One Plate, And Nothing Over It
MCL 257.225 — one plate, on the rear, at least 12 inches up, free of anything that obscures it
One plate, on the rear. A registration plate issued for a vehicle is attached to the rear, except that one issued for a truck tractor or road tractor is attached to the front.
Fastened, visible, free of obstruction. The plate is securely fastened horizontally so as not to swing, at least 12 inches from the ground measured from its bottom, in a clearly visible place, and kept free from foreign materials that obscure or partially obscure the registration information. No name plate, insignia or advertising device is attached to it in a way that obscures the registration information.
What is allowed behind. A tow ball, bicycle rack, removable hitch, or any other device designed to carry an object on the rear of a vehicle, including the object carried, does not violate the rule.
Registration itself, temporary tags and specialty plates are governed by other sections that are not on this page. What a particular ticket means is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 257.225 — Registration plate; attachment to vehicle; legibility
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.