Law enforcement in New York inspected a license plate during a multi-agency operation at the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in March 2024. This operation launched a new city-state task force to identify and remove ghost cars from New York City streets. These are vehicles with forged or altered plates that avoid detection by traffic cameras and toll systems.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Tennessee and Pennsylvania are taking action against license plate flippers, devices that let drivers hide or change their license plates with the push of a button.
Although these flippers are often used for display at auto shows to switch between custom plates, many drivers use them to avoid detection by law enforcement, tolls, and speed cameras.
In 2013, Texas and Washington explicitly banned these devices. It’s generally illegal across the U.S. to alter or block a license plate. Tennessee’s new law, effective July 2024, prohibits the purchase, sale, possession, and manufacturing of these flippers due to concerns about drivers evading law enforcement.