MISSOURI – As people hit the roads for Memorial Day weekend, motorists may see some vehicles without a front license plate attached. This may leave some travelers confused as to whether that Is that allowed in Missouri and Illinois?
According to the state laws, if your vehicle is registered in Missouri or Illinois and you are issued two plates at the time of registration, you are required to display two license plates, one on the front and one on the back.
There are some exceptions in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Revenue notes that a front plate may not be required for motorcycles, vehicles with a historic year of manufacture registrations, and commercial vehicles registered for 18,000 pounds or above.
The Illinois Secrtary of State’s office does not mention any specific exemptions on vehicle registration. However, several Illinois stations, including Nexstar affiliate WTVO, report there is legislation that could lead to the state lifting front license plate requirements in the future.
AutoList recently provided a list of each state that does not require a front license plate. Twenty states reportedly don’t require a front license plate. Vehicles registered in those are only required to have a rear license plate, even if traveling out-of-state.