License plates assigned to a motor vehicle, other than a moped, motorcycle, autocycle, tractor truck, trailer, or semitrailer, or to persons licensed as motor vehicle dealers or transporters of unladen vehicles, shall be attached to the front and the rear of the vehicle. The license plate assigned to a moped, motorcycle, autocycle, trailer, or semitrailer shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. The license plate assigned to a tractor truck shall be attached to the front of the vehicle. The license plates issued to licensed motor vehicle dealers and to persons licensed as transporters of unladen vehicles shall consist of one plate for each set issued and shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle to which it is assigned.
For any summons issued for a violation of this section, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the summons, where proof of compliance with this section is provided to the court on or before the court date.
Code 1950, § 46-101; 1954, c. 210; 1958, c. 541, § 46.1-106; 1972, c. 609; 1974, c. 150; 1989, c. 727; 2013, c. 783; 2014, cc. 53, 256; 2017, c. 670.
Notes of Decisions
Morris v. City of Virginia Beach, 707 S.E.2d 479 (Va. Ct. App. 2011).
· cites it 4× “Code § 46.2-715, we observed, required license plates assigned to a motor vehicle to be displayed only on that motor vehicle.”
Erie Lawrence v. Commonwealth, 578 S.E.2d 54 (Va. Ct. App. 2003).
· cites it 4× “Under certain conditions, however, the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles may permit “the use of license plates on a vehicle other than the vehicle for which the license plates were issued.”
United States v. Adonis Perry, 92 F.4th 500 (4th Cir. 2024).
“1 See Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-715 (2017) (“License plates assigned to a motor vehicle .”
Caron Nazario v. Joe Gutierrez, 103 F.4th 213 (4th Cir. 2024).
“” See Va. Code Ann. §§ 46.2-715 , 716. A violation of these statutory requirements, however, only constitutes a “traffic infraction,” and it is not criminal in nature.”
Commonwealth v. Smith, 79 Va. Cir. 16 (Greensville Cir. Ct. 2009).
· cites it 7× “The Commonwealth asserts that the lack of a front license plate, as required ofvehicles registered in Virginia under Va. Code § 46.2-715 (2005), is a legitimate basis for a police officer to effectuate a traffic stop of any vehicle from any state and that the Court’s analysis…”
Lance Jonathan Payne v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 4× “Corporal Stroop testified that after first observing it entering the highway, he witnessed the white Durango traveling on the highway at speeds of at least 80 miles per hour without a license plate affixed to the front of the vehicle.2 This by itself gave rise to the reasonable,…”
Trevon Jereen McRae v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2024).
· cites it 4× “First, McRae argued that the officers lacked reasonable suspicion to stop his car because Code § 46.2-715 does not require license plates to be affixed to the front bumper; rather, they “shall be attached to the front and the rear end of the vehicle.”
Nazario v. Gutierrez (E.D. Va. 2025).
· cites it 4× “at 220 , as is required by Virginia law, Va. Code Ann. §§ 46.2-715 , 716. At the time, Officer Crocker was still in training, under the remote supervision of Defendant Gutierrez.”
Nazario v. Gutierrez (E.D. Va. 2025).
· cites it 4× “Va. Code Ann. §§ 46.2-715 , 716. At the time, Officer Crocker was still in training and under the supervision of Officer Gutierrez.”
United States v. Kujabi (D.D.C. 2026).
· cites it 4× “” Va. Code § 46.2-715; ECF No. 37, at 8:07-8:09; see 18 DCMR § 422.”
Hodges v. Henrico Police Dep't (E.D. Va. 2024).
· cites it 2× “9, 2022) (citing Va. Code Ann. §§ 46.2-715 , -716) (concluding that “the Officers did have probable cause to execute a traffic stop for failure to display a license plate” where “the rear license plate was not in the correct position and was not visible”).”
Clark v. Daulton, Trooper (W.D. Va. 2022).
· cites it 2× “” Virginia Code § 46.2-715 provides that “[l]icense plates assigned to a motor vehicle .”
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