License Plate Frames Laws by State
Compare license plate frames regulations across all 50 states.
| State | Status | Key limits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Conditional | Covers: not expressly banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: plate number | Details → |
| Alaska | Conditional | Covers: not expressly banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Arizona | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: conditional Must stay visible: numbers, characters, year tabs, jurisdiction name | Details → |
| Arkansas | Conditional | Covers: banned if they reduce readability or reflectivity Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| California | Conditional | Covers: banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: plate, tabs, state name; ALPR-readable | Details → |
| Colorado | Conditional | Covers: clear allowed; tinted or distorting banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters; ALPR-readable | Details → |
| Connecticut | Conditional | Covers: banned Frames: banned if they obscure anything Must stay visible: everything on the plate | Details → |
| Delaware | Conditional | Covers: tinted banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all information including expiration sticker | Details → |
| Florida | Conditional | Covers: banned if they interfere with legibility, angular visibility, or detectability Frames: conditional Must stay visible: any feature or detail (through Sept 30, 2026); the plate number and registration decal (from Oct 1, 2026, SB 488) | Details → |
| Georgia | Conditional | Covers: allowed if colorless and transparent Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Hawaii | Conditional | Covers: prohibited today when used to obscure (Act 124, 2025; $500-$1,000); ALL covers and shields banned regardless of transparency or intent from January 1, 2027 (Act 12, 2026; at least $1,000 per day) Frames: conditional Must stay visible: everything on the plate | Details → |
| Idaho | Conditional | Covers: banned only if they impair legibility Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Illinois | Conditional | Covers: all banned including clear Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Indiana | Conditional | Covers: transparent not expressly banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Iowa | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: conditional Must stay visible: all numerals, letters, county and state name | Details → |
| Kansas | Conditional | Covers: any covering material, clear or opaque, that affects visibility or reflectivity is prohibited Frames: unlawful if they affect required visibility or legibility — warning citations only through December 31, 2026 Must stay visible: plate number, state of issue, and the registration decal's month and color | Details → |
| Kentucky | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: banned if they obscure anything Must stay visible: all lettering and decals | Details → |
| Louisiana | Conditional | Covers: tinted or obscuring banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Maine | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: conditional Must stay visible: numbers, letters, and words | Details → |
| Maryland | Conditional | Covers: all banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all plate information | Details → |
| Massachusetts | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: conditional Must stay visible: all plate characters | Details → |
| Michigan | Conditional | Covers: not expressly banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: registration information | Details → |
| Minnesota | Conditional | Covers: all banned including clear Frames: banned if they cover the state name Must stay visible: letters, numbers, state name | Details → |
| Mississippi | Conditional | Covers: banned if obscuring Frames: conditional Must stay visible: everything except the county name | Details → |
| Missouri | Conditional | Covers: clear allowed; tinted banned Frames: allowed Must stay visible: all parts of the plate | Details → |
| Montana | Conditional | Covers: no cover-specific statute; covers that obstruct are prohibited Must stay visible: entire plate face | Details → |
| Nebraska | Conditional | Covers: not affirmatively allowed — the statute forbids modifying the plate's design, color, or appearance while displayed Must stay visible: all letters, numbers, printing, and identification marks | Details → |
| Nevada | Conditional | Covers: no express ban, but covers that obscure violate the legibility rule Must stay visible: whole plate including state name and decal | Details → |
| New Hampshire | Conditional | Covers: any colored, smoked, or tinted covering is a violation ($150); clear covers are not expressly banned Must stay visible: figures and letters | Details → |
| New Jersey | Conditional | Covers: not allowed Must stay visible: every marking including the state name and registration insert | Details → |
| New Mexico | Conditional | Covers: not allowed Must stay visible: whole plate | Details → |
| New York | Conditional | Covers: all glass and plastic covers are banned regardless of tint Must stay visible: the number and distinguishing marks | Details → |
| North Carolina | Conditional | Covers: allowed only if nothing is made illegible Must stay visible: numbers, letters, state name, and sticker month and number | Details → |
| North Dakota | Conditional | Covers: no express ban; covers that obscure violate the visibility rule Must stay visible: number, state name, and annual tab | Details → |
| Ohio | Conditional | Covers: banned where they obstruct visibility Must stay visible: the plate, any county identification sticker, and any validation sticker | Details → |
| Oklahoma | Conditional | Covers: all covers banned — clear, translucent, tinted, or opaque alike Must stay visible: the plate, the decal, and all letters and numbers | Details → |
| Oregon | Conditional | Covers: reached by the alteration clause — not allowed Must stay visible: numbers, letters, and registration stickers | Details → |
| Pennsylvania | Conditional | Covers: tinted covers expressly banned Must stay visible: the number and the issuing jurisdiction | Details → |
| Rhode Island | Conditional | Covers: no express ban; covers are foreign materials if they obscure Must stay visible: whole plate | Details → |
| South Carolina | Conditional | Covers: tinted covers expressly prohibited Must stay visible: letters and numbers | Details → |
| South Dakota | Conditional | Covers: no express ban; covers that obscure violate the visibility rule Must stay visible: the assigned number | Details → |
| Tennessee | Conditional | Covers: tinted materials banned outright, even if the information is not concealed Must stay visible: whole plate | Details → |
| Texas | Conditional | Covers: banned where they distort readability or automated detection Must stay visible: the state name and the plate number | Details → |
| Utah | Conditional | Covers: all plate covers banned outright Must stay visible: the plate number and registration decal | Details → |
| Vermont | Conditional | Covers: not allowed Must stay visible: the entire plate, including the state name and slogan | Details → |
| Virginia | Conditional | Covers: not allowed where they alter or obscure any protected element Must stay visible: alpha-numeric information, plate color, state name, and expiration characters | Details → |
| Washington | Conditional | Covers: unlawful — covers that conceal, obstruct, distort, change, alter, or make a plate illegible are prohibited Must stay visible: license tabs and identifying letters and numbers | Details → |
| West Virginia | Conditional | Covers: no express ban; covers are foreign materials if they obscure Must stay visible: whole plate | Details → |
| Wisconsin | Conditional | Covers: no express permission; covers that reduce legibility violate the rule Must stay visible: whole plate face | Details → |
| Wyoming | Conditional | Covers: covers are foreign materials and are not permitted Must stay visible: whole plate | Details → |
Limits shown apply to sedans, or to all vehicles where the law doesn't distinguish. Vehicle-specific rules, exceptions, and statute citations are on each state's page.
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Street-legal license plate frames picks
Gear that helps you mod without a ticket.
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A low-profile frame that doesn't cover the state name, tags, or registration stickers.
Shop on AmazonWhite license plate light
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