Can a police officer issue a citation for no registration / no insurance on private property?

Question

I dont know where the officer came from because I didn't see him at all. I don't know if he was on the property or on the street. I don't know if it even matters if I was previously on the street or not. All I know is that I was driving an unregistered vehicle without insurance on the private property of my apartment complex at the time the red and blue lights came on behind me. The officer displayed poor conduct and harassed me about everything, including the seatbelt I had already taken off because i was attempting to exit my parked vehicle before I saw the officer walking toward me. At the time I saw the lights come on I didnt know if he was after me or hoodlums on the property because I never thought an officer would be after me for something that's not wrong. As far as I know registration and insurance is not required on private property and this is therefore an illegally issued citation. He even accused me of lying, playing games, and refused to believe that I hadn't smoked pot.

Answer 1

If you're on private property that has unrestricted access to a public way then the citiation is valid. Since the apartment complex parking lot does have unrestricted access to a public way, you have to have insurance and maintain your vehicle registration.

He's got an unregistered & uninsured driver. He's going to go trolling for any more vioations that he can drum up. It's not unusual for them to make unfounded accusations about things -- drugs, etc. -- as some rubes are dumb enough to admit to it.

Answer 2

I almost take from your question that a person would only need insurance and to register the vehicle if driving on public roads. You can't have it both ways. If you own a car, it has to be registered regardless of what you're doing with it, and it has to have insurance. What would you do if you were driving on the private property and lost control and hit the apartment building, or just scratched a vehicle as you backed out? That's what liability insurance is for. You don't have to buy insurance for your vehicle damages unless you have a lien holder, but at least do the right thing and insure it for liability.
As far as what the cop can and can't do I have no clue, but I doubt he just randomly selected you to harass that day.

Answer 3

Yes in this case because an apartment complex is considered quasi-public the same as a shopping center parking lot...even though it may be technically privately owned property it is considered a common area accessible by the general public,aside from that he probably saw you drive into it so it doesn't matter..there is no "safe at home base rule" .

Answer 4

actually yes. if the officer sees you on the road driving and finds probable cause to stop you, but you pull into a private drive to stop, the officer can still write you the citation because you were operating a motor vehicle on public road with no insurance verification. it is considered a misdemeanor committed in the presence of an officer. sorry

Answer 5

YOU BIG DUMMY !!! You break the law big time and expect everyone to feel sorry for you. Yes, you can be issued a ticket if you broke the law and escaped onto private property.

Don't you realize what happens to someone you run into and injure without insurance ??

I hope he threw the book at you.

Answer 6

yes. Anytime you are driving a vehicle, it must be insured and registered. He has the right to do this. If it was parked and unoccupied, he could ticket the vehicle for no registration.

Answer 7

If an twist of fate starts on a city, county, or state street and strikes off street it continues to be a collision investigated because it began on the government street. If it completely occurs on inner maximum property it relies upon on your state regulation. you're backing a automobile on your driveway and it hits your friends automobile, additionally on your driveway who's traveling you, or a mall parking zone that's all seen "inner maximum property" and it relies upon on what state you're in.

Answer 8

Yes

Answer 9

Yes if they saw you driving on the road with an unregestered uninsured car. its just means you would be saved towing fees, plus they really aren't that bad when it comes for fines, i knew someone who got pulled over and on top of that he had a suspended lisence and the thing that killed him was towing fees not the ticket

Answer 10

he cant right any ticket on private property. you dont even need a licence on private property. get a lawyer and sew that punk!!