Virginia · VA · Vehicles
Virginia: Do you need a front license plate?
Front and rear plates
Virginia requires ordinary cars to display license plates on both the front and the rear.
State law says plates go on the front and rear of most motor vehicles. Mopeds, motorcycles, autocycles, trailers and semitrailers display a rear plate only, and tractor trucks display a front plate. A court may dismiss a ticket under this section if the driver shows proof of compliance by the court date.
What the law says
License plates assigned to a motor vehicle, other than a moped, motorcycle, autocycle, tractor truck, trailer, or semitrailer, or to persons licensed as motor vehicle dealers or transporters of unladen vehicles, shall be attached to the front and the rear of the vehicle.
Sources
- Va. Code § 46.2-715 Official · law.lis.virginia.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
- Phone
- (804) 497-7100
- Website
- dmv.virginia.gov
How bordering states compare
- Kentucky Rear plate onlyKentucky requires only a rear license plate on a passenger car.
- Maryland Front and rear platesMaryland requires passenger cars to display registration plates on both the front and the rear.
- North Carolina Rear plate onlyNorth Carolina issues one license plate for a passenger car, and it goes on the rear.
- Tennessee Rear plate onlyTennessee requires only a rear license plate on passenger cars.
- West Virginia Rear plate onlyWest Virginia requires only a rear license plate on passenger cars.