I know it varies in the world, but is it legal to have an original plate on the front and an current one on the back...? What is correct in your State/Province?

Ted

 

Correct! Here in Michigan only required to have a rear only! I have a 1970 issue license plate up front and a historical plate with current tags on the rear with no issues from the law.

Pat

 

allows year of manufacture plate. If you find a set of license plates from the year of manufacture of your car and the plates are in good condition and the number is not currently assigned, you can run those plates front and rear on your car. California is a two plate state - front and rear required

Nufo (Fred)

 

In Massachusetts you are allowed to have official “Year of Manufacture” license plates on your car.
Example:
If you have a 1969 car and you found real Massachusetts plates with the date stamped 69 on the plates for Massachusetts you can register the car under those plates. You do not need a NEW plate. The old 1969 plates will become your official registration number.
A few rules apply. Plates must be original and in good condition. The number on the plate cannot be reused by any other car in the Massachusetts data base.
The down side is, the Massacuttes rules for “Antique” plate will also apply to “Year of Manufacture” plates (driving on weekends, Test drivers, etc). I was going to put similar plates on my CS-71 however the Antique restrictions were too much so I opted for more expensive Vanity plate (my initials plus, 1971)
My sister has a 1928 Ford dump truck. She has Mass 1928 Truck plates on her truck and her Truck is officially registered under that 1928 plate number (sorry I do not have any pictures).

 

Over the years, I have seen may cars from "one plate states" with an "unofficial" plate on the front, whether an European plate, an antique plate, a decorative plate, or a "non-kosher" custom plate.

- Eric

 

In the US, every state is different. I have no idea what is allowed in the frozen north.

 

Here we can use the year of manufacture & here's the plate registered to my 66 442.

 

In Georgia we are required to have the rear tag only, so you can put whatever you want on the front. We also can have the year of make tag on the back as long as it is registered and you keep the current tag and paperwork inside the vehicle somewhere. I believe the cutoff is 1970 for the YOM tags here.

 

In Arizona we are only required to have a rear plate. If you get a Historic plate like I have on my Olds, they issue two plates, but you are still required only to have the rear. So I see a lot of cars driving around with the 2nd Historic plate from their older car on the front of their daily driver. I'd check with your MVD.

 

Indiana = Rear plate only & you can use a "year of manufacture " vintage plate.

 

in missouri they didnt require a front plate until '73(i think). so if i go with a original '71 plate on my '71 cutlass i dont even have to run a front plate. the antique rules apply to the plate and you are limited to a certain yearly mileage and required to carry a log book. the cops rarely check for it but i did have a friend get a jerk cop once and he got tickets for excessive exhaust noise, running slicks on the street and not having a log book for his antique plates on his '69 camaro all in the same stop. this was also the only person i know that got a ticket for impeding traffic in the same car. he actually got in trouble for driving too slow in a race car!

 

Ted,
I have 2 different license plates registered to my 72 Cutlass S concurrently. I asked about YOM here at the registry and they explained how AB works. AB is one of the provinces that only uses the rear plate now so it was a good question to ask. Here's how it breaks down:
I can put EITHER of the plates on the rear of the car with the following provisions. YOM plate can be mounted to drive to and from shows or to fill up with gas (ha ha ha I smell a long road trip to fill with gas coming). The rest of the time the AB Antique Auto plate has to be on the back of the car if I just want to cruise the streets.

I have the original 72 plates our first 72 Cutlass wore for that year and I picked the best one to put on the back. My registration card shows the dual licensing in case I get stopped and questioned by the law. When I go to local car shows I put the Dealer showroom plate on the front of the car.


So for cruising? It has the YOM plate on the front, and Antique Auto on the back. One other thing? Our AA plates are a one time registration fee - never needs to be renewed.

 

Maryland you can have YOM plates. I have matching 71 plates on the front and rear. Paid a one time $35 fee to regeristar them. You also must have valid Historic plates in the car if you are stopped. Keep mine in the trunk.

Larry

 

Ky. is a one plate state. Allowed to run a year of manufacture plate without registering it if you keep the historic motor vehicle plate in the car. I also keep a copy of the Ky Revised Statute in the glove box beause some officers are not familiar with the law.

 

Here is the front of my Delta and my Alero.

PA is a one plate state. The Delta's front plate was my regular plate on my old Delta, for about 3 months, before I switched to classic tags.

My Alero, just having fun. I used to collect license plates. My airbrushed plate was old, faded, and after 13 years, I was tired of it

 

The plate on the Alero looks like it fits that picture perfectly! Nice one...

 

I have the year of the car plate (1970)on my car. Although they say you can only drive the car to car shows and parades only with that plate. Well, I figure everyday is a car show at work. I have never been pulled over because of it yet.

 

I've been driving with expired plates since November. LOL. I have current plates, they are in the trunk, I just need to put them on. And this is my 90's model daily driver, not a classic like the 442.