New rules go into effect next month to help city officials crack down on ghost cars, which have fake or obscured license plates to avoid enforcement. The new city rules, which apply to standing and parked vehicles, will take effect on April 16 and expand what is considered an obstructed plate, Department of Transportation officials said through a press release.
The key rule changes include:
- License Plate Visibility: Plates must be securely fastened, properly displayed, readable, positioned between 12–48 inches from the ground when possible, and kept clean and unobstructed. No glass or plastic covers are allowed.
- Distorted Plates: No person shall stand or park a vehicle having a license plate that is covered, coated, or altered in a way that obscures its readability. License plates must remain fully legible to both the human eye and automated enforcement cameras. Any material, including clear coatings or substances, that distorts or reflects light in a way that prevents cameras from capturing plate numbers in photographs or video recordings is strictly prohibited.
- Ban on Vehicle Covers: No vehicle may be parked 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 materials that conceals or mimics a legitimate plate is strictly 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.
Parking with an obscured plate will result in a $50 fine.
