Howard Coker | March 26, 2025 | Car Accidents
License plate laws vary from state to state, but they all share at least one common goal: to keep roads safe and play a crucial role in identifying cars and owners involved in car accidents. More than half of the 50 states and Washington D.C. require front and rear license plates. In Florida, most drivers only need rear plates.
Are Front License Plates Mandatory in Florida?
Florida does not require front license plates on most passenger cars. Per Florida Statute 316.605, all passenger cars and motorcycles must have a license plate affixed to the rear. Some commercial vehicles must have both front and rear plates. Truck tractors, because of their design, only need front plates.
Why Front License Plates Are Not Required
According to the Florida License Plate History, Florida began using a license plate system in 1905, and all vehicles had a rear plate. In 1917, the Florida legislature passed the Motor Vehicle Act, and the State Comptroller began issuing two plates per car in 1918, but in 1922, the state returned to a one-plate system.
Though the history does not offer specific reasons for the one-plate system, they likely include:
- Reduced Registration Costs: It costs money to generate plates, and Florida drivers are responsible for those costs.
- Avoiding Car-Design Problems: Some modern vehicles do not have front license plate holders.
- Alignment With Florida’s Infrastructure: The rear plate system works with traffic surveillance and tolling methods.
Many states have a front-plate requirement to support Amber alert efforts and make it easier for law enforcement to identify dangerous drivers or other persons of interest.
Other Florida License Plate Laws
Florida’s license plate statute includes other requirements. The plates for registered Florida drivers must be:
- Securely fastened so they do not swing, and placed “not higher than 60 inches and not lower than 12 inches from the ground and no more than 24 inches to the left or right” of the vehicle’s centerline
- Clear and clean and visible from 100 feet
- Mounted horizontally, so all letters and numbers can be read left to right
- Official Florida state license plates
The statute also specifies that plates cannot be defaced or altered by applying substances, reflective materials, or other lighting methods that potentially corrupt the plate’s visibility or clarity of features. It is unlawful to change the plates’ original design.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) provides additional information on obtaining, paying for, and disposing of personalized and temporary plates.
License Plate Violations
Violating the conditions of Florida’s license plate statute is a non-criminal traffic infraction. Violators can still face financial penalties and get points on their licenses. These points can affect insurance premiums, and if points pile up, violators may have their licenses suspended, per FHSMV standards.
License plate display violations can also cause problems in car and motorcycle accident situations and increase the risk of accidents. Obscured plates make it difficult to identify hit-and-run drivers. Drivers with unclear plates may feel “untouchable” and engage in risky and reckless driving behaviors, knowing they are less likely to get caught.
Contact The Car Accidents Law Firm of Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers For a Free Consultation
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville personal injury law firm of Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers and schedule a free consultation today.
We serve Duval County and its surrounding areas.
Coker Law Personal Injury Lawyers
136 E Bay St #5438
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 356-6071
Find us with our Geo Coordinates: 30.32569719086265, -81.65515220132858
