The factory dealer front license plate mount on the Ford Bronco sits above the bumper, right in front of the grille, blocking airflow to the radiator. The DV8 Offroad license plate relocation bracket for the Ford Bronco moves the plate down to the bottom of the bumper instead, clearing the grille, the adaptive cruise sensor, and your approach angle off-road. It only works on one specific Ford Bronco bumper, though, and mixing that up is the single most common mistake Bronco owners make with this part.
Do You Need a Front License Plate on Your Ford Bronco?
Whether this matters to you at all depends on where you live. Most states require a front plate, and a Ford Bronco parked or driven without one is an easy target for a citation, even if the truck is otherwise legal in every other way. A handful of states, including several in the South and a few in the West, do not require a front plate at all, and Bronco owners in those states sometimes skip the mount entirely and run a clean, plate-free front end. If your state requires one, the question is not whether to mount a plate on your Bronco, it is where on the truck it goes.
Why the Dealer Front License Plate Mount Is a Problem
Ford's own dealer-installed solution for the Bronco is a bracket that clips to the top of the bumper, holding the plate directly in front of the grille opening. It works, in the sense that the plate is attached to the truck. What it also does is sit squarely in the path of airflow the radiator and intercooler are trying to pull in, and it puts a flat piece of aluminum right where a rock or branch is most likely to catch it on a climb.
None of that is a defect. It is just a mount built for the easiest possible install, not the best position on a Ford Bronco. Owners running the factory Heavy-Duty Modular steel bumper have a better option, because that bumper was designed with a lower mounting point built in from the start.
What the DV8 License Plate Relocation Bracket Does
DV8 Offroad's bracket for the Ford Bronco relocates the front plate from the dealer's grille-mounted position down to the bottom of the Modular bumper, angled slightly so it stays visible without adding anything that sticks out past the bumper face. Built from 3mm steel and finished in a micro-texture black powder coat that matches the bumper itself, it is not a plastic clip-on. It bolts to the same points already built into the Modular bumper, so nothing gets drilled and nothing gets modified.
The bracket sits flush with the bumper's lines instead of hanging off the front like a clamped-on accessory. It also solves the functional problem at the root of this whole category: the plate is no longer sitting in front of the grille pulling double duty as an airflow obstruction.
Does This Fit Your Ford Bronco's Bumper?
This bracket is built for the factory Heavy-Duty Modular steel bumper only. It does not fit the factory plastic bumper, and it does not fit the Capable steel bumper either, even though Capable is also steel. Two steel bumpers that both come from Ford, and only one of them accepts this bracket.
Telling them apart on your Bronco takes one look. The Modular bumper has visible removable end caps and several exposed mounting bolts running across the face, since it was built to accept a winch, brush guard, or auxiliary lighting later. The Capable bumper is one smooth stamped piece with no removable sections and no exposed hardware. If your Bronco's front bumper looks seamless with no visible bolts, you have the Capable bumper, and this bracket will not mount to it.
The bracket fits every Ford Bronco model year from 2021 through 2026, both 2-door and 4-door, on any trim running the Modular bumper, and it fits the Bronco Raptor too. The Raptor version uses different hardware since the bumper geometry is not identical: two M8x40mm bolts with 22mm spacers instead of the factory bolts used on non-Raptor installs, and that spacer hardware ships in the box already sorted out for you. It does not fit the Ford Bronco Sport, which is a different platform under a shared name. If you are still deciding which bumper to run on your Bronco, our guide to choosing a Ford Bronco front bumper covers the Modular versus Capable decision in more depth, along with the full lineup of aftermarket front bumpers for the Ford Bronco if you are starting from the factory plastic bumper and want to upgrade to something this bracket will bolt to.
If you already run an aftermarket steel bumper on your Bronco rather than a factory one, check with that bumper's manufacturer directly before ordering this bracket. It is engineered around the Modular bumper's specific mounting geometry, and an aftermarket bumper from a different brand is unlikely to share those exact points even if it looks similar from a distance.
Does It Clear the Adaptive Cruise Sensor and Approach Angle?
Yes, on both counts, and that is the engineering problem this bracket solves rather than a side benefit. The relocated position sits below the adaptive cruise control sensor housing in the center of the bumper, so the plate does not block or interfere with it. The angled mount also keeps the plate tucked close enough to the bumper face that it does not extend forward into the approach angle the way the dealer's grille-mounted plate can on a steep climb.
This is worth confirming for your specific Bronco build regardless, since a lifted truck or one running larger tires can change how much clearance matters underneath. If you are unsure how your bumper choice interacts with sensors already, the fitment section above links to the resources that cover it.
What About No-Drill Adhesive or Universal Plate Mounts?
Generic universal plate brackets and adhesive mounts exist for the Bronco, and they are worth mentioning honestly rather than pretending they do not. They are usually cheaper upfront, sometimes under twenty dollars, and they do not require confirming which specific bumper you have. The tradeoff is genuine: most are thin stamped steel or plastic, not built around the Bronco's bumper geometry specifically, and adhesive mounts are a known failure point once they take a wash or two of road grime and UV exposure. A universal mount also will not tuck as close to the bumper face, which puts it back in the same approach-angle and airflow position the dealer mount already has a problem with.
For a Ford Bronco that sees genuine trail use or regular highway miles, a bracket engineered specifically for the Modular bumper's mounting points is the more durable answer. For a Bronco that never leaves pavement and just needs a plate attached, a universal mount is a defensible budget choice, as long as the tradeoffs are understood going in.
What's Included and How Long Installation Takes
The bracket ships with every piece of hardware needed for the install: M6 and M8 Allen bolts, flat washers, lock nuts, and the M8 spacers used specifically on Raptor installs. Nothing gets sourced separately. Because it uses the Modular bumper's existing mounting points, there is no drilling, no cutting, and no modification to the Ford Bronco's bumper itself.
The job runs in a specific order: remove two or three factory bolts from the bumper with a T40 bit (Raptor owners remove two), loosely secure the plate to the bracket with the provided M6 hardware, then bolt the bracket to the bumper using the factory bolts on non-Raptor Broncos or the included M8x40mm bolts and 22mm spacers on a Raptor. Snug everything down while pushing up on the bracket so it seats evenly, then tighten the plate hardware last with a 4mm Allen and a 10mm wrench. DV8 rates the whole job at 30 minutes, novice-to-intermediate skill level, and it is a comfortable one-person install with a T40 bit, a 10mm wrench, and a #4 and #5 Allen on hand.
Price and Where to Buy
The DV8 Offroad license plate relocation bracket for the Ford Bronco runs $53.99. That is the full cost of the part, no separate hardware kit needed on top of it, since everything required ships in the box. For the price of a tank of gas, it solves a problem that otherwise sits on every Bronco with the Modular bumper for as long as the truck is owned. The bracket carries a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects, standard for this category of DV8 part.
Browse the rest of DV8 Offroad parts for the Ford Bronco if you are already planning other upgrades for the front end of your Bronco while you have the bumper apart.
Ford Bronco License Plate Bracket FAQ
Does this bracket fit the factory plastic bumper?
No. It is built specifically for the Ford Bronco's factory Heavy-Duty Modular steel bumper and does not mount to the plastic bumper or the Capable steel bumper.
How do I know if my Bronco has the Modular bumper or the Capable bumper?
The Modular bumper has visible removable end caps and exposed mounting bolts across the face. The Capable bumper is one smooth stamped piece with no removable sections or visible hardware.
Does the bracket fit the Ford Bronco Raptor?
Yes. Raptor installs use two M8x40mm bolts with 22mm spacers instead of the factory bolts used on non-Raptor Broncos, and that hardware ships in the box.
Will relocating the plate affect my Bronco's adaptive cruise control?
No. The relocated position sits below the ACC sensor housing and does not block or interfere with it.
How long does installation take, and what tools do I need?
About 30 minutes for one person. You'll want a T40 bit, a 10mm wrench, and a #4 and #5 Allen. It bolts to the Modular bumper's existing mounting points with no drilling required.
Shop the DV8 Offroad license plate relocation bracket for Ford Bronco.
About This Guide
This was put together by the team at Bronco Forge. Our founder spent time as a Ford salesman before launching Bronco Forge, giving us firsthand knowledge of how Broncos are sold, what buyers get wrong, and what dealers don't always tell you. We sell aftermarket parts exclusively for the Ford Bronco and spend time in Bronco owner communities tracking what owners experience. Questions about fitment or anything Bronco-related? Reach out at contact@broncoforge.com or (909) 772-8050.
