Texas: Do you need a front license plate?
Texas requires a passenger car to display two license plates, one on the front and one on the rear.
State law makes it an offense to drive a car that doesn't display the two plates assigned to it, placed according to Texas DMV rules. The DMV rule says the two plates go on the outside front and outside rear. Road tractors, motorcycles, trailers and semitrailers display one rear plate instead. TxDMV issues a set of plates with each new registration. A 2025 bill, HB 1607, would have let cars built without a front plate bracket show only a rear plate plus a TxDMV windshield sticker; it passed the House but stalled in a Senate committee.
What the law says
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 that: (1) have been assigned by the department for the period; and (2) comply with department rules regarding the placement of license plates. [43 TAC 217.27(b)(1):] must display two license plates that are clearly visible, readable, and legible, one at the exterior front and one at the exterior rear of the vehicle
Sources
- Tex. Transp. Code § 504.943 (public.law) Mirror of official text · texas.public.law
- 43 Tex. Admin. Code § 217.27 (Cornell LII) Mirror of official text · law.cornell.edu
- TxDMV, License Plates Official · txdmv.gov
- House Transportation Committee bill analysis, Texas HB 1607 (2025) Official · capitol.texas.gov
- Texas HB 1607 (2025) bill history Official · capitol.texas.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
- Phone
- 1 (888) 368-4689
- Website
- txdmv.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arkansas Rear plate onlyArkansas issues one plate for passenger cars, and state law says a single plate goes on the rear.
- Louisiana Rear plate onlyLouisiana requires only a rear license plate on a passenger car.
- New Mexico Rear plate onlyNew Mexico requires only a rear license plate on a passenger car.
- Oklahoma Rear plate onlyOklahoma requires a license plate only on the rear of a passenger car.