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You've been pulled over because you are an inconsiderate lead foot. You are driving your own vehicle. You also have a CHL. For this question, it DOES NOT matter whether you have a weapon in the car .

I assume the officer runs the tags on the car and familiarizes himself with the legal history of the owner? Is the officer able to see if you have a CHL?

The reason I ask is that a state agency (DMV) handles vehicle tags and driver's licences while the county handles the CHL.

Apologies for the noob question and thanks in advance for any information.
 
The two times in the last 6 years that I got pulled over they knew that I had a CHL. When they asked for my license and registration I handed them my CHL as well. Both officers already knew I had one, but they appreciated that I told them.
 
Actually the correct answer is always 'no' unless when it isnt.

The plate only carries the RO basic info and any important information collected from previous stops (this can also include information on passengers associated with the vehicle if there were any offenses by either or the RO or passenger). If you have a CHL that information might at that point be attached to the RO info which is associated with the plate or not.
Different jurisdictions data base systems go to that layer, many do not. Jurisdictions will vary.
Based on my pretty extensive research (talking in depth with a whole lot of folks who make traffic stops as a large part of their profession) it is ALWAYS best to offer your CHL along with your DL and take the very slight risk that you might get a cowboy who doesnt care to see it. In the preponderance of cases the officer will appreciate your giving him/her the most information possible/reasonable and not giving even the slightest perception that you are trying to hide something.
 
I did a ride along with my daughter and just for giggles we ran my plates which showed I had the CHL as well as my insurance which leads me to ask.. How come I need to show proof of insurance?
 
I did a ride along with my daughter and just for giggles we ran my plates which showed I had the CHL as well as my insurance which leads me to ask.. How come I need to show proof of insurance?

The last few times I've been pulled over, they have never asked me for proof of insurance, just my ID so they can "check me for warrants". Maybe insurance info is linked for some people but not for others?
 
You've been pulled over because you are an inconsiderate lead foot. You are driving your own vehicle. You also have a CHL. For this question, it DOES NOT matter whether you have a weapon in the car .

I assume the officer runs the tags on the car and familiarizes himself with the legal history of the owner? Is the officer able to see if you have a CHL?

The reason I ask is that a state agency (DMV) handles vehicle tags and driver's licences while the county handles the CHL.

Apologies for the noob question and thanks in advance for any information.

Yes and No. When you get pulled over, they run the plates and the registered owner of the vehicle...not necessarily the driver until they get the Driver's License from the driver (got to realize that the owner isn't always necessarily the driver).

Now, as stated before, the Department of Motor Vehicles is very..."complicated". Washington State DMV (like most of the state) is outdated, and much is still done with snail mail and fax. I, for one, had no idea that my driver's license was suspended until another military police officer was showing me how to run Driver's Licenses through NICS. Apparently, when I switched insurance providers from Progressive to Geico (they do military discounts), they thought I was no longer providing them with an SR-22 (from a ticket I got in 99 [long story]). Make a long story short...my insurance had to be on the phone with the WA DMV while faxing them a copy for me to have my license reinstated (after a week of me playing middle man and phone tag with them).

So my point is this...in theory, the DMV is supposed to have all that info on your driver's license. CCW, restrictions, driving record, date of birth, etc.

The last few times I've been pulled over, they have never asked me for proof of insurance, just my ID so they can "check me for warrants". Maybe insurance info is linked for some people but not for others?

Do you have an SR-22? If so, it would be in the DMV. Otherwise, no- it's not. However, proof of insurance is the easiest thing to fake and there is no way to prove if you have insurance unless the officer physically calls the insurance company. Also, many people carry expired insurance cards on them or don't carry insurance cards on them (but have insurance). Insurance cards get cycled every six months to a year, chances of you having an expired card on you is HIGH. Chances of you having a fake card you made yourself if you didn't have insurance is also high...so when an LEO is asking for insurance- it probably means he's going to write you a ticket.

Which leads me to ask ...How come I need to carry 'proof' of my CCW?

For the same reason you have to carry your Driver's License when you drive. Is this a serious question, or are you just trying to be cynical?
 
Well, since I have looked at these records for a number of years I will chime in. The majority of the response's have had correct information.

1. Running the plate does not show if you have a CHL
2. Running the plate does show the registered owners RO, name, date of birth, and DL #
3. You can then run the RO by name and DOB or DL, which will check DMV, NCIC, and LEDS. These are State and National database's. Your CHL is entered into LEDS which is attached to your DL
4. The CHL records are very accurate. In 13 years I have never seen, or heard of one being inaccurate
5. DMV records are inaccurate and can take up to 30 days to update the insurance record in their system. Just because it says you have insurance doesnt mean you do, you have to prove it.
 
Do you think LEO looks for things that are legal?

What, exactly, do you mean by that?

If you are speeding, you are breaking the law. Just because you have a CCW/CHL doesn't mean you are an upstanding citizen. Cops worry about people with guns, especially distraught people. He/She has no idea what you current state of mind may be and looking to see if you have a CCW is just a precaution.
 
Well, since I have looked at these records for a number of years I will chime in. The majority of the response's have had correct information.

1. Running the plate does not show if you have a CHL
2. Running the plate does show the registered owners RO, name, date of birth, and DL #
3. You can then run the RO by name and DOB or DL, which will check DMV, NCIC, and LEDS. These are State and National database's. Your CHL is entered into LEDS which is attached to your DL
4. The CHL records are very accurate. In 13 years I have never seen, or heard of one being inaccurate
5. DMV records are inaccurate and can take up to 30 days to update the insurance record in their system. Just because it says you have insurance doesnt mean you do, you have to prove it.


I have been told and shown by a police officer that when he simply runs my plates, there is a note on the first screen that says I have a CWP.

He also told me that different places use different systems. What his screen may show, another may not.

3 months later, 2 counties away, I was pulled over because when they ran my plates, they mysteriously came back to the previous owner who has a suspended license.


The system is messed up.
 
For the same reason you have to carry your Driver's License when you drive. Is this a serious question, or are you just trying to be cynical?

Although I tend to believe in Constitutional carry, it wasn't meant to be cynical. If the LEO or computer knows I have a CHL, then I don't follow the ORS that state I will be considered to not have one if I don't have it physically on me. I presume this is a holdover to the days when data access wasn't so easily obtained during a stop.
 
I have been told and shown by a police officer that when he simply runs my plates, there is a note on the first screen that says I have a CWP.

He also told me that different places use different systems. What his screen may show, another may not.

3 months later, 2 counties away, I was pulled over because when they ran my plates, they mysteriously came back to the previous owner who has a suspended license.


The system is messed up.

You miss understood what you saw. When they run the plate it has to go to dmv first to identify the registered owner. As hookmeister said from that they can then run the registered owner. CHL info is tied to the individual.

DMV info is the same no matter what agency runs it. It is as up to date as the data entry people at DMV are. Different agencies have different records systems that will have information from contacts etc with that specific agency.
 
You miss understood what you saw. When they run the plate it has to go to dmv first to identify the registered owner. As hookmeister said from that they can then run the registered owner. CHL info is tied to the individual.

DMV info is the same no matter what agency runs it. It is as up to date as the data entry people at DMV are. Different agencies have different records systems that will have information from contacts etc with that specific agency.

What he showed me was when he typed in my license plate, My personal and registered vehicle information popped up. At the bottom there was a separate line that says something like "CHL issued"

All he had typed in my license plate number. I'm not sure if it was a fluke or a misunderstanding, but that is what was on the screen.
 
That's definitely possible, they can use one command to run the plate and all registered owners. But thie first inquiry is on the vehicle. Just making sure that it was clear that the dmv registration is not connected to the CHL.
 
That's definitely possible, they can use one command to run the plate and all registered owners. But thie first inquiry is on the vehicle. Just making sure that it was clear that the dmv registration is not connected to the CHL.

Is it jurisdictional or just an individual LEO option to set up the MDT to run input into DMV, LEDS, and NICS on just a plate inquiry?
 

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