Depends on the ranger, where you are stopped and most importantly your attitude. Back "in-the-day", when I was younger and a lot more mouthy I never bothered with permits. I'm probably the only guy to get TWO tickets in one trip - one just below the summit and one near Mirror Lake. It's cheaper on the Sequoia side than in the actual "Whitney Zone" (50 vs 250). Well, it used to be - I've since gone legit and mended my big mouth ways - I haven't had a brush with a ranger since 1999.
I would think that a ranger would rather you take a little longer and exit safely than push it trying to beat the clock.
