TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taiwan Highway Bureau (THB) has announced a cross-agency plan to crack down on counterfeit license plates, along with stiffer penalties that include ticketing and impounding vehicles.

Also, victims of fraudulent license plates - the legal owners of license plates that have been copied - will be afforded greater protection. This will include quicker reimbursement for fraudulent traffic infractions and reduced fees or exemptions when applying for new licenses.

In one instance, an individual spent NT$2.8 million (US$86,000) on a new vehicle and later paid for a personalized license plate. He was shocked when he received three traffic violations in the mail in Changhua and Taichung, even though his car had never left Hualien, per PTS.

After filing a complaint with police authorities, his three traffic tickets were revoked. 

The Freeway Bureau reported there were 539 vehicles on national highways with fake license plates in 2022, with the number increasing to 924 in 2023. From January to May this year, 837 vehicles were identified with fake license plates.

Fake license plates are sold on social media networks, with some dealers able to provide customized orders that have specific numbers and letters. The Highway Bureau pledged to crack down on such practices.

Driving on the road with a fake or forged license plate breaks the "Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act"  and can incur a fine of up to NT$10,800. However, manufacturing and selling fake license plates incur heavier penalties as this is a criminal act.