Taiwan to issue tougher penalties for fake license plates starting July 15

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will begin enforcing tougher penalties for using forged or altered license plates on July 15, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced Tuesday.

Currently, using forged, altered, or fraudulently obtained license plates carries a fine of NT$3,600 (US$123) to NT$10,800. The revised law raises the maximum penalty to NT$72,000 and introduces tougher measures such as immediate impoundment and, in serious cases, vehicle confiscation.

The new rules, part of recent amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, respond to a rise in violations involving counterfeit or tampered plates. Authorities have warned that such offenses pose serious threats to road safety and public security.

Under the revised Article 12 of the act, vehicle owners found using forged, altered, or fraudulently obtained license plates face a maximum fine of NT$72,000 (US$2,465). The fine is accompanied by immediate vehicle impoundment.

In cases involving license plates copied from other vehicles, repeat offenses within 10 years, or incidents resulting in injury or death, the vehicle may be confiscated.

Additional penalties target other forms of illegal vehicle operation.

Owners caught driving vehicles with revoked or canceled license plates, or operating during a license suspension period, face fines of NT$3,600 to NT$36,000. The same penalties apply to driving unregistered vehicles or swapping plates between vehicles, with immediate impoundment in all cases.

Drivers who fail to properly display valid license plates or who operate scrapped vehicles will be fined up to NT$36,000, with the vehicle also impounded on the spot.

According to Highway Bureau statistics, forged license plate cases rose from 95 in 2021 to 169 in 2022 and 251 in 2023. As of October last year, the number had reached 1,012, resembling a year-on-year increase of 464%.

The bureau said about 80% of the forged plates involved non-valid license numbers, typically tied to suspended, revoked, or scrapped vehicles. Meanwhile, 16% were linked to suspected criminal activity.