§ 42-3-202 — Number plates furnished to be attached - penalty

(1) (a) (I)
Except as provided in subsection (1)(a)(II) of this section, the owner shall attach the
number plates assigned to a self-propelled vehicle to the vehicle with one in the
front and the other in the rear.

(II) The owner shall attach the number plate assigned to any of the following
vehicles to the rear of the vehicle:

(A) A motorcycle;

(B) An autocycle;

(C) A street rod vehicle;

(D) A trailer, semitrailer, or other vehicle drawn by a motor vehicle; or

(E) Special mobile machinery.

(III) The owner shall display number plates during the current registration
year, except as otherwise provided in this article 3.

(b) If the department issues a validating tab or sticker to a motor vehicle
pursuant to section 42-3-201, the current month validating tab or sticker shall be
displayed in the bottom left corner of the rear license plate. The current year
validating tab or sticker shall be displayed in the bottom right corner of the rear
license plate. The tabs or stickers shall be visible at all times.

(2) (a) (I) The owner or driver of a motor vehicle shall securely fasten the
license plate to the vehicle to which it is assigned so as to prevent the plate from
swinging.

(II) Except when authorized by this article 3 or rule of the department, the
rear license plate must be:

(A) Horizontal at a height not less than twelve inches from the ground,
measuring from the bottom of the plate;

(B) In a place and position to be clearly visible;

(C) Maintained free from foreign materials and clearly legible;

(D) At the approximate center of the vehicle measured horizontally; and

(E) Mounted on or within eighteen inches of the rear bumper.

(III) Except when authorized by this article 3, the front license plate must be:

(A) Displayed horizontally on the front of a motor vehicle in the location
designated by the motor vehicle manufacturer;

(B) Maintained free from foreign materials; and

(C) Clearly legible.

(b) A person shall not operate a motor vehicle with an affixed device or a
substance that causes all or a portion of a license plate to be unreadable by a
system used to automatically identify a motor vehicle. Such a device includes,
without limitation, a cover that distorts angular visibility; alters the color of the
plate; or is smoked, tinted, scratched, or dirty so as to impair the legibility of the
license plate.

(3) (a) A person who violates any provision of this section commits a class B
traffic infraction.

(b) A person who violates paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of this section
commits a class A traffic infraction and shall be punished by a fine of one hundred
dollars.

(4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (3) of this section, the owner of a
military vehicle may elect to not display the vehicle's assigned license plate if the
license plate is physically in the military vehicle and is available for inspection to
any peace officer who requests the plate.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2005: Entire article amended with relocations, p. 1108, � 2, effective August 8. L. 2008: (1) amended, p. 321, � 2, effective July 1. L. 2010: (4) added, (SB 10-075), ch. 169, p. 597, � 2, effective August 11; (1)(a) amended, (HB 10-1172), ch. 320, p. 1491, � 10, effective October 1. L. 2014: (1)(a) amended, (HB 14-1367), ch. 303, p. 1286, � 3, effective July 1. L. 2015: (2)(a) amended, (SB 15-090), ch. 334, p. 1360, � 2, see subsection (2) of the editor's note following this section. L. 2017: (1)(a) amended, (HB 17-1044), ch. 72, p. 229, � 4, effective March 23. L. 2018: (2)(a)(II) and (2)(a)(III) amended, (SB 18-028), ch. 85, p. 685, � 1, effective March 29. L. 2022: (1)(a) amended, (HB 22-1043), ch. 361, p. 2583, � 9, effective January 1, 2023.