Does your car need a front license plate in Kansas City? What to know about KS, MO laws
In Kansas City, where residents live in a metro area divided by the Missouri-Kansas state line, drivers frequently commute from one state to the other for work and may even buy a car in a state other than the one they live in.
In navigating the different state laws governing vehicle registration, one question often comes up: Do you need a license plate on the front and back of the car, or just one license plate?
The answer depends on which state you register the car in.
One license plate needed in Kansas
In Kansas, a driver only needs one license plate, which goes on the rear of the car, according to the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles.
Car owners will only receive one license plate when they register their car in Kansas. This applies to any kind of vehicle that needs to be registered with the Kansas DMV, according to Kansas state statute.
Two license plates needed in Missouri — with some exceptions
In Missouri, most vehicle registrations require two license plates on the front and rear of the vehicle, according to state law.
There are a few exceptions to the rule. Cars with a historic value stored as a collector’s item, motorcycles and commercial vehicles that are 18,000 pounds or more only need one plate.
When drivers register their car in Missouri, they will receive both the front and back plates.
The cost of registration varies depending on the type of vehicle.
In Kansas City, if a driver is caught without a license plate in the front of their car they can be fined up to $96 for each ticket, said Benita Jones, Kansas City Municipal Court spokesperson.
This applies only to cars registered in Missouri.
If a Kansas driver is passing through Missouri, they don’t need to worry. Kansas City police won’t pull over Kansas drivers for only having one license plate, said Kansas City Police Officer Corey Carlisle.
Rear license plates are required in all 50 states, but front license plates are only required in 30 states and Washington D.C., according to Insurance.com, a site that allows people to compare insurance quotes.
