New York: Do you need a front license plate?
New York requires license plates on both the front and rear of a passenger car.
New York issues a set of two plates for ordinary passenger cars. The law requires one on the front and one on the rear, fastened so they don't swing. Vehicles issued only one plate, such as motorcycles, display it on the rear.
What the law says
No person shall operate, drive or park a motor vehicle on the public highways of this state unless such vehicle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a set of number plates issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter if any, corresponding to that of the certificate of registration conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the rear of such vehicle, each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging
Sources
- N.Y. Vehicle and Traffic Law § 402(1)(a) Official · nysenate.gov
- NY DMV: Lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged plates Official · dmv.ny.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- New York State Department of Motor Vehicles
- Phone
- 1-518-486-9786
- Website
- dmv.ny.gov
How bordering states compare
- Connecticut Front and rear platesConnecticut issues two plates for passenger cars and requires them on the front and rear.
- Massachusetts Front and rear platesMassachusetts requires passenger cars to display plates on both the front and the rear.
- New Jersey Front and rear platesNew Jersey issues two plates for passenger cars and requires one on the front and one on the rear.
- Pennsylvania Rear plate onlyPennsylvania issues a single plate for a passenger car, and it goes on the rear.
- Vermont Front and rear platesVermont requires a front and a rear plate when the state issues two plates, as it does for ordinary cars.