Q. By my unofficial count, about one in 10 cars on the road have their Wisconsin license plates on the rear of the car but not on the front. My question is, what is the penalty for not having a front license plate, and is it ever enforced by the police?A. It's not cheap if a driver is caught without a front license plate.
"It is required and it is enforced," said State Trooper AJ Llanas.
The fine for not having the front license plate is $160.80.
But generally, the person who fails or forgets to display the front plate is granted a warning and time to fix the violation, Llanas said.
Displaying the front license plate is important for safety and because it can be more visible and easier to read.
If a law enforcement officer is monitoring traffic looking for someone or a specific vehicle — maybe from out of state — it's quicker to find them by watching for the front license plate, he said.
While Llanas said in his experience, most drivers display both front and back plates, it's not uncommon for troopers to pull someone over for missing a plate.
"That's a weekly occurrence," he said. "Some people elect not to put it on."
— Gena Kittner
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