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
