Recently I saw a posting on social media regarding the issue of front plates in the State of Wisconsin. I thought this would be a good topic for this week’s article.

Wisconsin law requires both a front and rear plate. Wisconsin State Statute  341.15(1) covers this requirement, which requires that the registered owner of a motor vehicle properly attach both plates 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 improper display of plate as well as 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 prize possession. I often share the story of having to screw a front plate bracket to the front of my collector vehicle, and while it was not pleasant, it’s the law, and this is what grown-ups do; they follow the law.

Now the next question I will get is why do some states not have front plates. My answer is, that is their law not ours. And 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 is approaching a vehicle from the front, there would be no way to identify the vehicle prior to 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 does apply to all plates whether they be standard issue, personalized, collector, hobbyist, veteran, etc. I hope that everyone is having a safe and wonderful summer here in our beautiful community. Stay Safe!!