Petition to Modernize California’s Front License Plate Law

California drivers are currently required to display both front and rear license plates under California Vehicle Code §5200.

However, many modern vehicles sold in California are not manufactured with front license plate mounts. Numerous car manufacturers now design vehicles without front plate brackets in order to preserve aerodynamics, vehicle aesthetics, and advanced safety sensors.

As a result, California drivers face an unfair dilemma:

• Permanently drilling into the front bumper of a new vehicle

• Installing aftermarket mounts that may interfere with safety sensors

• Or risking receiving a citation for not displaying a front license plate

This outdated requirement creates unnecessary citations for otherwise law-abiding drivers and forces vehicle owners to modify cars that were never designed to hold a front plate.

Many states in the U.S. safely operate with only rear license plates, and modern license plate recognition technology has made the front plate increasingly unnecessary.

We respectfully ask the California State Legislature to:

Amend California Vehicle Code §5200
Remove the mandatory front license plate requirement
Or exempt vehicles not manufactured with front license plate mounts

Modern vehicles require modern laws. California drivers should not be penalized for owning vehicles designed without front license plate brackets.

We urge lawmakers to update this outdated law and stop issuing tickets for missing front license plates.

Signed,

Concerned California Drivers