CLEVELAND — A front license plate will no longer be required in Ohio effective July 1, according to the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
The decision to do away with the front license plate was part of a compromise deal reached by lawmakers in April 2019.
The change fell under House Bill 62, which requires only one license plate to be displayed on most motor vehicles, including passenger vehicles.
The license plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. However, commercial tractors must display the license plate on the front of the motor vehicle.
A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Public Safety said failing to properly display the single license plate is a minor misdemeanor and a “strict” liability offense.
“The act also standardizes the single license plate requirement for state-owned motor vehicles and requires manufacturer or dealer-owned motor vehicles to display a single placard, rather than two,” the state agency said in a statement.
The elimination of the front license received push-back from law enforcement groups that argued in favor of keeping the front license plate because it allows them to more easily identify vehicles.
RELATED: Drivers will no longer be required to have a front license plate in Ohio
