This Number Plate Issue Could See You Fined for Crashes You Weren't In
Disputes rose 9% from 2024 as cloned and ghost plates let drivers evade 18,000 camera systems, data obtained by the RAC shows.
- More than 11,400 motorists contacted the DVLA last year after receiving penalty notices for offences they did not recognize, reflecting a sharp rise in number plate cloning across Britain.
- Motoring groups highlighted the spread of ghost plates designed to defeat Britain's 18,000 Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras, which record around 90 million vehicle movements daily.
- RAC head of policy Simon Williams warned cloning has become a "menace," noting that illegal suppliers often print plates without inspecting required V5C logbooks, leaving victims to discover the theft via unexpected fines.
- Ministers launched a nationwide police enforcement unit to combat organized criminal gangs using cloned vehicles, with the new National Roads Policing Coordination Centre coordinating intelligence and testing specialized camera detection goggles.
- "This is a signal to anyone using illegal number plates that their time is up," Roads Minister Justin Madders stated, as Williams added that officers must be equipped with handheld detection devices to improve enforcement.
25 Articles
25 Articles
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Vehicle cloning hits record high as 11,400 drivers dispute fines they did not incur
Vehicle cloning hits record high as more than 11,400 motorists contest fines for offences committed by fraudsters on cloned number plates.
Vehicle cloning rises to highest level on record
Vehicle cloning in the UK has risen to its highest ever level, according to new data analysed by the RAC. Its Freedom of Information request to the DVLA revealed that […] The post Vehicle cloning rises to highest level on record first appeared on Bodyshop Magazine.
Cases of Number Plate Cloning Are Rising, Says RAC
The latest update from the RAC; A Freedom of Information request made by the RAC shows the DVLA was contacted by 11,402 drivers in 2025 who had been sent fines or penalties relating to the [...] The post Cases of Number Plate Cloning Are Rising, Says RAC appeared first on .
Vehicle cloning reports to DVLA reach record high, RAC data shows
The number of drivers contacting the DVLA over penalties they believe were caused by vehicle cloning reached its highest level on record in 2025, according to data obtained by the RAC.The DVLA received 11,402 such contacts last year, up 9% from 10,460 in 2024 and 93% above the 5,912 recorded in 2018. The figures cover drivers sent fines or penalties relating to a vehicle’s use that they said they did not recognise or were not responsible for.Veh…
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