License Plate Screws

License Plate Screws

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Fitting a plate takes thirty seconds with the right screw and ten minutes without. Drive an SAE screw into a metric hole and you strip the bumper mounting point, which turns a delivery into a body shop job. This range of license plate screws covers both thread standards, four head types and five finishes, so a mixed lot is handled from one order.

Domestic vehicles generally take SAE #14 x 3/4in, starting with the slotted hex head. Most Japanese, Korean and European vehicles take 6mm metric, where length varies by how deep the mount is: 12mm for shallow mounts, 16mm as the all-purpose length, 20mm for deeper ones. If you stock one metric length, make it 16mm.

Finish decides how it looks and whether it still turns in two years, on a fastener sitting at bumper height in road salt: Black E-Coat and Dacromet zinc-flake both beat plain zinc for a few cents more, and the Dacromet screw takes Phillips or square-drive so whichever bit is in the gun will fit. Fitting plates across a front line, American and metric thumb screws need no driver, and the nylon insert pushes in by hand. See also license plate accessories.

License Plate Screws for Car Dealerships

Fitting a plate takes thirty seconds when you have the right screw and ten minutes when you do not. The wrong thread strips a bumper mounting hole, which turns a delivery into a body shop job. This range covers both thread standards, four head types, and five finishes, so a mixed lot is covered from one order.

Domestic Vehicles: SAE #14 x 3/4in

Most Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep vehicles take SAE threads. The slotted hex head screw is the baseline. The slotted truss head has a low-profile wide head that sits flat against the plate. The Phillips hex washer head adds a yellow dichromate post-treatment over zinc for extra corrosion resistance, and the Black E-Coat slotted hex washer head gives the longest thread engagement in the SAE range. For thinner mounting points, the 5/8in Black E-Coat version is the shorter variant of the same screw.

Import Vehicles: 6mm Metric

Most Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, and European vehicles take 6mm metric threads. Length varies by application: the hex flange head at 6mm x 12mm has a built-in flange acting as an integrated washer, the metric slotted hex head at 6mm x 16mm is the mid-length option, and the slotted pan head and zinc slotted hex washer head both run 6mm x 20mm for deeper mounting points.

Tool-Free Options

When you are fitting plates across a whole front line, hardware that needs no driver saves real time. American thumb screws and metric thumb screws tighten by hand with a wide thumb head. The nylon insert pushes into the mounting hole by hand with no tool at all, which suits temporary tags and demo plates that come off again.

Finishes and Corrosion Resistance

A plate screw sits at bumper height in road spray and salt for the life of the vehicle. Zinc plating is the standard baseline. Yellow dichromate adds a protective post-treatment over zinc with a gold finish. Black E-Coat is electrocoated and outperforms standard zinc for outdoor lot use. Dacromet zinc-flake gives the highest corrosion resistance in the range, and that screw also takes both Phillips and square-drive bits, so whichever bit is already in the gun will fit.

Related Supplies

See license plate accessories for plate holders, temporary tag protection, and envelopes. For branded plate surrounds, see custom license plate frames and license plate inserts. Browse all dealership sales department supplies.

FAQ

SAE or metric, which do I need?

Domestic vehicles generally take SAE #14 x 3/4in, such as the slotted hex head. Most Japanese, Korean, and European vehicles take 6mm metric, such as the metric slotted hex head. A mixed lot needs both. Driving an SAE screw into a metric hole strips the thread in the bumper, which is a repair rather than a hardware problem, so check before turning.

Which metric length should I order?

All three metric lengths are 6mm thread; the difference is how deep the mounting point is. 12mm suits shallow mounts, 16mm is the common all-purpose length, and 20mm gives more thread engagement on deeper mounts. If you carry only one, 16mm covers the most applications.

Does the finish actually matter?

On a fastener exposed to road salt and spray, yes. Standard zinc is the baseline. Black E-Coat and Dacromet zinc-flake both resist corrosion substantially better for a difference of a few cents per screw. The practical consequence is whether the screw still turns when the plate needs to come off, and whether it looks right on a vehicle you just detailed.

What is the fastest way to fit plates across a lot?

Nylon inserts press in by hand with no tool, the quickest option for temporary tags and demo plates. Thumb screws also need no driver and hold more securely than an insert. If you are using a driver anyway, the duo-drive truss head accepts both Phillips and square-drive bits, so nobody has to change bits between vehicles.

Washer head, truss head, or flange head?

All three spread clamping load so the screw does not pull through the plate hole. A truss head is low profile and sits flat against the plate. A washer head gives a wider bearing surface. A flange head builds the washer into the screw, so there is no separate washer to lose on the lot.

How tight should they be?

Snug, and no further. Plate mounting holes on modern bumpers are often threaded plastic or thin sheet, and overtightening strips them or cracks the plate. A wide-bearing washer head helps here, because it holds the plate securely at lower torque than a small head would need.