Res 0511-2026

Whereas, Under New York State (NYS) law, license plates must be kept clean and in easily-readable condition, must not be covered by glass or any plastic material, and must not be covered or coated with any artificial or synthetic materials or substances that obscure recorded or photographic images of such plate, or obstructed by any part of the vehicle; and Whereas, Ghost plates are obscured, obstructed, fraudulent, altered, or covered vehicle license plates used to avoid tolls, speeding tickets, and red-light cameras; and Whereas, NYS law also provides that those who sell or distribute materials or substances for the purpose of distorting a license plate when recorded or photographed may be subject to punishment; and Whereas, NYS law allows for these violations to be punishable by a fine ranging from $100 to $500; and Whereas, Although illegal, the prevalence of ghost plates is a persistent problem that allows those who are using such plates to evade speed, red-light and bus-lane cameras, and tolls, ultimately making roads less safe; and Whereas, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine's office released a report on August 8, 2024, titled: "Ghost Car Governance," which states that more than 5 percent of vehicles passing through speed cameras, red light cameras, and toll stations operated by the New York City (NYC) Department of Transportation (DOT), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority are unreadable; and Whereas, Ghost plates have cost the City $50 million a year in lost toll revenue, according to Spectrum News NY1; and Whereas, A 2026 policy brief published by the MTA titled "The Policy Brief: The urgent need for toll enforcement and Albany's role," stated that the value of unbillable crossings has increased 300% since 2018; and Whereas, With the rise in use of ghost plates in recent years, current penalties for such violations need to be increased to deter drivers from utilizing such plates; and Whereas, To deter such use, NYS Senator Andrew Gounardes and NYS Assemblymember Landon C. Dais introduced S.7905 and A.8860, respectively; and Whereas, S.7905/A.8860 would increase the penalties for using ghost plates and for the failure to pay toll authorities, as well as authorize a new set of actions that law enforcement and the government can take, including confiscating coverings that obscure license plates, placing liens on motor vehicles, and imposing a vehicle identification number block to deny registration, reregistration, renewal replacement, or transfer of registration of a vehicle; and Whereas, S.7905/A.8860 would discourage the use of ghost plates and allow for the proper enforcement these violations thereby increasing safety on roads and ensuring that tolls are paid by all those who use them; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.7905/A.8860, which would allow for improved enforcement of toll violation laws and provide public authorities with more effective tools to reduce toll evasion. LS #14887; LS # 23366; LS# 23868 5/21/2026 KK/DF 2