New York City is losing an estimated $200 million annually due to the proliferation of “ghost” license plates, according to a new analysis by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. These plates, often rendered unreadable by various methods, allow drivers to evade tolls, speed cameras, and red-light cameras, leading to significant financial losses for the city.
The report reveals that more than 5% of vehicles passing through city, MTA, and Port Authority cameras each month have unreadable plates. This surge in “ghost” plates is driven by a growing online market offering gadgets that obscure or alter license plates. Some of these devices, described as “James Bond-level” technology by Levine, include covers that drop down with the push of a button, making the plates impossible to read.
Levine noted that the city’s expansion of speed, red-light, and toll cameras inadvertently spurred this surge in ghost plates. “It was pretty rare to see fake plates before this,” he said, adding that drivers now use reflective covers, scratched-out numbers, or entirely fake plates to dodge penalties.
The impact of these ghost plates extends beyond financial losses. Residents, particularly parents, express concerns about the safety risks posed by these rogue drivers. “All parents worry about drivers with ghost plates,” said Luther Sibuea, an Uber driver and father. “They could hit people, including kids, and speed off, never to be caught.”
To combat this issue, Levine proposed several measures, including the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on registration stickers and artificial intelligence tools to match obstructed plates with registered vehicles. He also called for a crackdown on the online sale of ghost plates and related devices, as well as higher fines for offenders.
The city council has already urged federal action, requesting reforms from U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to curb the sale of fraudulent paper license plates sold in other states. As the problem continues to grow, city officials are under increasing pressure to find effective solutions to protect both the city’s revenue and the safety of its residents.
