Calif Front Plate Requirements for Visitors

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If you are from a state doesn't require a front plate, and you get pulled over and fined/ticketed for not having a front license plate in a state that requires them, odds are you were doing something else far more malicious, and the cop was letting you off easy. I'm (not) sorry, you can't convince me that lack of a front plate would be the primary and only reason for pulling someone from out of state over.

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[BTOR]

I believe you are wrong about Oregon not requiring a front plate. FYI

I think you are correct ?. A list which I saw that showed the states that don’t require a front plate had Oregon on it. But after seeing your post I checked the DMV site. There are exceptions but passenger vehicles are not one of them.

I’ll do some more poking around. But it looks like the SnapPlate I just ordered may take up permanent residency ?.

 

[SANZC02]

Hello Forum Members,

Does anyone know if California visitors are required to have a front license plate visible during their visit? They are not required in Oregon where I reside. I searched the Calf. DMV for an answer and came up empty handed.

I do know that toll bridges in the Bay Area use your front plate for billing purposes. I travelled over the Martinez-Benicia Bridge(I-680) a couple of years ago. I received a toll bill by mail with a picture of my front plate. So one would deduce it is needed. However, maybe they will use your rear plate if your front plate is absent. Not sure.... that is why I'm asking.

You are fine, the front plate requirement pertains to vehicles registered in the state of CA. If you are registered in another state and not a CA resident you won’t get a ticket for no front plate.

 

[SteveInBend]

I think you are correct ?. A list which I saw that showed the states that don’t require a front plate had Oregon on it. But after seeing your post I checked the DMV site. There are exceptions but passenger vehicles are not one of them.

I’ll do some more poking around. But it looks like the SnapPlate I just ordered may take up permanent residency ?.

I have the SnapPlate but it sits in the frunk. If I get stopped by the police will tell them one of two things:

a.) If my car is dirty, that I removed the plate because I was on my way to the car wash and was advised by the manufacturer that it needed to be removed prior to going through the car wash so it wouldn't get ripped off the front bumper and damage the car.

b.) If the truck is clean, that I removed it before going into the car wash and forgot to put it back on afterwards.

 

[BTOR]

I believe you are wrong about Oregon not requiring a front plate. FYI

Yep, my bad. You are correct. Straight from Oregon’s DMV site.

 

[ohseedee]

20 years without front license plates and only one ticket...and that one was only as an add on for an expired parking meter by parking enforcement. Trust me, the police in CA have way more important things to worry about than your plate.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Can’t make me put on a front plate when my state doesn’t issue one.

 

[mpshizzle]

I think you are correct ?. A list which I saw that showed the states that don’t require a front plate had Oregon on it. But after seeing your post I checked the DMV site. There are exceptions but passenger vehicles are not one of them.

I’ll do some more poking around. But it looks like the SnapPlate I just ordered may take up permanent residency ?.

To be fair this list is always changing. As of 2025 UT no longer requires them (probably because nobody put them on anyway)

 

[Gee Bee]

I have still just use my European plate on my Porsche, over a year now with no plates on my rivian and tiny paper temp in back window .

CHP says , hey no problem

 

[Hatbox_Ghoul]

Looking more closely at the form I found the issue...She wants to keep the same Dickinson College plate number (i.e. DC 1234) and the replacement would not be the same plate, but the next one available in the series (i.e. DC 2222). That was our issue.

Ah, thats a different variable. Now, with that said, I think you still fall under category #1, its a personalized plate via the school. As long as Dickinson hasn't changed their plate design, it should be able to be duplicated.

When I read that #2, I think it means that you just want a new plate and don't care if its different from your existing plate, so you're getting a next in series.

Option #3 is if you have a random plate, but want that same random plate again.

Further, I looked this up:

To replace a college license plate in Pennsylvania, you can contact PennDOT. You can request a replacement plate by:

• Emailing [email protected]
• Calling PennDOT at (717) 412-5300
• Filling out and returning Form MV-44 to PennDOT
• Filling out and returning Form MV-46 to PennDOT for an illegible plate

With that said, I think you'll need them to guide you. Either way, I think there is a way to do such.

 

[Woodslice]

Hello Forum Members,

Does anyone know if California visitors are required to have a front license plate visible during their visit? They are not required in Oregon where I reside. I searched the Calf. DMV for an answer and came up empty handed.

I do know that toll bridges in the Bay Area use your front plate for billing purposes. I travelled over the Martinez-Benicia Bridge(I-680) a couple of years ago. I received a toll bill by mail with a picture of my front plate. So one would deduce it is needed. However, maybe they will use your rear plate if your front plate is absent. Not sure.... that is why I'm asking.

I live in CA and I’ve never had a front plate on any car for 50 years. Don’t have any isssues with tolls/bridges.

 

[moondogg]

I live in CA and never installed my front plate. Picked up my R1S about 8 months ago. Don't worry about it.

 

[ElGuano]

I live in CA and I’ve never had a front plate on any car for 50 years. Don’t have any isssues with tolls/bridges.

We did this with our other cars until we got a fix-it ticket (tacked onto a parking ticket in the city). Then we put a front plate on. Funny thing, beforehand I put a lot of thought into whether to go front plate or not, what options there are etc. After figuring we needed the plate, I don't even think about it anymore. It's on there, and it's fine.

 

[Gee Bee]

I collect tic

so far almost all states

 

[Zoidz]

You are fine, the front plate requirement pertains to vehicles registered in the state of CA. If you are registered in another state and not a CA resident you won’t get a ticket for no front plate.

We had a goofy situation in Pennsylvania about 8 years ago. PA used to issue an annual sticker that you put on your plate to show you renewed your registration. They stopped that because the stickers were being stolen. The message regarding terminating the stickers didn't get out to neighboring states. Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland police were pulling people over for what appeared to be expired Pennsylvania registration since there was no current annual sticker. ?

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