or AZ. highdesertranger

 

[lenny flank]

I would guess it depends on where you are. I've traveled all over the US with PA tags, and I have never seemed to have attracted any extra attention from cops or security guys. (I've only been approached on two occasions--once because someone reported me as "breaking into" my own van, and once because the Walmart had changed its policy and was no longer open 24 hours).

In touristy areas, I'd think seeing out-of-state (or Canadian) tags is routine and unnoticed. In non-touristy places it might catch someone's eye, but I doubt most people would give a rat's patootie about it.

 

[grandpacamper]

uhm,  I-70 doesn't even come close to So Cal or AZ.  highdesertranger

I-70 connects to I-15 at Cove Fort, UT and ends in Maryland.  Almost a direct route to the east coast that is mostly open.  Equal distance from the southern & northern states along the way.

 

[grandpacamper]

Corridor B is also important to DTOs, especially those moving methamphetamine and marijuana produced in California or Mexico to major market areas in western, central, or eastern states. Interstates 15, 80, 70, and 40 are the leading routes through Corridor B, and seizures on these interstates accounted for 46 percent of all reported methamphetamine seizures and 31 percent of all marijuana seizures on interstates from 2008 through October 2009.

 

[CautionToTheWind]

You're not knowingly doing anything wrong, I wouldn't worry. That's how my 4runner was found back in 1990 (south dakota). Ran the plates and was stolen; the thief was fishing.

 

[MrNoodly]

I'm currently stealth camping in California with South Dakota plates. No problems so far.

 

[deadwood]

In the van I have never even thought about the fact that I have out of state plates. But one time I was driving to Rhode Island from Phoenix (I had AZ plates at the time) and I made it all the way to PA before I got pulled over by a state trooper. He pulled me over for not moving over in time for a car that was pulled over onto the shoulder. After running my license and finding nothing out of order the traffic went from trooper being a bit of a hard ass to being friendly. We started chatting about AZ because he had just been out there doing some training. So I asked him why he really pulled me over. He admitted that when he sees out of state plates he gets curious. But when the out of state plates are from AZ he get very curious because of the amount of drugs that come up from Mexico. I was a little surprised by his honesty. He was telling me that they have had huge drug busts of AZ cars going through PA and most were found during routine stops. So in a round about way he told me that he was going to find any reason in the book to pull me over just so he could take a look see and access the situation.

This was the only time I have ever had this happen and after being in AZ since I was a kid I have never heard of anyone else this has happened to. In the last year of many nights stealth camping from Wyoming to San Diego to San Francisco I never once worried about having out of state plates though. I think it was a weird one off experience that happened with that one trooper in PA.