Massachusetts · MA · Vehicles
Massachusetts: Do you need a front license plate?
Front and rear plates
Massachusetts requires passenger cars to display plates on both the front and the rear.
State law says a registered motor vehicle carries one plate at the front and one at the rear. If the Registry issues only one plate, it goes on the rear. Trailers get a single rear plate.
What the law says
...one number plate to be attached at the front and one at the rear of said motor vehicle... if the registrar issues but one number plate it shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle so that it shall always be plainly visible.
Sources
- Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 6 Official · malegislature.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
- Website
- mass.gov
How bordering states compare
- Connecticut Front and rear platesConnecticut issues two plates for passenger cars and requires them on the front and rear.
- New Hampshire Front and rear platesNew Hampshire requires passenger cars issued two plates to mount one on the front and one on the rear.
- New York Front and rear platesNew York requires license plates on both the front and rear of a passenger car.
- Rhode Island Front and rear platesRhode Island requires license plates on both the front and rear of a passenger car.
- Vermont Front and rear platesVermont requires a front and a rear plate when the state issues two plates, as it does for ordinary cars.
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