Twenty-two states require motorists to have only a rear-end license plate on their car, while 28 states, including Massachusetts, require license plates on both the front and the back. I suspect the reason some states require front and rear plates has more to do with law enforcement than politics. With more states using scanners and cameras, more states will likely require both front and rear plates. Getty Images Massachusetts And 27 Other States Require Front-End License PlatesWhich States Require Front and Rear License Plates? From classic Ocean State symbols to some creative curveballs, these are the license plate ideas people feel the state should consider.