The Florida Legislature is considering requiring front license plates

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Studebaker car with a Wisconsin front license plate
Studebaker car with a Wisconsin front license plate by RAUL RODRIGUEZ via iStock for WMNF.

©2025 The News Service of Florida

Florida motorists would have to attach license plates on the front of their vehicles that would match the plates already required on the rear, under a proposal moving forward in the Senate.

The Agriculture, Environment, and General Government Appropriations Committee on Tuesday backed a bill (SB 92) that is primarily about body shops but also includes the proposal to make Florida the 30th state to require most vehicles to display two tags.

Bill sponsor Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said the proposal is aimed at reducing hit-and-run drivers.

“As people are speeding away from these scenes, there‘s a lot of cameras out there.

And they can’t always see the back of a (car),” Gruters said. Sen. Erin Grall, a Vero Beach Republican who suggested the addition to Gruters, said two plates could provide more accountability.

“The witnesses will many times see the front of the car, but not see the rear of the car,” Grall said. “And sometimes there are repeat offenders who know exactly how to get away from an accident without having their plates seen.”

Gruters said he hopes to address issues related to costs before the bill goes to the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee. Gruters said he wants to set “the least amount of cost to motorists and the state.” License plates are made at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford

15 Responses to “The Florida Legislature is considering requiring front license plates”

  1. Frederic hayes

    Just another way for the government to get a more of your money I don’t see the necessary need for this

    Reply
  2. Peter Reichenbach

    Does Florida really have so many hit and run accidents that the state will have to spend so much money to make duplicate plates for every car, the cost of which will be passed on the the car owners?

    Reply
    • Todd

      How about having law enforcement step up reducing aggressive drivers/texting ? I work for a fire department and officers rarely arrest an obvious DUI because they don’t want to deal with the defense attoeneys

      Reply
  3. John R. Urban

    Well what if you only see the side of the car? Or you’re in a tree and you only see the top of a car, or what if there’s absolutely no one around to witness the hit and run? This proposed bill is not going to stop the hit and run driver with a suspended or revoked license from hitting a car and running. He’s still going to get the heck out of there. He doesn’t care if he has two tags on his car! It’s ridiculous. So now we’ll have to pay for another tag. What an asinine idea.

    Reply
  4. JOHN HECKATHORNE

    The ONLY advantage would be if insurance companies would give discounts if they were made of rubber and foam to decrease the amount of damage with minor fender benders.

    Reply
  5. CA Usselman

    This is ‘Free Florida’ – I am totally AGAINST front license plates….bad enough my home ‘owners’ taxes are up 375% from 2017!!!

    Reply
  6. HarleyRich

    Just another way a Representative said he/she sponsored a bill !!!
    A feather in their cap according to them…
    A TOTAL WASTE AND EXPENSE…
    Person takes off your going to see their tag unless they come straight for you— then it’s too late for you—

    Reply
  7. Bryan

    The front plate ruins the look of the car. Even if passed I would not run one or just regester my car to a different state!

    Reply
  8. Dave Barton

    Such a dumb idea. Many vehicles do not have a front license bracket. There are far more important issues to deal with!!

    Reply
  9. Robert Goebel

    Representative Gruters lost my vote on the issue. He is suppose to represent the people of the State not some idea he has for improvement . He should talk to the people first.

    Reply
  10. Elizabeth Dean

    This idea should have been implemented decades ago, it would be great if it’s mandated.

    Reply
  11. Bob Anderson

    So this is part of SB 92 which they’re calling the “Lilly Glaubach Act.” Naming a bill after a dead 13 year-old is a way for Sen. Joe Gruters to be seen to be doing something while appealing to people’s emotions. And it won’t do squat to deter hit and run drivers, because that kind of sociopath thinks they can get away with anything. All it will do is be a way for the state to increase your registration fees for a useless slab of metal while inconveniencing people.

    Reply

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