Prosecutors say the former two-time Maine gubernatorial candidate and registered sex offender violated the terms of his release late last month and earlier this month. The new allegations follow an earlier probation violation case that surfaced in November 2025.

You might not give a lot of thought to your two license plates. Maybe only looking at them when you renew your registration or when you got the new pine tree design. But those plates play an important role on the road.

Karyn asked the CBS13 I-Team:

“I see a lot of cars on the road with only a rear license plate. We are issued two plates at the time of registration. Do we actually have to display both on our car? Also, can you be fined for only having one plate?”

Maine law does require drivers to display two license plates. One on the front and one on the back.

The state says that requirement, which has been in place since the 90s, makes cars more visible to law enforcement and helps with automated tolling on the Maine Turnpike.

A driver can be fined if they don’t properly display both plates.

According to state data, convictions for improperly displaying a registration plate have gone up the past few years. Though the numbers are still small compared to the total number of vehicles on the road.

In 2021, there were 63. Seventy convictions in 2022 and in 2023 and 2024, there were around 140.

The are some exemptions to the two-plate law. That includes motorcycles and trailers.

While most states have similar laws, about 20 only require a rear license plate.

The Maine Legislature has debated bills that would remove the front plate requirement in the past, but none have passed.

Have a question for CBS13 I-Team? Call their tip line at (207) 228-7713 or send an email to tips@wgme.com.