West Virginia is one of twenty states that does not require a front license plate. In West Virginia, drivers only need to display one license plate on the rear of their vehicles.

Some states swear by their “two-plate state” status, in which every car is required to display two license plates: one on the front bumper and one on the rear. However, more and more states these days are coming around to the rear-plate-only requirement. This approach has advocates and critics alike, but in West Virginia, the law upholds that only a rear license plate is necessary.

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Does West Virginia require front license plates?

No, West Virginia does not require front and rear license plates. The state only requires rear plates for most vehicles on the road.

Section §17A-3-15 of the West Virginia code states that all registration plates must be attached to the rear of the vehicle.

The section goes on to outline exactly how the plate should be displayed, stating that “every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than twelve inches from the ground.” The West Virginia code makes it clear that all text and stickers on the plate must be clearly visible and legible.

For those with special license plates, like those issued to veterans or members of the National Guard, as well as those with personalized plates, the same requirements apply. Every part of these plates needs to be clear and easy to read.

Exemptions

There are a couple of exemptions to the rear license plate rule in West Virginia, but they mainly apply to vehicles that aren’t cars, so you should not assume you are exempt unless you’ve checked with the WV Division of Motor Vehicles.

The same section that outlines the basic license plate guidelines for cars also mentions that the exceptions to the rule are:

Truck tractors designed to pull trailers and semi-trailers.

Road tractors designed to pull trailers and semi-trailers.

In these cases, the registration plate should be attached to the front, as any plate attached to the rear can be obscured by the trailer or semi trailer the tractor is towing.

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What is the penalty for driving without a license plate in West Virginia?

If you’re caught operating a motor vehicle without the required registration and registration plates, you’ll be guilty of a misdemeanor in the state of West Virginia. If convicted, you could have to pay a fine of up to $500 for a first offense. If you’re convicted a second time, you could be subject to that same fineand, in some cases, jail time of up to six months.

There is, of course, no penalty in West Virginia for driving without a front license plate, as these are not required by law.

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Which US states do not require a front license plate?

West Virginia is one of 20 states that do not require drivers to have front license plates. The most recent of these is Ohio, which stopped requiring front plates in 2020.

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

Delaware

Florida

Georgia

Indiana

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Michigan

Mississippi

Ohio

New Mexico

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

West Virginia

Why West Virginia doesn’t require a front license plate

The arguments for requiring a front license plate are solid: they can keep you safer when driving at night thanks to a more reflective surface on the front of the car, plus they make it easier for police to find stolen cars. Still, there are also some anti-front license plate points that have gained traction in the past few years, and which West Virginia uses to explain their one-plate status.

For instance, some lawmakers argue that the cost of manufacturing and distributing two license plates for every car is far higher than that of just one.

Car enthusiasts also have their own motives for getting rid of the front license plate: it can damage front bumpers and block air coming into the grille. Plus, for classic cars and Teslas, a front license plate takes away from the aesthetic.

Plus, front license plates can affect the function of some safety features on modern cars, like adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic braking, as they can interfere with the sensors.

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Which states have the highest rate of car theft?

One of the biggest pros of front license plates is how they help law enforcement more quickly identify stolen cars. In states with a high rate of car theft, this is a pressing concern. In West Virginia, however, this may be farther down on the list of priorities, as the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Service reported that West Virginia was tenth on the list of states with the fewest vehicle thefts in the country.

West Virginia reported 2,271 vehicles stolen in 2020—a low number when compared to the top-ranking states for vehicle theft like California and Texas, which saw 168,323 and 84,276 stolen vehicles, respectively.

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10 most stolen vehicles in the US

How to find cheap car insurance in West Virginia

You’ll have to make sure you are abiding by the license plate laws in West Virginia if you plan on hitting the road, just as you’ll have to be sure your car insurance coverage meets the state's requirements as well.

Luckily,

Jerry

doesn’t just answer registration plate questions—we’re also a licensed broker and car insurance super app. Jerry specializes in finding affordable car insurance rates on policies custom-made for you. All you have to do is download the app, answer a few questions, and in 45 seconds, Jerry will gather quotes from more than 55 of the nation's top providers to bring you the rates you’re looking for in West Virginia.

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