A Labour MP has slammed the DVLA over claims the agency has failed to crack down on illegal number plates, amid calls for drivers to face harsher punishments if they break laws.
Sarah Coombes MP has urged the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to tackle the scourge of illegal "ghost" number plates seen across the UK's roads.
These so-called ghost plates look like standard number plates up close, but can be covered in special films or use raised letters to make them unreadable to police cameras.
When scanned, some or all letters and numbers are obscured, meaning they cannot be tracked if they break the law, with concerns that they are becoming more common.
A recent report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety (APPGTS) found that drivers can get around Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras by spending as little as £10.
Ms Coombes MP has called for stronger punishments for drivers who deliberately obscure their number plates through a Ten Minute Rule Bill in Parliament earlier this year.
The Labour MP for West Bromwich said motorists breaking number plate laws should face fines of up to £1,000 and receive six penalty points on their licence.
New data shows the DVLA has sent more than 1,000 warning letters to registered number plate suppliers this year, reminding them of the rules.
The DVLA has been urged to increase its enforcement of so-called 'ghost' number plates
|DVLA/PA
Ms Coombes said the DVLA "needs to get a grip of this number plate wild west", calling for more investment into background checks and increased fees.
She said this would guarantee high levels of safety on the road by making it difficult for drivers to get their hands on illegal plates.
Research from the PA news agency found that the DVLA carried out 2,366 audits in the first 10 months of 2025, despite a five-year high in the number of warning letters being sent out.
The DVLA stated it had supported Trading Prosecutions and the police in the prosecution of 14 suppliers so far this year.
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Experts have highlighted how certain camera technologies detect ghost plates | RACA recent report from the APPGTS described the UK's number plate system as "outdated and poorly regulated", warning that organised crime groups were exploiting ghost plates.
It called for a "wholesale revision" of the number plate system, including for all plates to be standardised with security features.
This would see UK plates meet international standards, as well as the potential ban on drivers using 3D and 4D lettering on their plates, which has become a popular design choice in recent years.
The proposals were supported by Michael Flanagan, Chairman of the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA), who said the organisation would provide "compliant resources" to crack down on illegal plates.
Sarah Coombes MP has called for the Government to crack down on ghost number plates
| PAHe added it would enhance its guidance to outlets, authorities and the public, to put road safety at the heart of the issue.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We won't tolerate illegal plates that help criminals evade detection – selling or displaying them is already against the law.
"There are strict laws in place which demand number plate suppliers are properly registered with DVLA, and robust identification standards for buyers.
"On top of this, there is a review on the current standards on number plates which aim to ban production of plates that are specifically designed to evade automatic number plate recognition cameras."