Is it a law in Texas that you have to have a license plate on the front of your car? I bought a new vehicle and the previous owner just had the rear one on and he didn't know where the one for the front was.

I can go and find the actual law if you like, but yes. You must have a front and rear license plate in Texas.

http://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2006/nr083106-2.htm

quote:

---

§ 502.404. OPERATION OF VEHICLE WITHOUT LICENSE PLATE OR
REGISTRATION INSIGNIA. (a) A person commits an offense if the
person operates on a public highway during a registration period a
passenger car or commercial motor vehicle that does not display two
license plates, at the front and rear of the vehicle, that have
been:
(1) assigned by the department for the period; or
(2) validated by a registration insignia issued by the
department that establishes that the vehicle is registered for the
period.

---

http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/TN/content/htm/tn.007.00.000502.00.htm#502.404.00

Can I order new plates online? I looked at the TX DOT website and they had where you could order all the custom license plates but I didn't see anything to order the normal ones.

The forms you saw must be completed submitted to TxDOT. Once processed, you go down to the county tax office top pick up your new plates and pay th e fee; you don't actually order/pay for them online. Call Buddy Winn's office at (979) 361-4470 for assistance.

Be careful driving to the tax office. It's near the police station. You could get a ticket for no front license plate.

HB 1666 introduced by Fred Brown this session, will cut back the number of plates on most vehicles to one on the rear (if passed).

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=80R&Bill=HB1666

Call him up at (979) 822-9797 if you support it.

[This message has been edited by Aggiefan54 (edited 2/24/2007 6:17p).]

Why do they want to take it down to just one? I'm assuming to save costs on the making of the plates?

I personally don't think it's a big deal to have plates on the front, and I think it helps to identify cars in crime.

At one time I was actually pretty good at reading plates behind me via my rear view mirror. Now I need my glasses to read the plates in front of me.

Yep, you have to have one. I got pulled over twice on the SAME ROADTRIP for that. We got two identical warnings. We used them as napkins for our fast food.




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I like having plates on the front and rear. If people are being unsafe, it doesn't matter which way they're going, I have a pretty good chance of getting their license plate number.

uh-oh, may have paid off here:

http://www.theeagle.com/stories/022507/local_20070225015.php

excerpt:

...was stopped on Texas 6 near College Station for not having a front license plate, according to reports. He had two warrants out of Grand Prairie for assault and illegal parking, DPS said.

Troopers searching [the driver's] vehicle found the drugs, reports said, and he was charged with delivery of a controlled substance and driving with a suspended license

It's not like it's a huge put-out to have both on there. And I have had the scary occasion to call in two reckless drivers. In one instance, I used the front plate to get the number.

I had a sports car that didn't have any mounts in the front. Due to the shape of the car, it would have really stood out in a super ugly way.

I just took the occasional warning, kept my papers up to date and drove it around town for a couple years. Most of the time nothing happened.