Maya Ellison
In New York City, it is illegal to cover your license plate with plastic. The New York City Council passed a law in spring 2022 banning the sale of anything that obscures a vehicle license plate in the five boroughs. This includes clear plastic covers, which can create a glare that makes it difficult for cameras to read the plate. The law was enacted to improve traffic safety and ensure that reckless drivers are held accountable through automated camera enforcement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legality | Illegal in NYC |
| Reasons for illegality | Obscures license plates, evades electronic tolls, and bypasses cameras |
| Fines | $50 for parking with an obscured plate; $100 to $500 for covering a license plate |
| Enforcement | NYPD has been cracking down on any alterations to plates |
| Sale | Banned in NYC; still available for sale in brick-and-mortar stores and online |
| Exceptions | Receiver-transmitter issued by a publicly owned tolling facility |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic license plate covers are illegal in NYC
Plastic license plate covers are illegal in New York City. The New York State Code explicitly states that number plates must not be covered by glass or any plastic material. This includes clear plastic covers, which are also illegal. The law also prohibits any artificial or synthetic material or substance that obscures or distorts a recorded or photographic image of the number plate.
The sale of plastic license plate covers is also banned in NYC. Despite this, some auto parts stores continue to sell them. Amazon previously sold plate covers to NYC residents but has since agreed to stop.
The reason for the ban is to prevent people from evading the law. "Ghost plates", or license plates that are obscured, are often connected to larger crimes. By enforcing this ban, the NYPD can strengthen its ability to crack down on criminal activity.
The ban also helps ensure that all drivers using public infrastructure pay their fair share. With the increase in toll booths being replaced by cameras, it is important that license plates are clearly visible. Drivers who obscure their plates are attempting to cheat the system, shifting the financial burden onto law-abiding citizens.
Those who violate the law can be fined. Fines for covering a license plate range from $100 to $500, and the driver may be required to surrender the cover or obscuring material.
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Police crack down on alterations to plates
In recent years, police in New York City have been cracking down on alterations to license plates. This includes the use of plastic covers, which are now banned in the five boroughs of NYC. The ban is part of a broader effort to target toll evaders who use fake or altered license plates to avoid detection by traffic cameras and toll readers.
The use of plastic license plate covers has been a common practice in NYC, with many drivers purchasing them from auto care chains and large auto parts stores. However, the New York State Code explicitly states that license plates "shall not be covered by glass or any plastic material" and that no alterations are allowed, ensuring the plate is "easily readable". Despite this, many drivers continued to use plastic covers, believing they were complying with the law by using clear or see-through covers.
The issue of plastic license plate covers came to a head in 2017 when the NYPD and Suffolk County Police announced a two-week crackdown on license plate alterations, emphasizing that any cover, including clear plastic, is illegal. This was followed by a multi-agency task force launched in 2022 by the Adams administration, targeting "ghost cars" with forged or altered license plates. The task force has since removed over 73,000 ghost cars and unregistered motorized vehicles from NYC streets.
The crackdown on plastic license plate covers and other alterations is aimed at improving public safety and ensuring that reckless drivers are held accountable. With the increasing use of automated enforcement cameras and toll readers, it is crucial for license plates to be clearly visible and readable. The use of plastic covers can create a glare, making it difficult for cameras to capture plate numbers, and allowing drivers to evade law enforcement and toll systems.
To address the issue, NYC officials have implemented new rules and regulations, including a ban on the sale of license plate covers to NYC residents. Amazon has agreed to stop selling plate covers to NYC residents, and some auto parts stores have pledged to remove plate covers from their shelves. The NYPD and other agencies continue to enforce the rules, with a \$50 fine for parking with an obscured license plate.
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Increased penalties for obscuring license plates
In New York City, it is illegal to cover a license plate with glass or plastic or any other material that distorts or obscures its visibility or photographic image. This includes clear plastic covers. The law has been established to prevent motorists from evading the law, which poses a threat to public safety and traffic safety.
The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the NYPD have announced a set of rules to expand the types of possible license plate obstructions subject to enforcement. This includes anything that renders a license plate unreadable, obscured, concealed, or distorted, such as dirt or rust.
The new law increases penalties for those convicted of obscuring a license plate to avoid detection or toll collection. Fines for these violations have increased from a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $500, and anyone convicted of purposely obscuring their plate will have to surrender the cover or material used. Repeat offenders with three or more convictions within five years will face a 90-day suspension of their vehicle registration.
The sale of license plate covers is also now illegal. Major retailers, including Amazon and Advance Auto Parts, have agreed to stop selling plate covers to NYC residents. However, some brick-and-mortar stores continue to stock these items, despite the city's ban.
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Stores still sell plastic plate covers
In New York City, the sale of anything that obscures a vehicle license plate is banned in the five boroughs. However, despite this, some big-name auto parts stores continue to sell plastic plate covers. On a shopping trip for vehicle accessories, the I-Team found clear and tinted plate covers openly sold at city retailers, including AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, and AutoPlus, the company that stocks shelves at Pep Boys. Amazon was also found to be selling plate covers to NYC residents, but they have since come to an agreement with the Eric Adams administration to stop.
Advance Auto Parts has pledged to remove all license plate covers from New York City store shelves, but other companies have not responded to the I-Team's inquiry. Police say that drivers use fake license plates to evade red light cameras and tolls and commit more significant crimes. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has implemented changes to the law that bans the sale of license plate covers and increases penalties for those convicted of obscuring a license plate to avoid detection or toll collection.
The MTA is also targeting toll evaders who use fake license plates to fool plate readers. MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Daniel DeCrescenzo emphasized that even see-through plate covers are illegal to use because some tolls and speed cameras use flash photography, creating a glare on the plastic that makes it difficult for cameras to read the letters and numbers.
While it is illegal to use plastic license plate covers in NYC, some stores still sell them, taking advantage of the misconception that see-through covers are permitted.
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Clear plastic covers can also be illegal
In New York, it is illegal to cover your license plate with any type of glass or plastic material, including clear plastic covers. This is because the flash of light from toll and speed cameras can create a glare on the plastic, making it difficult for cameras to read the letters and numbers on the license plate.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) states that license plates:
> "shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to be easily readable and shall not be covered by glass or any plastic material, and shall not be knowingly covered or coated with any artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or obscures such number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image of such number plates."
The law also states that the "'view of such number plates shall not be obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by anything carried thereon." This means that anything that covers or obstructs the view of the license plate is illegal, including clear plastic covers.
The sale of license plate covers is also banned in New York City. However, some stores continue to sell these products, despite the law. It is important to note that even if you purchase a license plate cover, it is still illegal to use it on your vehicle.
Violations of this law can result in a fine of up to $500, and convicted individuals may be required to surrender the cover or obscuring material.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the use of plastic covers on license plates is illegal in NYC.
Plastic covers on license plates are illegal in NYC because they obscure the view of the plate, making it difficult for cameras to capture the plate numbers.
Drivers with license plate covers may evade speed and red light cameras, and the police may issue tickets for the use of plastic covers on license plates.
Plastic covers for license plates are illegal to sell in NYC, but some brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers may still stock them.
Yes, there are legal alternatives to plastic covers in NYC, such as clear coatings or substances that do not distort or reflect light in a way that prevents cameras from capturing the plate numbers.
