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Does your state require a front license plate?

29 U.S. jurisdictions require a plate on the front of the car. 22 require only a rear plate. Select a state for the rule, the fine where we have a documented figure, and what to do if your car has no front bracket.

Last verified June 2, 2026

Alaska — rear plate onlyAlabama — rear plate onlyArkansas — rear plate onlyArizona — rear plate onlyCalifornia — front plate requiredColorado — front plate requiredConnecticut — front plate requiredDistrict of Columbia — front plate requiredDelaware — rear plate onlyFlorida — rear plate onlyGeorgia — rear plate onlyHawaii — front plate requiredIowa — front plate requiredIdaho — front plate requiredIllinois — front plate requiredIndiana — rear plate onlyKansas — rear plate onlyKentucky — rear plate onlyLouisiana — rear plate onlyMassachusetts — front plate requiredMaryland — front plate requiredMaine — front plate requiredMichigan — rear plate onlyMinnesota — front plate requiredMissouri — front plate requiredMississippi — rear plate onlyMontana — front plate requiredNorth Carolina — rear plate onlyNorth Dakota — front plate requiredNebraska — front plate requiredNew Hampshire — front plate requiredNew Jersey — front plate requiredNew Mexico — rear plate onlyNevada — front plate requiredNew York — front plate requiredOhio — rear plate onlyOklahoma — rear plate onlyOregon — front plate requiredPennsylvania — rear plate onlyRhode Island — front plate requiredSouth Carolina — rear plate onlySouth Dakota — front plate requiredTennessee — rear plate onlyTexas — front plate requiredUtah — rear plate onlyVirginia — front plate requiredVermont — front plate requiredWashington — front plate requiredWisconsin — front plate requiredWest Virginia — rear plate onlyWyoming — front plate requiredAKALARAZCACOFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENMNVNYOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWIWVWYVTVermontNHNew HampshireMAMassachusettsRIRhode IslandCTConnecticutNJNew JerseyDEDelawareMDMarylandDCWashington, D.C.
Front plate required (29)Rear plate only (22)

Boundaries are the U.S. Census Bureau’s 1:10,000,000 cartographic file, drawn on an Albers USA projection with Alaska and Hawaii inset. Select a state on the map or from the list.

Pick a state from the list or the map and you'll get the rule, the fine where we have a documented figure, and whether the citation can be corrected.

Sourced from our own state-by-state research, last checked June 2, 2026: Front License Plate Laws by State. Laws change — confirm current requirements with your state DMV before acting on this.

Every state, in one table

All 50 states and the District of Columbia. Where a column says “not verified”, we have not confirmed a figure for that state and will not guess at one.

Front license plate requirements by state, last verified June 2, 2026
StateFront plateFineNotes
AlabamaNot required——
AlaskaNot required—Dropped the front plate requirement in 2022.
ArizonaNot required——
ArkansasNot required——
CaliforniaRequiredAbout $196Strictly enforced.
ColoradoRequiredTypically $25–$100—
ConnecticutRequiredTypically $25–$100—
DelawareNot required——
FloridaNot required——
GeorgiaNot required——
HawaiiRequiredTypically $25–$100—
IdahoRequiredTypically $25–$100Exempt if the vehicle has no front bracket.
IllinoisRequiredTypically $25–$100Fix-it ticket available.
IndianaNot required——
IowaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
KansasNot required——
KentuckyNot required——
LouisianaNot required——
MaineRequiredTypically $25–$100—
MarylandRequiredTypically $25–$100—
MassachusettsRequiredTypically $25–$100—
MichiganNot required——
MinnesotaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
MississippiNot required——
MissouriRequiredTypically $25–$100—
MontanaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
NebraskaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
NevadaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
New HampshireRequiredTypically $25–$100—
New JerseyRequiredTypically $25–$100—
New MexicoNot required——
New YorkRequiredTypically $25–$100Required on all registered vehicles.
North CarolinaNot required——
North DakotaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
OhioNot required—Dropped the front plate requirement in 2020.
OklahomaNot required——
OregonRequiredTypically $25–$100—
PennsylvaniaNot required——
Rhode IslandRequiredTypically $25–$100—
South CarolinaNot required——
South DakotaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
TennesseeNot required——
TexasRequired$1–$500Fine varies by local jurisdiction.
UtahNot required—Dropped the front plate requirement on 1 January 2025 — the most recent state to do so.
VermontRequiredTypically $25–$100—
VirginiaRequiredTypically $25–$100—
WashingtonRequiredTypically $25–$100—
Washington, D.C.RequiredTypically $25–$100—
West VirginiaNot required——
WisconsinRequiredTypically $25–$100—
WyomingRequiredTypically $25–$100—

Where no state-specific fine is documented we show the general typically $25–$100 range reported across two-plate states, not a figure for that state. Sourced from our own research, Front License Plate Laws by State, last checked June 2, 2026. Confirm current requirements with your state DMV before acting on this.

Common questions

How many states require a front license plate?
29 U.S. jurisdictions require a front licence plate: 28 states plus Washington, D.C. The remaining 22 states require only a rear plate.
What is the fine for not having a front license plate?
It varies by state. California is about $196 and Texas ranges from $1 to $500 depending on the local jurisdiction. Most other two-plate states fall in the $25 to $100 range. Many states treat it as a correctable violation, so fitting the plate can get the ticket dismissed.
Which state most recently dropped its front plate requirement?
Utah, on 1 January 2025. Ohio dropped the requirement in 2020 and Alaska in 2022.
Do I still need a rear plate in a rear-only state?
Yes. Every state requires a valid, unobstructed rear plate. Tinted covers, frames that block the registration sticker, or a dirty plate that obscures the number are each a separate violation.

Read the full guide

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