Texas is a two-plate state—meaning that drivers are legally obligated to mount their Texas license plates on the front and rear of the vehicle.

While a front license plate might not be the most aesthetically pleasing addition to your car, it’s a vital tool that helps law enforcement track down stolen vehicles and impose traffic laws.

That’s why

Jerry

, the world’s only trusted

car insurance

broker app, is here to guide you through all the legal requirements for front license plates in Texas. We’ll take a closer look at the state law and car theft stats, along with some pointers on how to lower your

Texas car insurance costs

Does Texas require front license plates?

Yes. Texas is one of 31 states that requires a valid front license plate for most vehicles.

According to

Rule 217.27

of the Texas Administrative Code, all vehicles registered in the State of Texas must display two license plates that are securely fastened on the front and back of the vehicle. You’ll have to make sure that both plates are clearly visible and legible.

Exemptions

For the most part, you’ll need a front license plate for most passenger vehicles in the Lone Star State. But there are a few exceptions to the two-plate rule. Here are all the vehicles that usually don’t require a front license plate:

Road tractors

Motorcycles

Trailers

Semitrailers

Of course, a rear license plate is still required in each case! But you can skip the front plate.

MORE:

Car insurance in Texas

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What is the penalty for driving without a front license plate in Texas?

Under Texas law, driving without a front license plate is considered a misdemeanor traffic offense. If you fail to securely attach a front plate to your vehicle, the police have “probable cause” to conduct a traffic stop. Failure to correctly display a front license plate in the Lone Star State could result in a $200 fine.

However, there is always a chance that the police will let you off with a warning. After all, Texas is surrounded by one-plate states—including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. But that doesn’t give you an excuse to break state law, so just comply and install that front license plate to avoid an unnecessary traffic stop to begin with!

Which US states do not require a front license plate?

But not all US states are two-plate states. As mentioned previously, all bordering states around Texas actually only require a rear license plate. Here are the 19 states that don’t enforce a front license plate requirement.

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Michigan

Mississippi

New Mexico

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

West Virginia

Why Texas requires a front license plate

While many drivers complain that front license plates cause damage to their bumpers and prevent air circulation to the grille, front license plates actually play a huge role in assisting law enforcement with identifying stolen vehicles.

In the tragic event that your car gets stolen, you’ll have twice the chance of the police locating your vehicle by having a front license plate. And with Texas’s high rate of auto thefts, it might be worth it to install a front plate on your vehicle—no matter how much it cramps your style.

MORE:

Does my car insurance cover car theft?

Which states have the highest rate of car theft?

According to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), there were 87,053 motor vehicle theft offenses reported in Texas in 2021 alone. But thankfully, Texas doesn't quite break into the top three worst states for auto theft. That unfortunate title goes to neighboring states to the west—

Colorado

New Mexico

, and

California

Nonetheless, Texas still has its issues with car theft. In fact, the Greater Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area reported 26,877 vehicle thefts, or 374 for every 100,000 people in 2020, according to data from the FBI. That’s well above the national average for motor vehicle theft!

Other Texas cities with a high auto theft rate include:

Odessa: 518

Armarillo: 440

Lubbock: 400

Not only do these numbers demonstrate the importance of properly displaying your front license plate on your vehicle, but these stats may affect your car insurance rates as well! It’s no wonder that

Houston insurance costs

are some of the highest in the Lone Star State.

MORE:

The best car anti-theft devices to keep your vehicle safe

How to find cheap car insurance in Texas

If you’re dealing with soaring

Odessa insurance costs

due to the high rate of auto thefts in the area, you can still find the best coverage at the best price in record time with

Jerry

We keep it simple: after you download the

trustworthy insurance comparison app

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And the best part? On average, Jerry customers save over $800 a year on car insurance when they switch!

“When we added a new car to our family, we were shocked at how high our current insurer was going to hike our rates. We used

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