Question about upcoming trip to Portland (Hood River: car registration, neighborhoods, inspection)

[PNWdreamin]

My Hubby and I will be taking a much anticipated vacation to Portland soon! The trip is all planned out already with rooms booked, restaurants picked and day trips planned However we will be driving there in his new car and we don't have our plates yet. Where we live, when A new car is purchased, you place your registration in the front lower right windshield until your plates come. However, when I drove a previous new car to Arizona, I was stopped by a cop who thought I didn't have it displayed. Apparently in Arizona they actually place a temporary paper "plate" on the back of the car. The cop was very nice and let us go immediately once he realized we were from out of state. But I'm hoping to avoid being pulled over for this in Oregon. So I guess my question is, how does new car registration/temporary plates work in Oregon? What do they give you to display on new cars and where do you put it? If it differs from where ours are placed, do you think we will be stopped? Thanks in advance for any input.

P.S. Can't wait for this trip. It's been over two years since I've been to Oregon and have been counting down the days until we can return for a vacation. We will also be scouting out neighborhoods for possible relocation in the future. We will be going in 4 weeks (mid October), so I hope the weather is nice and cool there by then with at least a little rain. Can't wait to escape this horrible heat!

[NWGirl74]

I think if you place your temporary registration in the rear window on the passenger side, you'll be fine. That's where I usually see them.

[jjpop]

Originally Posted by PNWdreamin

P.S. Can't wait for this trip. It's been over two years since I've been to Oregon and have been counting down the days until we can return for a vacation. We will also be scouting out neighborhoods for possible relocation in the future. We will be going in 4 weeks (mid October), so I hope the weather is nice and cool there by then with at least a little rain. Can't wait to escape this horrible heat!

There will be a high likelihood that you will get some rain. We've even had sub-freezing temperatures in mid-October, so keep a watch on the forecast and pack accordingly!

[pdxMIKEpdx]

October is a wonderful month to visit Oregon.
September and October are my favorite months of the year.

It's cooling down, the rains are slowly starting to come back, it's starting to feel like fall, but the real stormy November wet weather hasn't started yet.

We have had a most wonderful summer this year, and I am sad to think it's almost over.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by PNWdreamin

But I'm hoping to avoid being pulled over for this in Oregon. So I guess my question is, how does new car registration/temporary plates work in Oregon? What do they give you to display on new cars and where do you put it? If it differs from where ours are placed, do you think we will be stopped? Thanks in advance for any input.

There is no guarantee that you wont get pulled over if you don't have license plates in their proper place. Those can be scanned easily from a distance, these days, but paper plates in windows need a more personal inspection, and you just may get one if a trooper feels that way out about it. Why don't you think you will have legit plates in a months time? All that said, being pulled over is not something you can control anyway. You may be stopped, you may not. You could have proper plates and still be stopped for some other reason having nothing to do with license plates. It doesn't sound, from your previous experience, that you belong to a demographic for which traffic stops tend to escalate to dramatic scenario's. Just plan your trip, and once you are on the road, live in the now. Safe travels.

H

[PNWdreamin]

Originally Posted by NWGirl74

I think if you place your temporary registration in the rear window on the passenger side, you'll be fine. That's where I usually see them.

Thank you! Very helpful.

[PNWdreamin]

Originally Posted by jjpop

There will be a high likelihood that you will get some rain. We've even had sub-freezing temperatures in mid-October, so keep a watch on the forecast and pack accordingly!

Thanks, will do. I plan to bring lots of layers!

[PNWdreamin]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

October is a wonderful month to visit Oregon.
September and October are my favorite months of the year.

It's cooling down, the rains are slowly starting to come back, it's starting to feel like fall, but the real stormy November wet weather hasn't started yet.

We have had a most wonderful summer this year, and I am sad to think it's almost over.

Thank you, you just increased my excitement level! That is exactly the kind of weather we were hoping for.

[PNWdreamin]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

There is no guarantee that you wont get pulled over if you don't have license plates in their proper place. Those can be scanned easily from a distance, these days, but paper plates in windows need a more personal inspection, and you just may get one if a trooper feels that way out about it. Why don't you think you will have legit plates in a months time? All that said, being pulled over is not something you can control anyway. You may be stopped, you may not. You could have proper plates and still be stopped for some other reason having nothing to do with license plates. It doesn't sound, from your previous experience, that you belong to a demographic for which traffic stops tend to escalate to dramatic scenario's. Just plan your trip, and once you are on the road, live in the now. Safe travels.

H

Thanks. I know there is no guarantee we won't be stopped, though we don't plan on speeding or breaking any laws that we know of Just hoping to avoid it if possible. And yes, the trip is planned (yes I'm a planner) because there is soooooo much I want to do. We have 7 days, so I had to pick and choose. We wanted time to just focus on exploring Portland itself, as well as time for day trips to the Coast, the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. But of course, now that the planning is done, we can just relax and enjoy every moment once we get there!

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by PNWdreamin

Thanks. I know there is no guarantee we won't be stopped, though we don't plan on speeding or breaking any laws that we know of Just hoping to avoid it if possible. And yes, the trip is planned (yes I'm a planner) because there is soooooo much I want to do. We have 7 days, so I had to pick and choose. We wanted time to just focus on exploring Portland itself, as well as time for day trips to the Coast, the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. But of course, now that the planning is done, we can just relax and enjoy every moment once we get there!

You should take a trip up the Hood River Valley as well when you go see the Gorge or Mount Hood. It's really beautiful that time of year as the leaves change in the valley and usually there's a bunch of apple harvest events and festivals around that time also. Beautiful area of the region, and the town of Hood River is a nice place to break up a day trip in the Columbia River-Mount Hood loop.