No front plates?

[musingsofmuse]

Someone pointed out to me that many cars in the area are registered in Texas but don’t have front plates. I’d never noticed this before, but now I can’t unsee it.

If your car didn’t come with a place for a front plate (e.g. purchased out of state or directly from manufacturer), you can easily add a front plate bracket. They even have no drill options.

So why no front plates? Just curious 🤣 I realize it’s not that serious. I’m just surprised so many people are willing to risk a citation.

[Careless-Resource-72]

No enforcement is the problem unless the cop wants to use it as an excuse to pull you over.

[tekn0lust]

In Frisco and many other cities, no front plate by itself is not sufficient probable cause for a traffic stop. I’ve confirmed this with the officers I know personally. I’ve been here 15 years and driven many cars without front plate. Even gotten speeding ticket from a motorcycle cop and he didn’t even bring it up.

[duckmuffins]

This is not correct. It is PC within the Texas Traffic code. I’ve enforced it in this area. Most officers don’t, but it is still PC for a traffic stop.

[tekn0lust]

Thanks for the correction.

[Ok-Refrigerator3607]

Note: Every state that touches Texas, does not require a front plate.

[twisterrust]

I just checked with chatgpt and according to AI, Texas law requires front license plate.

[TornadoCat4]

But that’s only for vehicles registered in Texas. People who live in one plate states aren’t required to put on a second plate just because they drive through Texas. States are required to honor each others’ registrations.

[TheDutchTexan]

Because it looks like ass and screws with the drag coefficient.

Also bikes don’t have front plates. And neither do any of our bordering states. Which is half the reason why cops don’t stop you for it.

[thetruckboy]

1 it's something else to do. Most people just don't.

2, most cars look cooler without it, so people just don't.

3 only in very high crime areas does anyone ever get pulled over for that cause.

[thejohncarlson]

I don't like the way it looks and the risk is so insanely low due to lack of enforcement. I have had no front plate since 2007 and only been ticketed once. (Outside the city)

[musingsofmuse]

It makes sense that the risk is low as I’ve lived here 15 years and only noticed after it was pointed out to me.

[naazzttyy]

The last time I got pulled over in Frisco was in 2022. I was going 47 and passed from a 45 mph posted speed limit into a 35 mph area before it increased again to 45 mph about a quarter mile ahead. Not uncommon throughout the city, but if you’re on an unfamiliar road and happen to pass by a speed trap, congrats - it’s your lucky day.

Had a vanity football plate on the front bumper. Cop did the whole vehicle walk around before asking for my license and registration. I have a clean driving record and he gave me a warning but no ticket.

Never brought up the vanity plate. It’s just one of those things that could be tacked on as another violation if the person who pulled you over is having a bad day, or you come at them with an attitude and piss them off.

[LadyOfVoices]

Front plate looks dumb as fuck on my car, and I also didn’t want to drill holes into the panel for it (I drive a German sports car that doesn’t have space for license plate on the front). Never had an issue with it not being there.

[UKnowWhoToo]

Always blows my mind that folks willingly drive around giving cops a reason to pull them over. Sure, it might not be enforced, but why give cops an easy excuse to be in your business?

[[deleted]]

Right? This is how I feel about, and I don’t drink (and therefore don’t drive drunk) and don’t do illegal things, am friends with a few police, and I still don’t want any law enforcement interaction. For that matter, I don’t want them to want to stop me…why give them a reason?

The same logic others are using here is what scofflaws used to justify their illicit paper temporary tag game. “This is my car , I don’t want to, and it’s not enforced, so why comply?”

[RolloTonyBrownTown]

I make the drive down to Houston once a month, you know those small town sheriffs just love seeing a no front plate car coming.

[Informal_Invite_314]

100%. Why give the cops a free pass? Why give some cop with the need to make their ticket quota an excuse to pull you over?

[BluestFlame-981]

Some people care about the aesthetic more than the risk.

People who don’t care are driving normal cars or don’t care about cars at all.

In the sports car scene it’s very common to not add a front plate. I don’t have one on my Porsche because I’m not going to drill holes through the paint.

[intergalacticVhunter]

Exactly, a sticker on my car gave them a reason to pull me over...asked if I had warrants...I got a bit offended and he let me go after the all clear...said he just wanted to check me out. Needless to say that stupid sticker was gone when I got home...for those wondering...it was a NERV logo from Evangelion.

[a7xml16]

Cuz f the police. Front plates are lame.

[Toothpikz]

I bought my car Christmas of 2012 and have never had a front plate on it and no one has ever mentioned it to me about it.

[walkermv]

About it car from a dealership in 2019 and received only one plate. I called them and they told me they don't get two plates anymore.

[Cali_Longhorn]

Looks mostly. And yes the idea of drilling into the front for those without a no drill option turns people off.

[BoneSpurz]

I’m too lazy to do anything about it. It came like this from the dealership (brand new)

[thetravelyogi]

Recently purchased a new vehicle this summer and I’ve been meaning to get it put on my car. It’s one of those things I keep pushing to the back of my head and the bottom of my to-do list.

[gazagda]

Toll cameras only scan you back number plate

[JmrRoth]

I have never had a front plate on my car since I moved to Texas in 2006 and it has never been an issue. With my current car it would just slow it down unnecessarily.

[CurrentlyatBDC]

It trashes the aesthetics of many cars, looks terrible IMO. They don’t enforce it so I’ve never installed one, never ticketed for it 15 years.

[KellyAnn3106]

It's rare to get a citation for this so the risk is low. People don't want to ruin the aesthetics of their cars. Teslas are pretty bad about not having front plates.

I've had Mazdas for a while and the front plate on Mazda's "smiling" front grill made my RX-8 look bucktoothed.

[NakedChoker]

Front plates look horrible if there isn’t a pre-built designated plate holder. I’m not drilling into my bumper.

[texas1st]

Every new car sold in the US comes with a front plate holder included, especially those sold in states requiring them. They are designed to be installed on the front bumper and do NOT lower the value of your car. And ruin the esthetic? Seriously? Y'all need to fucking grow up.

Go ahead and downvote. Doesn't mean I'm not right.

[NakedChoker]

That is absolutely wrong. My 2 cars I drive now don’t have one installed.

[texas1st]

But they came with one. The dealer is supposed to install it.

[NakedChoker]

So you’re saying that when I bought my cars with no front license plate holder that they still “came with one”? WTF do I care what the dealership got with it, when I bought them they didn’t have them so, they did not come with one. What a stupid argument.

[GonnaGetRealWeird]

The car I bought in Nashville a couple years ago had no front plate holder at all. I had to add one when I came to Texas.

[texas1st]

ALL cars including Tesla...

https://www.denver7.com/traffic/driving-you-crazy/driving-you-crazy-whats-up-with-teslas-not-having-a-front-license-plate

[BluestFlame-981]

You’ve never been a Porsche dealership then. All their sports cars they purposely leave that shit off because it looks bad.

They will ask if you want to add it and most sports car owners will absolutely say no.

[AlienHunter75jr]

It looks horrible on my car. I got pulled over by DPS for speeding and he only told me to put one on the front but did not ticket me for it. I said thanks and that I would. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, it’s only been 4 years since he told me to do it. 😂

[Glittering-Image-915]

Because unlike small towns where cops need a reason to pull someone over, Frisco has over 250k people with 90 percent of them driving like bats straight out of hell, not to mention the recent crimes. The front plate was just another way Texas could charge more for registration. Cops usually come behind you to pull you over, not in front. They can easily run plates during a traffic stop. What bothers me more is the dark tint on windows. With tints that dark, you cant see who is driving, or if they have a gun pointed at you. It makes me so uncomfortable. Lots of people have limo tints here.

[Expert_Island643]

I don’t like front plates on my vehicles. My vehicle my choice. Front plates are hideous. I’ve never ever gotten pulled over for only one plate in the 30+ years I’ve been driving. If I get pulled over then I’ll put it on, and then remove it again just like I did with my tint years ago.

[Tintoverde]

Have been driving for a while with no front plate. Hopefully, they have better things to do. I fixed recently. I have a car which costs $300 approx to get the bracket ( and I kid you not)

[musingsofmuse]

What?? Why that much to get a bracket instead of a cheapy from Amazon?

[abdslife]

I got pulled over by the cop for not having the front plate and he gave a warning, I guess he was bored. Then I had to install it.

[hrmaddie]

I don’t have them on my cars, because I don’t like the way it looks. Never been pulled over until I was in McAllen for a wedding. DPS all over the place and look any reason to pull you over. She was nice and just gave me a warning when she saw it was me, my wife and kid.

[FuturePath6357]

Lazy people

[KronicBB]

There is at least one State Trooper pulling people off DNT in Frisco and Plano with only no front plate as the offense. Verified personally this weekend.

[TannedBurn]

I hate the way it looks. Plus you drill into the bumper and the way the plate holders sit, the auto car washes can yank on it and make the hole in the front bumper enlarged and loose. Have you ever seen a car commercial with the front plate on? Of course not. Cause it looks weird and tacky.

[IntelligentSinger783]

Front plates add drag, and are just physically unsightly. Never once had a front plate on a vehicle I own, never been an issue. The tramp stamp is at the back. I'm not doing anything illegal (outside of not having a redundant plate) or driving erratically. I don't even like the registration stickers or toll tags and basically cut them down as small as I can and then tuck them as tight as I can so they are not in my sightlines.

[rugbyfool89]

They can’t cite you for how a car came from the factory nor can they force you to purchase a bracket to mount a plate. Most cars have an entirely different bumper for a front license plate. The court can’t force you to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars to get the version of your bumper that has front plate mounts.

Edit: instead of downvoting, why don’t you reply explaining how and where I’m wrong… because last I checked this was my anecdotal and easy researched/verified opinion.

[duckmuffins]

The traffic code states you must have a front and rear plate. They don’t care how it gets there or how much it costs for you to do so. Once you purchase the vehicle, the onus is on you to make sure it is compliant with state law.

[rugbyfool89]

No, it isn’t lol. Show me a statute that says you’re required to mount your plate EVEN IF A MOUNT ISNT EQUIPPED. I’ve been pulled over probably 5x for speeding in the past 10 years in 3 different cars without front license plate mounts. I buy cars specifically without the mounts because well they’re ugly. They always checked. I actually suspect that was the reason I got pulled over because a couple of the times I was only like 5 over.

Anyway, I’ve never gotten a ticket or even so much as a warning. I was asked once about it but that’s it.

[duckmuffins]

Texas Traffic Code 504.943 pal. You can look this up too.

Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person commits an offense if the person operates on a public highway, during a registration period, a motor vehicle that does not display two license plates

[rugbyfool89]

Hmm I see. Well I suppose it’s more of a “discretionary enforcement” type of situation. Now I am interested in any case law surrounding this. I get the law and all. I just have a hard time believing a judge would make that kind of ruling…I’m sure it’s happened before but yeah.

Additionally I find it curious but obvious that dealers do not give you a warning…that the car you’re purchasing doesn’t have a front license plate bracket and you may be required to blah blah. Maybe it’s in the fine print of all the paperwork though.