Road Rules: Front license plates

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Q: Has the Washington state law changed about vehicles displaying front license plates? In our area I have noticed a substantial number of vehicles without front plates. Some will have the plate lying on the dashboard and many seem to be newer, expensive models. Has the law changed or is it simply not being enforced?

A: Have you ever committed a minor traffic violation, like maybe you forgot to signal when you made a right turn, and then realized that there was a police officer right behind you? And maybe, if you’re lucky, you experienced this: the red and blue lights come on behind you, but when you pull over, the patrol car zooms past. If so, you just got a glimpse of one enforcement demand taking priority over another.

Officers have to prioritize their response all the time, so just because something is a violation of the law doesn’t mean it’ll get addressed every time it’s observed. Case in point: front license plates. Yes, in nearly every situation Washington state law requires a vehicle to have a front license plate. But unlike many traffic laws, lack of a front license plate doesn’t increase your risk of a crash.

Compared with impairment, speeding and distraction (the top three factors in fatal crashes in Washington) enforcement of front plates is pretty low. The number one goal of traffic enforcement is to reduce traffic crashes, so officers focus on the behaviors that contribute to crashes. Enforcement of front plates still happens; just at a lower frequency.

That doesn’t mean a front plate isn’t important. It’s just important for different reasons. A front plate makes it easier for law enforcement to spot stolen vehicles, or a suspect vehicle fleeing from a crash or the scene of a crime, and it helps witnesses and victims report such a vehicle.

So why doesn’t everyone just put a front plate on their car? Your observation that many of the vehicles without front license plates include newer, expensive models likely has something to do with it. If you have a shiny, new and expensive car, you might not like what a license plate does to the look of your vehicle. Even more, you probably can’t stomach the thought of drilling holes through that pristine bumper to mount your license plate. But regardless of how you feel about that plate on your bumper, the law is clear: you have to have it. Except ...

There are actually a few exceptions to the front license plate requirement in Washington. Of course, it makes sense that campers and trailers only have a rear plate, as a front one would be pointless. Other vehicles that don’t need a front plate include mopeds, motorcycles and collector vehicles. Outside of Washington, 19 states don’t require front license plates.

And for the outlier vehicles, the law has a provision that allows a driver to appeal the requirement for a front license plate. The Washington State Patrol may grant exceptions “if the body construction of the vehicle makes compliance ... impossible.” Using the word “impossible” sounds like a nearly insurmountable barrier. However, the law defines “impossible” in this context as “there was nothing made by the manufacturer  ... which would allow the license plate to be affixed to the vehicle ...” Nearly every car on the lot has a bracket available to mount a license plate, but if you have some exotic exception you can get a pass on the front plate. It’s not automatic, though; you’ll have to send an exemption request to the Washington State Patrol.

Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.

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