A local driver was ticketed this morning by Barrie police after being caught with licence plates that had been expired for nearly six years.
Shortly after 8 a.m. on Jan. 13, city police say an officer conducted a "proactive compliance check" of a vehicle travelling northbound on Essa Road. It was discovered that the licence plate had been expired for a few years as the insurance status was not checked, police stated in a release.
The 23-year-old driver, from Barrie, was stopped and investigated regarding "several irregularities" involving the car.
As a result of the traffic stop, the man was charged with operating a vehicle without insurance and failure to apply for a permit upon becoming the owner.
Police say the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act and Highway Traffic Act charges will require the driver to attend the Barrie Provincial Offences Court in late March to deal with these matters.
In the meantime, he was also cautioned to not drive the vehicle until it is properly insured and properly registered in his name.
Recent changes to legislation involving licence plates in Ontario will see them automatically renew 90 days before expiration, if your licence plates are eligible, police say in a release.
To be eligible, you must not have any defaulted on the payment of any driver-related fines or fees, must not have any outstanding vehicle fines, penalties or tolls and you must have valid insurance.
Police remind people that a renewed plate is valid for two years and can be done online or in person at any Service Ontario location. There is no cost associated with this process.
