What States Require Two License Plates?
All states require vehicles to display a license plate or a temporary license. However, not all states require that vehicles have a license plate on both the back and front bumper. This is a point of contention for law enforcement, car enthusiasts and auto manufacturers.
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Benefits
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Requiring cars to display two license plates is increasingly beneficial to law enforcement agents. For example, the use of a red-light camera requires that a vehicle be identified. If the license plate is not captured in the photo, the police would be unable to press charges. Affixing a plate to the front of the bumper greatly increases the chance of a car being identified.
Opposition
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One opposition to requirements for a front license plate is that the plate obstructs the view and function of the grille on the car. This may impede the cooling and ventilation of the engine. Furthermore, requiring a license plate mount on the front of the car requires more materials and may cause damage to the front of the car. Other motorists enjoy installing a vanity plate on the front of their cars--requiring a state license plate on the front would preclude this practice.
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States Requiring Only One License Plate
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As of September 2009, the following states require only a license plate on the back bumper: Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arizona, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and West Virginia. All other states require two license plates.
Massachusetts
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Massachusetts state law regarding license plates is somewhat unique. Until 1986, Massachusetts required only one license plate. Massachusetts now requires both front and back license plates, but since plates issued after 1978 remain valid, some vehicles only have one.
California
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Recently, a movement in California has set up a petition to revoke the laws requiring two license plates. Among other reasons, the petition states that the front bumper causes extra damage during minor collisions, impedes the performance of the car and causes unnecessary demand on storage, production and shipping.
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