NEW YORK (PIX11) –– New laws in New York City tighten rules against obscured license plates, which went into effect Wednesday.
Drivers in the Big Apple may now face a $50 fine if their license plates contain any obstructions.
Obstructions include the following, according to city officials:
- Plate coverings
- Dirty plates
- License plates positioned in ways that make them difficult to read
The rules for obstructions also apply to registration stickers and VIN numbers. Fines can also be imposed for parked and otherwise unoccupied vehicles.
Here’s a breakdown of all the new rules that are now in effect:
- Your license plate must be able to be captured and read by a camera, meaning it can’t be covered with glass, plastic, other coverings or materials that distort or reflect light.
- Plates need to be securely fastened to your vehicle and readable.
- New York plates must be positioned between 12-48 inches from the ground.
- Fake or altered plates are prohibited. Plates concealed by the vehicle or its contents are prohibited.
- All vehicle covers that cover license plates, registration stickers, VIN and other information are prohibited. Covers that restrict access to an illegally parked vehicle are also prohibited.
The new rules are part of the city’s efforts to remove “ghost cars” – vehicles with fake, obscured, or altered license plates – from the streets. According to Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner of Transportation, the city has impounded more than 73,000 ghost cars.
