Front license plate in Texas required as of 9/1/13
 

As of the first of September, you can be stopped for not having a front license plate and fined up to $200.

I have a 2010 XK. How do I mount a plate on the front? Autobahn says there is a bracket for it, but then put me on hold for 10 minutes waiting on the Parts Department..

Has anyone else mounted their front plate yet? If so, HOW?

Dallas Jaguar says the bracket is $67 and they have to ORDER it? OMG.

Its been a law long before then, it just screws to the front bumper. You should have the bracket in trunk where we put em unless removed. We let customer decide if they want them on. Can always put it on later but harder to fill and paint holes

I bought the car used from a Jag dealer in Troy, Michigan. Michigan does not have a front plate, so think the bracket was discarded...

I did call Autobahn, in Fort Worth, and for some reason, the bracket is $38.95...I hope it's the right bracket as they are ordering it for me.

There's also an option for mounting the front plate without drilling into the front bumper. Some are even retractable.

I've found the TX DPS officers and even local law enforcement very understanding about no front plate to the 'sports' cars. I mean, look at that nose...where would they imagine we would put one? I've been pulled over a dozen times in the last 7 years, and not one mention of the missing license plate. Jeez, I hope i didn't just jinx it.

Interestingly, when I signed the papers for my XKR yesterday, they now have you sign a doc that states that they did tell you that the state of Texas requires a front license plate.

My girlfriend was pulled over last weekend on the way to Austin (in her new X3) for speeding and he also checked the warning for no front plate, but he didn't mention it. In the past, I've told them I'm waiting on a front bracket and kept the plate in the trunk, which has worked so far. I'll probably use that again if I get pulled over. Regardless, there's no way I'm drilling holes in my front bumper:

Over the last 7 years of driving a Lotus, 911, Z06, and XKR-S in Houston, TX, I have not been hassled about not having a front plate on any of these cars. Granted, I only drove them about twice a week or so.

I am, however, sure I just jinxed myself...naw, I'm good.

I saw a guy that had cut down his plate to fit on the front of his Ftype on the bottom lip. The plate laid almost face up...I wonder if this is okay and one could trim the plate a bit to better fit the front.

I had a 'friend' that was pulled over recently in his truck and the officer walked to the front to check for a plate (which was there).

I haven't mounted mine but I really don't feel like being pulled over so I guess I need to mount it.

Count your blessings...
Arizona has a law that states that if the word "Arizona" is obscured by a license plate bracket you can be fined.
Perfectly reasonable as all the states with which I am familiar have a Saguaro cactus on the tag...

Bill

Remember the front license plate has been law for quite some time but rarely enforced. LEO's now will use that as an excuse to make a stop--I know first hand from experience. I was not speeding, violating any moving laws--just appeared out of place. I asked why I was being pulled over and he stated the "lack of a front license plate"(I was in my F150 which was the victim of a quick hit and run that knocked off the front plate for which was sitting in the cab when pulled over), I explained why it wasn't mounted and showed proof of it in the truck. I also explained why I did not have it in the front window. The DPS trooper "tried" to question me but I explained if he was going to give me a ticket please do so, so that I could continue on.

Lesson of the story, if you don't want it used as an excuse to be pulled over and questioned--just put the plate on without causing undo scars to the face of your Jag.

Front number plates have always been a legal requirement in UK so we are used to them & manufacturers have a range of fittings.

Here in Wasington state the police (city/county/state) don't give a rat's *** about front license plates or other vehicle "fix it" type violations....at least not in my experience.

I was surprised, though, when I was pulled over in Oregon specifically because I had license plate covers....those clear plastic/plexiglass type.

The officer couldn't have been any more pleasant but he made it very clear that those covers are illegal in Oregon...."and probably Washington as well". Maybe he was bored that morning.


Cheers
DD

License plate covers give off a glare and make it hard for some officers to run the plates. The same with the smoked colored license plate covers. They also wreak havoc on the roadside or city cameras that are trying to take a violation picture. Not to mention there are other products on the market that you can spray on your license plate to blind the cameras (which are illegal in most states lol). Bottom line license plates on the front and rear of the car, aid LEO's in performing their jobs. I know they kill the beauty of the front end of our cars but they do serve a purpose...02

There is also the fact that most jurisdictions employing laser speed enforcement have gone to using a paint on the license plates that is more reflective. Laser operators are trained to aim at the plate. That's kind of hard to do if the plate is not there. Bubble type license plate covers tend to disperse light, and any kind of cover attenuates the reflection from the reflective plate.

When in doubt, follow the money.

True and absolutely correct!!

After decades of driving various sporting vehicles without front plates, I was stopped in Houston (warning) and in Dallas (ticket). The good news is that you can affix the plate and go to the courthouse and have it checked. Then it is a $10 fee and dismissal of the ticket.

I put mine on with zip ties using the bumperettes as anchor points. No drilling required and with a license plate frame attached it looks permanent.

Word. @Everest29

Got around this over the week-end. Purchased a (used) front license plate holder on EBay. Had to drill 2 small holes on front bumper (= torture). I am now legal..... At the price of a torture session.

Funny, I thought the front plate was required for years....If you don't want to drill into your bumper, just use 3m double sided tape. Spoiler use it and several other items that are attach to cars such as car name or style lettering. Its an option and you can remove the tape in the future without damaging the paint.