Texas Front Plates?

[VideoGuy]

Ok, I've lived in Texas for years and years, and my cars always had both front and rear license plates. Never gave that a second thought.

Just bought and registered my 06 and while driving around before the plates arrived, noticed that it looks MUCH better without the front plate & plate holder. Got to looking around me, and noticed a LOT of cars without front plates...

Does anyone know if it's required to have the front plates in Texas? I went to the TXDOT website, and couldn't find an answer. Maybe it's one of those deals where they won't stop you just for that, but if they stop you for something else, they'll cite you for not displaying the plates properly too?

I'd sure like to leave my front plates off, and just display the rear plates.

[EpBuckeye34]

Originally Posted by VideoGuy

Ok, I've lived in Texas for years and years, and my cars always had both front and rear license plates. Never gave that a second thought.

Just bought and registered my 06 and while driving around before the plates arrived, noticed that it looks MUCH better without the front plate & plate holder. Got to looking around me, and noticed a LOT of cars without front plates...

Does anyone know if it's required to have the front plates in Texas? I went to the TXDOT website, and couldn't find an answer. Maybe it's one of those deals where they won't stop you just for that, but if they stop you for something else, they'll cite you for not displaying the plates properly too?

I'd sure like to leave my front plates off, and just display the rear plates.

I have been driving around without a front liscense plate on my 2004 Honda Civic SI for almost 4 years. I got pulled over for not having it once, it was by a state trooper on the 4th of july at like 8am. He asked me if I had one and I said no sir and he told me to get one and then drove away. I heard a few years ago that they were going to stop making you have one but the guy pulled me over so i'm not sure....

[s2k 4 me]

Thats the way it is in Colorado. We're required to have it, but they cant pull you over for it if you dont. Most all of the Stewies here dont run with them on.

[SilverS2K422]

i was pulled over for speeding a few weeks ago and the cop went and looked at the front bumper and asked me if i had a front plate, then he gave me a warning, so i said could i put it in the corner of my window and he said Texas State law is that the front license plate must be a the very front of the car. but i still havent put it on. haha so i wouldnt worry about it

[Swingle1]

You see very few (if any) S2000s with the front tag on in Texas.

It is required, but not strictly enforced. I don't know what the fine would be, and have never heard of anyone being fined here.

That said, it's one of those things that could allow the law-man to bust your chops (and go digging for more) if he wanted to.

If you always keep your nose clean while on the road, I wouldn't hang the tag. If you plan on running rum or smuggling diamonds, you should probably bring yourself into full compliance with the tag.

[ppat1989]

ya my friend got pulle over for it here, and they just let him off with a warning ant tld him to get one. i havnt had one for like 8 months now and i havnt had any problems and ive been pulled over quite a few times

[D1sclaimer]

My friend got a fix-it ticket for this where I live. He had to drive downtown within a few days and show that he had it put back on.

[smockingaces]

its not that big of a deal i have 2 cars and non of them have front plates as long as your not being stupid

[VideoGuy]

Thanks all. Recently found another website with a discussion of the Texas front plate law. Apparently there is a bill in the legislature to change the law so you wouldn't have to display one, but it's been stalled out for some reason or another. Bad gas, maybe?

Anyway, I think I'll leave mine off for now, as I don't smuggle diamonds or rum, and am usually pretty discreet with the speed in urban areas.

[Mickster]

Way more than you wanted to know, but here is the statute in Texas:
Bottom line is $200 fine for not having it, but waived (for a $10 administration fee) if you show up with it on the vehicle at a hearing. I understand that law enforcement wants to increase use of front plates to bounce laser speed guns from.

§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE 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:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is egistered for the period.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a assenger car or commercial motor vehicle, other than a vehicle assigned license plates for the registration period, that does not properly display the registration insignia issued by the department that establishes
that the license plates have been validated for the period.
(c) A person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway during a registration period a road tractor, motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer that does not display a license plate, attached to the rear of the vehicle, that has been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the period.
(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a dealer
operating a vehicle as provided by law.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine not to exceed $200.
(f) A court may dismiss a charge brought under subsection (a) if the defendant:
(1) remedies the defect before the defendant's first
court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.
(g) A court may dismiss a charge brought under Subsection (b) if the defendant:
(1) shows that:
(A) the passenger car or commercial motor vehicle
was issued a registration insignia by the department that establishes that the vehicle was registered for the period during which the offense was committed; and
(B) the registration insignia described in Paragraph (A) was attached to the passenger car or commercial motor
vehicle before the defendant's first court appearance; and
(2) pays an administrative fee not to exceed $10.

[ppat1989]

that says on a public HIGHWAY only

[VideoGuy]

Thanks Mickster - good to know that I can probably get the citation waived if I get stopped for it.

[ppat1989]

if they even ticket you for it. ive had a few buddies get pulled over for it and they never received a ticket, the cop just said to get one on there. and ive been pulled over like 4 times without it and they have never said a word to me. my mother has also been driving her car for over a year now and has never been pulled over for it, so i dont think that its a law that most officers enforce harshly or anything.

[Mickster]

Originally Posted by ppat1989

that says on a public HIGHWAY only

Damn Lawyers:

"Public highway" includes a road, street, way, thoroughfare, or bridge:
(A) that is in this state;
(B) that is for the use of vehicles;
(C) that is not privately owned or controlled;
and
(D) over which the state has legislative jurisdiction under its police power.

[ppat1989]

i stand corrected