Washington · WA · Vehicles

Washington: Do you need a front license plate?

Front and rear plates

Washington issues two plates for ordinary cars and requires them on the front and rear.

Washington law issues two identical plates for most vehicles and requires them on the front and rear when two are issued. Trailers, campers, mopeds, collector vehicles, horseless carriages and motorcycles get one plate, which goes on the rear. Plates must be kept clean and readable and mounted horizontally.

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What the law says

(i) Attached conspicuously at the front and rear of each vehicle if two license plates have been issued; (ii) Attached to the rear of the vehicle if one license plate has been issued;

RCW 46.16A.200

Sources

RCW 46.16A.200 Official · app.leg.wa.gov

Confirm with the state

Agency: Washington State Department of Licensing
Phone: 360-902-3770
Website: dol.wa.gov

How bordering states compare

Idaho Front and rear platesIdaho requires front and rear plates on a passenger car, but only if the car has a front plate mounting bracket.
Oregon Front and rear platesOregon requires license plates on both the front and rear of a passenger car.

Last verified Oct 21, 2026 · Confidence: High · How we research · Report an error

High confidence: an official source names this explicitly, and the quote above shows it.

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