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I see this all the time from people who don't want it on the very front. Do the cops quit messing with you if you do this? Kind of seems more tacky than just putting it on the front.
who puts their license plate in the windshield?
- Thread starter The motor guy
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See it a lot in cars that came from one plate states to two plate states and the owner hasn’t/didn’t want to/couldn’t drill into the bumper to mount them, and they may not know that some OEMs offer mounts that don’t require drilling, although seems like quite a few require drilling
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Isn't it usually just a holder that is affixed to the bumper made for that particular car, then the plate is screwed into that? So it's not like you're constantly screwing and unscrewing plates to your bumper unless you're just a moron.
I guess it depends, one of my cars (older Mercedes) requires drilling to mount a front plate, others have a bracket plate that mounts to the lower grille in the bumper and needs no drilling
A few days ago I saw a car with what looked like a plate that was pasted on, or a decal. In other words, it wasn't a standard plate attached with a holder, screws, or made of metal. Further investigation took me here:
https://licenseplatewrap.com/
The plate was a wrap and is legal and approved in California. California’s DMV lets drivers use sticker-like license plates.
https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/18/california-front-license-plate-wraps-dmv/
Another company offers wrap-plate kits for other states, but I don't know how legal they are:
https://platewraps.us/collections/license-plate-wrap-kits
https://licenseplatewrap.com/
The plate was a wrap and is legal and approved in California. California’s DMV lets drivers use sticker-like license plates.
https://sfstandard.com/2023/12/18/california-front-license-plate-wraps-dmv/
Another company offers wrap-plate kits for other states, but I don't know how legal they are:
https://platewraps.us/collections/license-plate-wrap-kits
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It's funny that an industry accommodates both long, European style plates and our No. American plates on the rear ends of vehicles by making the pocket wide.
But with the front ends, there's often no provision for mounting plates at all.
You'd think number plate photographic systems would need standardization of location both rear and front. That particular states have no front plate would be immaterial.
But with the front ends, there's often no provision for mounting plates at all.
You'd think number plate photographic systems would need standardization of location both rear and front. That particular states have no front plate would be immaterial.
In Texas they can write you a ticket for no front plate and the front window isn’t good enough technically. The law states the plate must be visible and securely fastened which is not really possible with the front window application. So that’s how they get you. I know several people who have gotten tickets for it. It’s a couple hundred dollar fine but if you fix it before the court date usually they’ll waive the fine and charge a small court fee. I know a couple people who just pay the fines and will not install the plate because the aesthetics of the car is more important. Typically these are high-end cars though so I get it.
I’ve bought a few out of state used cars and had to install the plate myself. Just drilled some 7/32 holes into the bumper and used 1/4 self tapping screws - it worked like a champ. I don’t buy high-end vehicles so it’s not a big deal for me.
I’ve bought a few out of state used cars and had to install the plate myself. Just drilled some 7/32 holes into the bumper and used 1/4 self tapping screws - it worked like a champ. I don’t buy high-end vehicles so it’s not a big deal for me.
I’m surprised Texas still requires a front license plate. Not to be political, but Ohio did away with it.
dnewton3
Staff member
Speaking from LEO background, these "sticker" plates will become a major source of fraudulent display. The one benefit to real, metal (Al) embossed plates is that they are NOT easily made in one's home. But these new sticker/wrap plates can/will be easily created by anyone with a color printer and some vinyl wrap. Hence, false/fictitious plates will become a larger concern than they already are.
It's not a question of how normal, law-abiding citizens will use these. It's just yet another way to make it easier for criminals to do things.
It's not a question of how normal, law-abiding citizens will use these. It's just yet another way to make it easier for criminals to do things.
I know plates get stolen around here pretty often. Wife works with someone that just had it happen. However we have only rear plates here, so often I see people with them taped to the inside of the back window. Don't know if they get hassled, my guess is not.
In New Jersey your required to have 2 plates. But I've seen a million cars with them laying on the dashboards. Technically you could get a ticket for doing that, but it would be on a day when the cops were out looking to give you a ticket for something. About 15 years ago, the state decided to have drivers put stickers on the plates to show the reg is current. So they mailed them to you with your new registration. Well, people couldn't figure out what to do with them, and you saw almost every car, with both stickers on the rear plate. I guess that's why New Jersey is the only state in the country, where is illegal for drivers to pump their own gas. People would complain how much it costs to fill up their trunks.,,,
I see the plates in the front window often among the "fast and furious" crowd. Maybe it's because a flat plate creates wind resistance? Every little advantage helps in a 90-HP Civic.
I also see a lot of people who use custom mounts that attach the plate to the front bumper tow-hook receptacle. To me, that's the worse possible location.... It always reminds me of a giant billboard stuck to the side of a scenic mountain. At least when the plate is mounted in its normal OEM location, it sort of looks like it belongs there.
When I bought my WRX, the dealer showed me how they specifically don't drill the bumper for plates (because they know so many owners use the tow hook mount). But it only takes about 30 seconds of searching to find a better way to mount the plates in the stock location, without drilling. So I went with that instead.
Texas is the second largest state (first of the lower 48 states) and the second most populous. Along with that having 3 of the top 10 most populous cities in the US. It also is the 8th largest economy in the world. That’s a lot of people, land, vehicles, and situations to manage for law enforcement.
There has never been a front here, and I despise them. Having said that - there is a good number of reasons to have one. For one, there a giant reflector on the front of a parked car or one driving without headlights.
I think it boils down to cost. Does the state wish to pay to make double?
The state isn’t paying for it though. The owner is.
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I'm in a two plate state and a lot of EVs around here, specifically Teslas, don't have front plates. When I picked up my Lyriq, the dealer hadn't installed the front bracket or plate. They said a lot of owners like the clean look. I told them that may be so but I'm not trying to attract any unneeded police attention. Took them 3 min to install it.
No, I've never done that. I have driven several cars without front plates. Iowa still legally requires them, but it is not an offense one can be pulled over for. A Leo can tack it on to a ticket (say speeding), but lack of front plate alone is not grounds to be pulled over. So...I don't run them.
I just skip the front plate all together.
Depending on the car. On some cars it appears the designers never thought about the plate and was just added later, on others the plate fits the design and looks good enough.
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