Is it a law to have 2 license plate in front and back of your car?

Question

I just got a fix-it ticket for $30.. when my car was parked if front of Wal-Mart by chicken **** renta cops tonight. If it is a law since when was it in effect....If so were can I log on for more info.

Answer 1

Varies from state to state, but most require two. Did they give you two plates or two stickers when you registered your car? If they did, it didn't it enter your mind that you were meant to use both of them? What did you think the second plate was?

Answer 2

Copied the following from a previous post. Also, here's a site for all the TX Statutes, which can be searched.
Texas Statutes


[quote=chewie;294690] According to the Transportation code the verbage is kinda "vague" on this issue.

§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE[0] PLATE[0] OR
REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have
been:...blah, blah, blah.....

Notice it says at the front and not to the front. Some put it in the windshield, which dispalys it to the front (but is it at the front?) If you have it in your windshield the following can get you too....

§ 502.409. WRONG, FICTITIOUS, ALTERED, OR OBSCURED
LICENSE PLATE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person
attaches to or displays on a motor vehicle a number plate or
registration insignia that:
(1) is assigned to a different motor vehicle;
(2) is assigned to the vehicle under any other motor
vehicle law other than by the department;
(3) is assigned for a registration period other than
the registration period in effect;
(4) is fictitious;
(5) has letters, numbers, or other identification
marks that because of blurring or reflective matter are not plainly
visible at all times during daylight;
(6) has an attached illuminated device or sticker,
decal, emblem, or other insignia that is not authorized by law and
that interferes with the readability of the letters or numbers on
the plate[0] or the name of the state in which the vehicle is
registered; or
(7) has a coating, covering, or protective material
that:
(A) distorts angular visibility or
detectability; or
(B) alters or obscures the letters or numbers on
the plate, the color of the plate, or another original design
feature of the plate.

The windshield can blur the plate due to the sunlight, as an example.

Personally, the only reason I have a front plate on my bumper cover is because the dealer drilled the holes in the damn thing.

The law has it's benefits, but a citation....hmmmm

So, depends on which state you are in and what kind of judge is ruling on the ticket.

Answer 3

I wondered this because when I owned a Miata i might want to no longer imaging messing it up with a the front plate. So i did not installation it for the three years I had the vehicle. even as I hear you're meant to placed a plate at the front, I did countless surveys of 100 vehicles at a time. i come across that about 14% of all vehicles right here in l. a. do no longer have the front plate put in. fantastically Mercedes Benz and sporty vehicles. therefore i believe they ar elikely no longer implementing this rule. although, you go away off the front plate at your human being possibility. Lip off a cop and they are going to use it as an excuse to provide you a cost ticket.

Answer 4

It depends on your state. In Texas, passenger cars and light trucks are required to have license plates displayed on the front and the back.

I do have a few questions too. By "renta cops", are you referring to security guards? And was your vehicle parked in the parking lot, or on a public roadway?

Answer 5

It is a state law here in Missouri to have 2 plates, one in front and one in back, but just across the state line in Kansas you only need one. Google your state's division of motor vehicles and it should tell you whether you need one or two.

When you registered your car did they give you two plates? If so then that shoud tell you that you need 2. If they only gave you one, I would contact the local police dept where the WalMart is located to ask about the ticket

Answer 6

Double plates are required only in some state, but not in all. Yes, you can get a ticket, if you have only one plate in a state which requires fron & back plates on your car.

Answer 7

It depends on the state you live in, I know in Ohio it requires 2 plates, in Tennessee it only requires 1 plate in back.

Answer 8

Not in Michigan, you just need a visible plate on the back with a valid registration sticker.

Answer 9

In California it is the law that you have to have two license plates - one on the front and one on the back. The law is CVC 5200.

Answer 10

In most states you must have both a front and rear license plate.