New Government Bill Targets Number Plate Crime & See Our Protection Guide
We've covered number plate theft and cloning before, and over the years we’ve helped countless victims, advising them on how to clear their names and providing a quick, affordable way to change their registration if it’s been cloned. Now there’s fresh hope for real change.
14/08/2025News
The Vehicle Registration Offences Review Bill [originally submitted 26th Feb 2025] has been introduced in Parliament, aiming to significantly
toughen the laws with penalties for number plate crime, something we, and many innocent motorists, have been calling for.
One of its key focuses is on a problem that has received little mainstream attention but is fast becoming a major concern - Ghost Plates.
Ghost Plates: these illegal number plates are altered so that police cameras can’t read them, making it far harder to catch dangerous drivers and
other offenders.
Plates4less Experts
This article isn’t just about highlighting the new Bill, it’s also about helping you protect yourself. Our new Number Plate Protection Guide explains how to safeguard your registration mark, ensure you are
buying plates from the right place, and protect your rights if your plate is ever stolen, cloned, or misused. Whether you’re a private plate owner or
just want to protect your everyday registration, the guide is packed with practical steps you can take today.
What Are Ghost Plates?
Ghost plates, also called stealth plates, look like ordinary number plates to the naked eye but have been altered — often with special coatings or
modifications - so they cannot be read by infra red Speed Cameras or Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems.
While they are illegal to use on public roads, they can be bought online for as little as £30. Sellers often include disclaimers claiming they are
“for show use only”, but in reality they are being fitted to vehicles used for speeding, running red lights, and other dangerous driving - as well as
more serious crimes.
The Scale of the Problem
Number plate theft and cloning are on the rise:
Stolen plates: up 68% since 2021, with 5,683 cases in 2024*.
Cloned plates: up 41% in the same period, now over 10,000 cases a year*.
Some estimates suggest 1 in 15 drivers** could be using technology to evade police cameras, with a London police operation finding 40%** of tested taxi and private hire vehicles fitted with ghost plates.
Criminals use stolen, cloned, or ghost plates to avoid detection, disguise stolen vehicles, commit fuel theft, and carry out more serious crimes,
including drug trafficking and hit-and-runs with far less risk of being caught.
Number plates aren’t just about traffic fines. They are a vital part of law enforcement, ensuring insurance, road tax, and safety compliance, and
allowing police to track and apprehend criminals.
What the Bill Proposes
Sarah Coombes introduced the Vehicle Registration Offences Review Bill to Parliament in February.
The new bill, brought forward by West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes, calls for:
Increasing fines for fraudulent plates from £100 to £1,000.
Adding six penalty points for offenders.
Possible vehicle seizure or licence disqualification.
If passed, this could finally create a meaningful deterrent and give victims hope for justice.
All cloned and “ghost” plates start life with suppliers who are operating illegally and some have links to organised crime.
In the UK, all number plate suppliers must be registered under the RNPS (Registered Number Plate Supplier) scheme. By law, they are required
to:
Check and record proof of identity.
Check and record proof of entitlement to the registration mark.
If a supplier doesn’t ask for these documents, they are breaking the law. While it might seem quicker or easier to buy from them, ask yourself: if
they are willing to commit an offence just to make a small profit, can you trust them with your payment details and personal data?
By using such suppliers, you may also be helping them stay in business, enabling them to continue supplying plates to people who have no legal right
to them.
Always buy from an RNPS-registered supplier. You can check a supplier’s registration on the official DVLA website.
Protect Yourself and Your Number Plate
Fit tamper-proof screws to deter theft.
Keep proof of your vehicle’s whereabouts (tracker, CCTV, photos, dashcam footage, receipts).
At Plates4Less, we are a fully compliant RNPS-registered supplier. We follow all legal checks to keep your order and your personal data safe. By
choosing to have your number plates made by a trusted, registered supplier, you’re not only protecting yourself, you’re helping to shut down the
supply chain for criminals.
Sources
*Research conducted by Churchill Motor Insurance, based on data obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the DVLA. This data is
reported in their August 2025 article titled “Stolen and cloned plates on the rise: public urged to stay vigilant.”
** Vehicle Registration Offences Review Bill debate, MP Sarah Coombes
