Which states require front plates?

Written by:

Shivani Gite

Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.

Reviewed by:

Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura Longero is an insurance expert with more than 15 years of experience educating people about personal finance topics and helping consumers navigate the complexities of auto insurance. She writes and edits for QuinStreet’s CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Prior to joining QuinStreet, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network.

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Front license plates

The earliest license plates on U.S. cars were made of wood, leather or even porcelain. By the time plates were standardized in size — 12 inches by 6 inches — almost all were made of steel. States later switched to aluminum, a more expensive material that is much cheaper to mail and doesn’t rust.

Today, many states have begun producing thermal-printed, flat plates on vinyl.

The primary purpose of license plates is to provide a unique identifier that connects every vehicle to a registered owner. They make enforcement of tolls, border crossing, parking regulations and other traffic laws possible, assist in identifying vehicles used in crimes or involved in hit-and-run accidents, and their reflective surface improves nighttime visibility.

Penalties for violating the two-plate law range from fix-it tickets to fines of up to $200 in Texas.

Assuming there is a valid registration for the vehicle, tickets for missing license plates generally do not go on the driver’s motor vehicle record as a moving violation and are thus unseen by auto insurance companies. They should not affect your car insurance rates.

But don’t ignore the ticket; it could lead to a suspended driver’s license for administrative reasons and send your rates through the roof.

States that require front license plates

*Vehicles in Nevada that do not have a designated mounting position for a front plate are not required to use one.

In addition, these border provinces in Canada require two plates:

British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Ontario
Saskatchewan

These border states in Mexico require two plates:

Baja California Norte
Baja California Sur
Chihuahua*
Coahuila*
Sonora*
Tamaulipas*

*If the resident lives within 20 miles of the U.S. border

States that don’t require front plates

— Michelle Megna contributed to this story.

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Shivani Gite

Contributing Writer

Which states require front license plates?

States that require front license plates

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States that don’t require front plates