In recent weeks, San Diego drivers have been learning an expensive lesson about something most people barely think about once a car leaves the dealership. License plates. What looks like a harmless style upgrade is now putting dozens of vehicles on tow trucks, and many of the people affected say they had absolutely no clue they were breaking the law.
San Diego Police say they have seized dozens of illegally modified license plates in just over a month. At traffic headquarters, the evidence sits in a simple basket. One after another, Officer Anthony Carrasco pulls out plates that look modern, glossy, even premium. Carbon fiber backgrounds. Retro California scripts. Darkened finishes that look custom and cool. But as he peels back the surface, the truth appears underneath. The original white license plate, exactly how the DMV issued it.
“These are all of the license plates that we’ve confiscated that are modified,” Carrasco explains. What looks like a plate is often just a vinyl wrap or plastic cover applied over a real one. Drivers buy these wrap kits online or through body shops for as little as ten dollars. Some are advertised as cosmetic upgrades. Others promise privacy from cameras. None of that matters under California law.
No Plate Left Unturned
The trend has quietly spread across all types of vehicles. Police say they are stopping everything from Lamborghinis to Jeeps and pickup trucks, from soccer mom minivans to Toyota Corollas. In other words, the trend isn’t limited to car enthusiasts or luxury owners. It is showing up in everyday traffic, which is part of why so many drivers are shocked when red and blue lights appear behind them.
Under California Vehicle Code, a license plate may not be altered in any way. Not with wraps. Not with decals. Not even with decorative paint or flowers. Two laws are now being used aggressively. Assembly Bill 2111 bans altering plates altogether. Assembly Bill 10085 goes further, prohibiting the manufacture and sale of devices designed to hide plates from cameras. Violations can carry fines of up to one thousand dollars.
We have previously reported that California kicked off a crackdown on license plate flippers starting this January…