The Real Reason Why Massachusetts and 27 Other States Require Two License Plates

Twenty-two states require motorists to have only a rear-end license plate on their car, while 28 states, including Massachusetts, require license plates on both the front and the back.

The Law Enforcement and Safety Reasons Behind Two Plates

The states requiring two license plates are a mix of blue and red states, so there is no obvious political connection here. I suspect the reason some states require front and rear plates has more to do with law enforcement than politics.

In fact, Quora says, "States require two license plates – one on the front and one on the rear – primarily to improve vehicle visibility for law enforcement, traffic safety cameras, and witnesses."

With more states using scanners and cameras, more states will likely require both front and rear plates.

Massachusetts And 27 Other States Require Front-End License Plates

Which States Require Front and Rear License Plates?

States in addition to Massachusetts that require front and rear tags include the remaining New England states: Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

Also, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, according to Autolist.

Washington, D.C. also requires two plates. Rhode Island recently began to require both front and rear plates.

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How Massachusetts Manufactures and Finances Its Plates

Massachusetts doesn't charge you for your license plates – sort of. The Commonwealth doesn't charge a separate fee for standard license plates because they are included in the price of your registration.

A standard two-year Massachusetts vehicle registration fee is $60.

Massachusetts manufactured its motor vehicle license plates at MCI Cedar Junction. With the prison now closed to inmates, license plate manufacturing and other functions are still performed at Cedar Junction, according to Mass.gov.