As an afterthought, and knowing I had the information somewhere, I went digging and came up with 'the' answer.
lgbalfa, click
this link then locate and download CR-79 'NYS DMV Motor Vehicle Inspection Regulations' (it's a 1mb pdf document)
Go through it (search for 'plate' to make it quicker) and note that at no point in time in any of the NYS motor vehicle inspection do they even mention a front plate as an inspectable item, or even that there should be one present. (the
only mention of a front plate deals with heavy cargo transports and the registration of such)
As in there's no legal reason for you to fail inspection without it.
In fact go through it all when you have time and discover all the things they don't, or rather can't, inspect to see if you've ever been boned by some underhanded shop trying to make a quick buck by telling you 'that fails inspection and we can't let you leave without fixing it'.