California Law Regarding Placement of a GPS

As global positioning system units become more ubiquitous, many states have introduced laws governing their usage while driving. California even has laws that dictate where a GPS may or may not be placed in the car.

Windshield Affixment

• Before January 1, 2009, it was illegal to have a GPS unit affixed to a car windshield at all in California. However, the law was changed to allow GPS units to be mounted to a windshield -- as long as it is within a 7-inch square in the lower corner of the passenger side or a 5-inch square in the lower corner of the driver's side.

Recommended Non-Windshield Placement

• In the absence of a passenger to hold the GPS unit and do the navigating, it is recommended that a driver affix the unit to the dashboard. This can be done using a variety of methods, including poster putty or a "bean bag" type holder.

Penalty

• Violation of the windshield placement laws may result in a traffic ticket. The ticket may be eliminated by removing the GPS unit from the offending position and paying a fine of $10 to remove it from your record.