NYC has a message for drivers: No more blocking the plate!
Transportation officials warned drivers on Monday that a slew of new license plate rules— including mandates to keep those plates clear and visible — will go into effect next month costing scofflaws big.
NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) officials said the rules, first announced in January, are designed to ensure public safety by preventing drivers from obscuring their plates to evade traffic laws and tolls.
The DOT, along with the NYPD, adopted the rules on March 17. They will go into effect on April 16. The key theme of the rules is that any obstruction to a license plate — whether dirt, rust, plastic coverings or any material that makes the plate unreadable — is prohibited.
“Drivers who obscure their license plates are not just breaking the law — they are putting everyone at risk,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “Clear and visible plates are more important than ever to ensure public safety, fairness, and improve traffic flow.”
Rodriguez added that keeping plates visible will also enhance camera enforcement. The DOT reported that NYC locations with speed cameras installed in 2022 saw 14% fewer traffic injuries and deaths than locations without cameras.
“Automated camera enforcement has been proven to reduce speeding and lower pedestrian fatalities, but it can only work if plates are visible, which is why these strengthened rules are critical to holding violators accountable and protecting all New Yorkers,” Rodriguez said.
The agency said that speeding tends to decline in areas where cameras are installed. DOT even reports that the average number of daily violations issued has dropped by 94% at these locations.
Meanwhile, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that the department will crack down on “ghost plates,” which are license plates that do not come back to a registered owner or valid identity.
“Ghost plates only exist to evade the law, and they pose a threat to both public safety and traffic safety,” the commish said. “Over the past year, the NYPD has taken thousands of illegal ghost plates off the streets, which are often connected to larger crimes. These new rules will strengthen our ability to crack down on this problem and make our street safer for all.”
These are the new rules going into effect April 16:
- License plate visibility: Plates must be securely fastened, properly displayed, readable, positioned between 12 to 48 inches from the ground when possible, and kept clean and unobstructed. No glass or plastic covers are allowed.
- Distorted plates: Drivers are prohibited from standing or parking a vehicle having a license plate that is covered, coated or altered in a way that obscures its readability. In other words, the plates must remain fully legible to both the human eye and automated enforcement cameras. Any material that distorts or reflects light in a way that prevents cameras from capturing plate numbers in photographs or video recordings is prohibited.
- Ban on vehicle covers: Vehicles can not park with a cover that conceals its license plates, registration stickers, VIN or other identifying information. Covers that restrict access to the vehicle are also prohibited when the vehicle is in violation of posted parking rules.
- Prohibition of altered or fake plates: Any material that conceals or mimics a legitimate plate is prohibited. License plates must not be obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by items carried on it, except for officially issued tolling transponders installed according to mounting instructions.
City officials said parking with an obscured license plate will result in a $50 fine.
