Recently, we interacted with a motorist who took issue with having to affix a license plate to the front of his vehicle, so I thought I would revisit an article I had written a few years back on this matter.

The requirement to have both a front and rear plate is, in fact, a law in Wisconsin and is covered under Wisconsin State Statute 341.15(1), which does, in fact, require that the registered owner of a motor vehicle properly attach both a front and rear plate to the motor vehicle.

The registered owner is responsible for affixing one plate to the rear of the vehicle and the other to the front of the vehicle. We have seen some creative interpretations of this law. I have seen a person affix one of the plates to the rear of their vehicle and the other plate to the rear of another vehicle. This is considered an improper display of the plate and non-registration for the vehicle not registered to that plate. I have pulled over vehicles only to have the operator retrieve what should have been the front plate from under the driver’s seat. The main reason I have heard for not affixing the front plate is cosmetics.

While I know it does not look cool to have a front plate, it is the law. And yes, this means you may have to drive bolts into the front bumper of your most prized possession. I will use my own experience as an example. I spent many years restoring a classic vehicle and, once completed, realized that there was, in fact, no bracket to mount the front plate. With great sadness, I set about drilling into the front bumper to comply with the law. That’s what being an adult is all about: responsibility and accountability.

Now, the next question I will get is why some states do not have front plates. My answer is that it is their law, not ours. Even though they are operating a vehicle without a front plate in our state, this is one of those laws in which we recognize theirs, and they recognize ours.

A few years ago, there was pending legislation to make Wisconsin a one-plate state in an attempt to reduce costs. This legislation failed primarily due to law enforcement’s concern for officer safety. If an officer approaches a vehicle from the front, there would be no way to identify the vehicle before contact. If you do have a decorative plate that you feel would enhance the overall appearance of your vehicle, you are more than welcome to mount it above, below, or alongside the required DOT plate. This law applies to all plates, whether they be standard issues, personalized, collector, hobbyist, veteran, etc. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful summer in our beautiful community. Stay Safe!!