As of mid‑2025, 29 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C. require both a front and a rear license plate to be displayed on most passenger vehicles (snowbirdaccidents.com).
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts (note: older plates issued before ~1993 may remain rear-only, but modern registrations require two) (Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada (front plates are optional if the vehicle wasn't designed with a bracket or manufacturer's provision) (Brilliant Maps, Wikipedia)
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Texas
Utah (through December 31, 2024; requirement removed effective January 1, 2025) (World Population Review, Team Justice, Sighthound)
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Washington, D.C.
In Utah, the front plate requirement was officially removed, effective January 1, 2025, as part of legislative changes (World Population Review).
Some states may offer exemptions for vehicle types such as historic/classic vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, or vehicles without manufacturer-provided front bracket, even within two‑plate jurisdictions (e.g. Massachusetts, Nevada, etc.) (Wikipedia).
Massachusetts continues to recognize pre‑1978 rear‑only plates (now grandfathered), but new registrations require front and rear plates since the early 1990s (Wikipedia).
In Nevada, if the vehicle was not sold with a provision for a front plate, the front plate requirement may not be enforced—though legally it's a two‑plate state in theory (Brilliant Maps, Wikipedia).
| Requirement | States / D.C. |
|---|---|
| Require both front & rear plates | 29 states + Washington, D.C. |
| Do not require front plate (rear-only) | 21 states, including Alabama, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, etc. |
| Utah transitioned in 2025 | Now rear-only requirement after January 1, 2025 |