New York governor Kathy Hochul has recently reaffirmed the state’s commitment to cracking down on “Ghost Cars.” The ghost cars in question are a bit more serious than the ones shadowing your best lap times on Gran Turismo 7. The vehicles are apparently causing issues by dodging traffic enforcement cameras, license plate readers, and tolls.
There isn’t a strict definition of a “ghost car,” and it seems to be a political buzzword that draws on the hype surrounding “ghost guns” which may be a bit more of an issue. But New York State officials seem to define it as any vehicle driving on an altered, covered, or fraudulent plate. Vehicles with missing plates may also fall under the definition, though State Troopers tend to have far easier time spotting plateless cars than those with fake or altered plates.
Ghost cars aren’t just an issue in New York; recent efforts have been made nationwide to crack down on unregistered or falsely registered vehicles.
Are there any specific laws against “ghost cars?”
US vehicle legislation is a bit of a patchwork with a handful of rules applying federally and most states being left to set their own traffic laws. However, driving a vehicle without a clear and valid license plate is illegal in all 50 states.
Despite driving with an obscured plate already being illegal in the state, New York City actually tightened its rules back in 2025. Now, a specific law prohibits any obstruction to a vehicle’s license plate. This can include dirt, rust, and damage, so some people may be violating the law without realizing it. If a vehicle is parked within the NYC Department of Transportation and NYPD’s jurisdiction with an obscured plate, it faces an immediate $50 fine.
In 2025, New York State also increased fines and penalties for driving with altered plates, and banned the sale and distribution of covers designed to obscure a plate or make it more difficult for a camera to read.
One major blow to “ghost car” drivers was Texas’ tightening of its DMV licensing rules. Previously, people could use the state’s eLicensing portal to set up fake car dealerships and print out temporary paper tags, which they could then illegally sell across the country. Since July 1 2025, vehicle dealers in Texas have been required to issue permanent metal plates when selling a vehicle.
While “ghost cars” are illegal across the US, punishments do vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. They often involve a sometimes heavy fine, and can lead to the vehicle in question being impounded.
Often, the exact nature of the offense is taken into account. If you’ve just been off-roading, or are driving through snow, and part of your plate has become obscured, then a cop is likely to just give you a talking to, or a “fix it” ticket at worst. If you clean the plate off, the problem disappears.
At the other end of the scale, knowingly forging a license plate is a type of fraud and many states treat it as a felony. Punishments are often harsher for people manufacturing and distributing fake plates, with hefty jail sentences and large fines often on the table for repeat offenders.
