I don't have one on my SL55 and am not putting one on. Don't have one on my ML63 AMG or my wife's 2009 ML350 that we have had since new and have never been stopped.

Did not have one on my 2011 S4 that I drove for 8 years either!.

 

There are options for license plate holders that mount to different locations on the front. Some use the front tow hook receiver and there are other options. If you need to mount one on the front and don’t want to alter the bumper cover I’d check out one of those options on eBay. My state doesn’t require a front plate so I’m not sure if you would actually need to drill through the bumper cover to mount as originally designed - so please forgive any misstatements. Hope this helps!

 

You don't really "drill". If you look carefully, you ill see some small dimples in the bumper. You just use the self-tapping screw that come with the tag bracket. My state does not require front tags, but it seems I end up buying used cars that came from California which does, so i get the bracket and holes in my bumper. On my CLK, I left the bracket there and put an Auburn University tag there. On the SL, I removed the bracket and left the holes. I used some touch-up paint to hid them somewhat.

 

Thanks for the responses. I'm going to leave the plate off and plead ignorance if ever stopped. A note to those who might accidentally exceed the posted speed limit - The front license plate and the radiator are the two biggest elements in the radar cross section of your car. No front plate makes your car harder to see by radar or lidar.

 

I had this issue as well when my SL550 was registered in NY. I fashioned my own front plate holder utilizing the front tow hook as the main mounting point. As said there are pre made solutions that use the tow hook area as the mounting point. As far as putting screws in my bumper.....hell no.

 

I use a product by Altec, retractable license plate. I have it on my GL450 and E350 and it works just fine with no visible holes in the bumper. I plan on using this product on my SL55 but I need to make some modifications to the mesh grill because it would be too low if placed at the bottom of the bumper, trying to get a much cleaner look. For personal reason I must have a front license plate. Here’s a few pics of the product.

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