Motorists across the UK are being warned they could face a hefty £1,000 fine for using illegal vehicle registration plates. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is cracking down on so-called 'ghost plates', which are modified to be unreadable by police and traffic enforcement cameras.
What Are 'Ghost Plates' and Why Are They Illegal?
These illicit plates are specifically designed to fool Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems. While they may look normal to the human eye, they use special materials or coatings that reflect infrared light from cameras, making the characters invisible. This allows drivers to evade speed fines, congestion charges, tolls, and surveillance.
Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, emphasised the breadth of the rules. "It's also important for drivers to understand that any modifications around their licence plate, that could make it unreadable, are also considered illegal," he stated.
Strict Rules and Common Offences
The regulations cover every aspect of a number plate's presentation. Conway highlighted several key points that can lead to an MOT failure and a substantial penalty. Licence plate lights must be white – not tinted blue or any other colour – and need to illuminate the plate evenly without casting shadows. The bulbs themselves must not be visible to onlookers.
Furthermore, plates purchased must come from DVLA-registered suppliers. Illegal features that attract fines include:
- Non-standard or stylised fonts.
- Incorrect spacing between letters and numbers.
- Tinted backgrounds or covers.
- Missing supplier information on the plate.
Alarmingly, as many as one in 15 vehicles on UK roads may be fitted with these bogus plates. Many are sold openly by suppliers who are officially registered with the DVLA, misleading drivers about their legality.
A National Road Safety Emergency
The problem has become so severe that Birmingham has declared a road safety emergency due to the proliferation of ghost plates. Experts are treating the issue with the utmost seriousness.
Dr Stuart Barnes, who tested the plates at Cranfield University, told the Daily Mail: "A number plate is like the vehicle version of the passport, and it should be treated with the same level of importance and security as a passport would." He added that while a plate might look acceptable to a person, it presents "a real challenge" for camera systems.
Former Government surveillance camera commissioner, Fraser Sampson, drew a stark comparison: "Imagine if we did that with currency and said, 'I promise I won't use this in a shop' — once they get into circulation, you can't control how they're used."
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety (APPGTS) noted that evading ANPR cameras doesn't always require high-tech solutions. It can sometimes be achieved with "nothing more sophisticated than cellophane, leaves or a marker pen."
The message from authorities and motoring experts is clear: drivers must ensure their number plates are fully compliant with DVLA standards. Using a ghost plate or making illegal modifications is a risky gamble that carries a maximum £1,000 fine and endangers public safety by helping offenders avoid detection.
