I Can Get A Ticket In Utah For This?!

I just got a new vehicle and of course the dealer sent in for the new license plates that I could grace my new truck with (I went with the 'In God We Trust/United We Stand' plates).

The other day my plates came in the mail and I went in to the garage to put them on.

I carefully placed the month and year stickers on the plate that would go on the back of the vehicle, then secured a screwdriver-wrench to take the placeholder off and put the plate on.

After a couple of minutes, the task was accomplished, and I grabbed the other plate and headed to the front of the truck to secure the tag on the bumper.

One problem: there was nowhere to put the plate.

No bracket. No screws. No predrilled holes. No blank spot at all, as a matter of fact.

The carmaker had decided my front bumper was too pretty to mess up with a silly license plate holder.

I had heard somewhere that a front plate was not necessary in such cases, so I decided to do what every red-blooded American would do -- I Googled it.

As it turns out, a front license plate is a requirement in the state of Utah. From the Utah Highway Patrol website:

Utah law requires that every vehicle registered in Utah, other than a motorcycle, trailer, or semitrailer, must have a license plate securely attached to the front and rear of the vehicle. Federal standards require that every vehicle manufactured for sale in the United States must have the capability of mounting a license plate on the front and rear of the vehicle. If you contact the vehicle dealer, they can obtain the necessary kit for mounting a front license plate.

Not only was I required to have a front plate, but the dealer has to provide a kit to make it so if the vehicle is not equipped for it.

Here's the bottom line: Utah does require a front license plate -- but only for another five weeks or so -- as the law changes on Jan. 1, 2025.

On that date, Bill No. SB45 goes into effect, and Utah will only require drivers to have one license plate displayed on the back of their vehicles, rather than both a front and back license plate.

The bill, which passed both Utah houses and was signed by Governor Spencer Cox, will save Utah thousands of dollars (now you will only get one license plate in the mail).

But until Jan. 1, you could still get a ticket (secondary) of $50, although officials say you can have the fine waived if you prove that you have mounted the license plate before you go to court for it.

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