I think it is all a matter of what weighing what is more important to you, paying a $86 ticket vs going to court to see if the judge will "comply" you with the law for installing the plate after the ticket vs making what arrangements are neccesary to obey the law now. Most officers don't/won't stop you for it, but if you go through a road check, or get pulled for something else, then you are likely to get a ticket for that as well. I think the way the law reads in VA it says something along the lines that your front tag must be "securely mounted and easily visible on the front of the vehicle." Hope that helps some.