When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
OK Ohio guys I got my tags for the ROC and wow does that white plate look B-A-D on the front of that black car!! I know what the law says, you have to have one but I also see lots of 'vettes and mustangs with out a front tag so what's the deal? Are they not stopping people? or are they just running 'till they get caught??
Bought my 1987 Camaro IROC-Z28 new in Mentor Ohio and I NEVER had a front plate on the car. I was stopped a number of times by local and state Law enforcement (Ohio)and the front plate was never a issue (20yrs). So who knows, I would just leave it off until it becomes a issue. I now reside in Florida which requires no front Plate.
I never had a front plate on any thirdgen I’ve owned.. and I used to get pulled over all the time as a 17-24 year old.. a few cops would mention it and I would say I had the plate on the bracket in the trunk(truth) but just hadn’t drilled the holes yet (also true)
After I got this one painted and replaced the grille, the painter said it would really be a shame to put the front plate on so try to get it inspected and see what happens..
I’ve gotten it inspected twice with no front plate and haven’t had an issue yet.. I’m assuming a classic cruiser might catch a break, but if you have a loud, obscene and aggressive looking car and are driving like a maniac you might get different treatment.
I’d say get away with it as long as you can.. if you catch a ticket all you have to do is show up to traffic court with a photo showing you installed the plate..
I want to try to get an old “green” Mass plate from 88 because I’ve heard they will let you re-register classic plates to match the year of the car as long as the plate number isn’t taken.. The green Mass plates also only came with a rear plate.
Do your state's offer different vanity plates in other colors if you are "forced" to have a front plate? Like here in California, Not that long ago, they brought back the 1960's black plate with yellow lettering which was meant more for the classic cars but a lot of new car owners loved it so much, they are also getting then for their cars.
We don’t have that in Mass as far as I know.. but another guy I know said they will let you register old Mass plates that match the year of a classic vehicle and the 80s plates were green and only had a rear plate.. I’m going to look into this!
If you find an old plate from your car’s year of manufacture you can apply for the Regustrar to approve the classic plate:
-Car must be over 25 years old
-Car must be primarily used for shows, public interest
-Plate must not have a combination of numbers currently in use
-Plate must be in good original condition and visible from 60 feet
Now just a matter of finding a green plate from 88 that I like.. some plates had an “88” in the top right corner which is cool..
Not sure how it varies from State to State, but I suspect if the car had provisions for a front plate from the factory then you have to use it. Some of the new cars don't have provisions. As far as old cars go, it helps to have a beautiful car so they take some pity and look past the issue. It also helps to not be a trouble maker.
In California, provision or no provision, you must have a front plate. From time to time I go on different manufacturers websites to build my own car. One of the options is for front license plate provision.
In Texas, in the past you were only issued one antique plate so no worries about running a plate up front. You are also allowed to register vintage plates from the year of your car's manufacture but if two plates were issued and required in that particular year, then you are now also required to run front and rear plates. Antique plates in Texas are good for 5 years and all expire in the same year regardless of when you registered your car. They do not require safety or pollution inspections, cost is around $50 for the entire 5 year term and are to be used for driving to and from events and for maintenance only. Although I have never heard of anyone in my area being pulled over and asked the nature of their trip. This year (2018) is renewal for all Texas antique plates and my understanding is they are now issuing two plates with all renewals, so technically I must run a plate up front. Not going to happen.
OK Ohio guys I got my tags for the ROC and wow does that white plate look B-A-D on the front of that black car!! I know what the law says, you have to have one but I also see lots of 'vettes and mustangs with out a front tag so what's the deal? Are they not stopping people? or are they just running 'till they get caught??
here in Oregon, I have"special" plate for car over 25 years, only have one for rear and no smog test required. On my 95z28 I run no front plate n it's not been an issue. I did buy, but never installed yet a plate that folds under front bumper so u can have license plate displayed when parked outside, but no need yet, I hate front plate on f body car
In California, provision or no provision, you must have a front plate. From time to time I go on different manufacturers websites to build my own car. One of the options is for front license plate provision.
Off topic....
I purchased my car used from a dealership in '89 and it didn't have a front plate and there was no bracket to install one. I drove it around like this for years until the CHP decided to pull me over for speeding on I-280 when I pulled out behind a Jaguar that just sped by me the No. 2 lane (I was in the No. 3 lane). Definitely no speeding was involved.
Because the cop knew it was bogus and had to write me up for something, he looked around the car and I got a ticket for no front plate.
I had to go through the hassle of re-registering the car to get a complete set of plates. Then I had to go to the courthouse to get the citation conformed that I did bother correct the issue. I also had to order a plate kit from a dealership.
I used to just position the bracket and used the front end protector to hold it in place. When I ditched the bra, I just threw the plate and bracket in the back and never again bothered with it.
I haven't been hassled in decades. I suppose in matters like this, it's a toss-up whether you get cited or not. I will add that the local police seem to have better things to do than bother with stuff like this. Unlike the CHP who will pull you over for no reason other than what amounts to a "welfare" check.
The 2nd post in this thread has the answer. I have them in both my cars. Keeps you legal and will allow you to drop the plate for a photo op or car show.
It's not worth the hassle of being stopped for a missing plate if you are required to have one.
You guys with your vintage car plates SUCK. Kansas is a one plate state, which is nice, but it's also 35 years here before a car is eligible for vintage plates. About the only ones you see around town are on 60's cars, and old beater farm trucks turned into roofin' debris trucks.
South Dakota is a two plate state. Ran my Formula without the front plate for a few years without a problem. Got pulled over for it once when I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and attracting too much attention to myself. Oh it was terrible, they wrote me a provisional fix-it ticket that said I had to rectify the problem and have an officer sign off on it. I had to steal the front plate bracket off my other 91 Firebird to put the plate on and get it dismissed. Dude at the copshop never even looked at the car, didn't come out in the parking lot... Only bad part of the deal was that the screws from the other Firebird were bigger than the holes in the Formula's front bumper, so they cracked the 27 layers of paint of surfacer on the front bumper cover. Eventually a lot of the paint flaked off....
So I guess the point is, leave the plate off, don't be stupid, and you won't have a problem. Keep the plate and bracket, with all related hardware in the car in case you ever need it.
Well I know things might change in Mass because they want people to have front plates ever since they got rid of toll booths and have EZPass and Pay by Plate sensors now. I hope it doesn’t affect the single vintage plates. They have a new program where they want to have people with old,dirty plates to exchange for new ones free of charge so the toll sensors can read them.. hopefully if I have an EZPass transponder I’ll be off the hook..
Got a ticket for no front plate from a "delightful" Worthington Ohio cop once
had my front plate held on with a coat hanger (hey, I was 21 years old) and it fell off
Not only did he ticket me for the plate, he threatened to write me again for "improper fasteners"!
Kentucky says "If there isn't a bracket, you don't need a plate"
In Nevada now and they really don't even care if you run straight pipes here, no smog testing here either, except in the biggest cities. Plate law is the same as the lube state
Think I'll stick around here for a while
Got a ticket for no front plate from a "delightful" Worthington Ohio cop once
had my front plate held on with a coat hanger (hey, I was 21 years old) and it fell off
Not only did he ticket me for the plate, he threatened to write me again for "improper fasteners"!
Kentucky says "If there isn't a bracket, you don't need a plate"
In Nevada now and they really don't even care if you run straight pipes here, no smog testing here either, except in the biggest cities. Plate law is the same as the lube state
Think I'll stick around here for a while
Ha, I got pulled over in Worthington back in the day (probably 91 or 92) in my IROC for no front plate. Car was perfect back then and no way I was drilling holes in the grill. Just explained to him that the car didnt come with a bracket when I got it. Luckily I just got a warning. Today, Historical tags in Ohio only come with one, so no front plate to put on anymore
In Texas, in the past you were only issued one antique plate so no worries about running a plate up front. You are also allowed to register vintage plates from the year of your car's manufacture but if two plates were issued and required in that particular year, then you are now also required to run front and rear plates. Antique plates in Texas are good for 5 years and all expire in the same year regardless of when you registered your car. They do not require safety or pollution inspections, cost is around $50 for the entire 5 year term and are to be used for driving to and from events and for maintenance only. Although I have never heard of anyone in my area being pulled over and asked the nature of their trip. This year (2018) is renewal for all Texas antique plates and my understanding is they are now issuing two plates with all renewals, so technically I must run a plate up front. Not going to happen.
Well I received my new Texas antique plate in the mail today and to my pleasant surprise there was only one (rear) plate in the envelope. So apparently no required front antique plate for at least 5 years in Texas.
03-21-2018, 08:17 AM
About the only ones you see around town are on 60's cars, and old beater farm trucks turned into roofin' debris trucks. 
