only vehicle in texas that i know can get away with one plate is a truck that has an appointed plate aka hot shot trucks, dump trucks and so forth, the law never got passed for a regular vehicles to have one plate
If there is a place for the plate or an option for a front plate it must be on. if there is no place for a plate and no option for a plate to be mounted then you don't need one.
Same here in South Carolina too...no front plate or vehicle inspection, but now law enforcement have the right to pull you over & give you tickets for anything that is considered "not safe"!