Maintaining Safer Roadways

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Police, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and other State and local law enforcement agencies, issued more than 3,300 tickets during the first-ever “Operation Plate Check.” A special enforcement effort that took place from Saturday, April 26 through Saturday, May 3, this operation sought to identify vehicles on New York State roadways with fictitious license plates and fake “temp tags” in response to an increase in the use of fraudulent plates.

“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and this enforcement campaign reinforces ongoing efforts to crack down on individuals who are using fake and defaced plates to avoid paying tolls or detection by law enforcement,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the efforts of the New York State Police and our partners in local law enforcement, we are sending a clear message to drivers: if you attempt to alter your license plate to avoid traffic cameras and toll readers, you will be caught.”

Over the last few years, law enforcement has observed an increase in the use of fraudulent plates, in addition to operators who are deliberately covering, obstructing and defacing license plates to avoid traffic enforcement cameras, license plate readers and tolls.

Over the course of this campaign, a total of 3,308 tickets were issued for license plate violations and 83 tickets were issued for suspended registrations. In addition to the tickets that were issued, “Operation Plate Check” resulted in the recovery of 14 stolen vehicles.

NYS Police Troop T, which patrols the New York State Thruway, issued a campaign high of 664 tickets for license plate violations.

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “I want to commend the work that our members, and our law enforcement partners put into this campaign. The use of fraudulent and obstructed or defaced plates undermines public safety and we will continue our efforts to hold those who are trying to cheat the system accountable for their actions.”

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “The collaborative effort to crack down on forged and altered license plates – often called “ghost plates” – has been an important one to protect the safety of New York’s roads and everyone who uses them. Not only does it help catch those who commit crimes in vehicles with those improper plates, it makes sure the people who try to avoid the tolls that help to maintain New York’s roads are held responsible for paying their fair share. I commend the efforts of our DMV team and all of our law enforcement partners in taking this operation to areas around the state, and look forward to the results we will see during future campaigns.”

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “The Thruway Authority takes toll evasion very seriously, and we fully support the efforts of our partners at New York State Police Troop T in “Operation Plate Check” targeting license plate violations. Motorists who deliberately alter license plates or use fraudulent plates to avoid paying tolls are breaking the law- and New York State Police will catch them. We thank our transportation partners for their support and participation in this and future enforcement campaigns.”

In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) launched a multi-agency City and State-led task force dedicated to removing “ghost cars” — cars that are virtually untraceable by traffic cameras and toll readers because of their forged or altered license plates — from New York City streets. Since March 11, 2024, the task force conducted 82 toll enforcement operations, resulting in 1,055 arrests, more than 46,000 summonses and 4,525 interdicted vehicles for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed or altered license plates.

NYS State Police and NYSDMV were assisted with “Operation Plate Check” by the MTA Police, the TBTA Police, the NYPD, the Taxi and Limousine Commission Police, New York State Park Police, Buffalo PD, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Cheektowaga PD, Rochester PD, Syracuse PD, Onondaga Sheriff’s Office, Utica PD, Rome PD, Orangetown PD, Haverstraw PD, Spring Valley PD, and the Rockland County Intelligence Center.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles would like to encourage motorists with peeling and damaged license plates to visit the DMV website to learn more about replacing those plates.