Do You Need A Front License Plate In Illinois?
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You may not need to have two license plates in certain states in the U.S., but you do in most of them. Given that the rules vary so wildly from state to state, it can be confusing trying to wrap your head around which ones you need to follow. However, it’s of the utmost importance that you do know what you’re doing. If you live in Illinois, look no further, as we’ve got all you need to know right here about whether or not you need a front license plate in Illinois!
Quick Answer: Yes, You Need a Front License Plate
Illinois is one of the many states on the list of the two-plate states in the U.S. This means that you need a front license plate in Illinois in addition to a rear one. Trying to avoid this law is pointless and can make you wind up having to pay a large fine, which no one wants to do. Police officers can tell that you don’t have a front license plate very easily, and that gives them enough probable cause to pull you over and give you a ticket. Make sure you have that front license plate securely attached to your front bumper and that it complies with all the relevant regulations so you can avoid needless trouble.
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What to Know about License/Registration in Illinois
There are a few different rules to know about license plate laws in Illinois, and it’s vital that you comply with them all so that you avoid the risk of getting pulled over and having to pay for a ticket.
The regulation that’s likely the most overlooked is that all the information on your license plate must be clearly visible at all times. Nothing can be cut off or obstructed by any piece of material at all, no matter what it is. This includes your vehicle’s bumper hanging over the plate, dirt getting piled on from the road, a sticker, or anything else. You can’t even allow a couple of centimeters of the word “Illinois” to be obstructed, as this is enough for you to have to pay a fine. Some drivers have chosen to install protective guards around their license plates to stop dirt and grime from accumulating, and this is a great, perfectly legal idea, as long as the guard itself doesn’t block any of the plate’s visibility either.
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What Happens If You Drive Without a Front License Plate in Illinois
As you need a front license plate in Illinois and it’s against the law to drive around without one, it’s probably that you’ll get pulled over and receive a citation if you don’t have one. In order for a police officer to pull you over in any situation, they need to have a certain amount of just cause, and noticing that you’re driving a car with no front license plate is enough to qualify as just cause. They can then pull you over and give you a citation. Typically, the fee for breaking this law is roughly $200, which is nothing to sneeze at. When it’s so avoidable, there’s really no reason for you not to take care of your front license plate requirements before heading out on the road so that this never becomes an issue.
Why it’s Always Good to Have a Front License Plate
There’s a particularly huge reason why you need a front license plate in Illinois that makes it essential to always have one: it’s a legal requirement in the state of Illinois, and driving without a front plate can get you pulled over and digging deep into your pockets to pay for the ticket. Since driving without a front license plate is enough of an offense that an officer can pull you over and make you shell out $200 at any time, it should be obvious why it’s always best to have a front plate. There are other important reasons to have one, too, if this isn’t enough to convince you.
You need a front license plate in Illinois not only to keep you legal on the road and avoid getting yourself pulled over but also to keep you safe. These front license plates are manufactured to inform other drivers of your presence and position on the road, particularly at nighttime. Front license plate technology is made to reflect the light that hits it so that oncoming traffic’s headlights reflect off of your front plate and see that you’re there. In particularly dangerous moments, this is a huge deal as it can help prevent a collision.
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On top of all this, not having a front plate means that you can’t afford to make any other mistakes while driving that break the law, like driving around with a broken tail light on the way to get it fixed, because you’re now breaking two rules in that scenario. Even if it’s just a simple mistake, you can get penalized for both offenses, and an officer is likely to fine you heavily. Just driving with no front license plate is legally enough for an officer to pull you over and make you pay a fee, so if you’re doing anything else wrong, the fee will just get higher and higher. It goes without saying that you should never break any laws when you’re driving because they’re there to keep you and others safe, but it’s unwise to put yourself in an unnecessarily dangerous situation if you make a mistake. Have your front license plate taken care of and you can focus on driving safely and normally and not stress about getting pulled over constantly.
Everything Else You Need to Know about Front License Plates
You need a front license plate in Illinois because it’s legally required, but even if your car doesn’t have a designated area on the bumper for a plate, there are other options for attaching a plate that doesn’t involve drilling holes in your car. Many drivers don’t want to damage their car’s exterior to attach a front license plate, but luckily, there’s now little reason to. You can get adhesive plates that stick to your bumper (though they do leave a sticky residue) as well as magnetic mounts that attach without leaving anything behind, so explore your options and make sure you get your front license plate properly secured!
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