Q: “Dad,” said my son, “I bet nine out of 10 Teslas do not have a front license plate.” I must admit, I had never noticed this before, but after he alerted me, I started to pay attention. Sure enough, I’d say 90% of the Teslas I observed did not have a front plate. That is illegal in Minnesota and the fine is anywhere from $100-200. With maybe a touch of sarcasm he said, “They don’t like how it looks. It messes up the car’s smooth lines.” Would I be correct that the dealer does install a front plate and then the owner removes it later?
D.B., Stillwater, Minnesota
A: Of our 50 states, 31 do not require a front license plate. If someone drives an un-tagged vehicle in any of the 19 states, they risk a fine. Enforcement seems to be rather lax, though. I have seen plenty of these cars with and without plates and must admit that plates do look out of place and mess up the cars’ smooth lines. The Tesla Model Y comes with a bracket to be glued to the vehicle. Front brackets are widely available separately.
