Last week, Ottawa-area detachments of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced that they’d be starting a week-long campaign targeting licence plate infractions.
From March 31 to April 6, officers in the Ottawa, Renfrew, and Upper Ottawa Valley areas will be focusing on ticketing damaged, unreadable, missing, and obstructed licence plates.
The blitz was prompted by a noticeable uptick in the number of plate covers being used on vehicles, said Provincial Constable Michael Fathi, the media relations officer for the Ottawa detachment, in a statement.
Under the Highway Traffic Act, licence plate covers in Ontario are illegal. Due to glare and shading on the plate covers, it makes it difficult for the Automated Licence Plate Recognition cameras installed on police cruisers to identify a vehicle.
“Police are unable to obtain proper information checks on the vehicle and driver prior to conducting a traffic stop. This also reduces the ability of police to follow up with drivers of vehicles that failed to stop for police or are involved in collisions where the driver fails to remain at scene,” said Fathi.
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Plate covers also obstruct licences from being read by speeding and red-light cameras.
“Drivers that have been stopped by police have admitted to purchasing the illegal plate covers to avoid being detected,” Fathi added.
But plate covers aren’t the only things police are cracking down on. They’ll also be ticketing anyone with a licence plate that has peeling or bubbling lamination, or if a licence plate is obstructed by dirt or snow.
While not part of the March 31 campaign, the OPP East Region headquarters reported ticketing 25 vehicles on February 5 in Ottawa for obstructed plates. And the OPP Central Region headquarters reported ticketing two vehicles on March 23 in the South Georgian Bay area for obstructed licence plates.
“Licence plates need to be visible for all on the roadway,” the OPP Central Region wrote in a Facebook post.
The fine for a damaged or obstructed licence plate can range from $110 to $170. That’s why the OPP suggests clearing licence plates of any dirt or snow before driving. If the licence plate is bubbling or peeling, the OPP says the driver must get it replaced at Service Ontario right away.
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Service Ontario will replace a peeling or bubbling licence plate free of charge if it’s within the manufacturer’s warranty period of five years from the date of purchase. Outside of those five years it will cost $59.
If the plates are damaged in another way, such as an accident, the manufacturer’s warranty will not cover it, and Service Ontario will charge a $59 fee for a replacement.
To receive a replacement, you must bring both plates—even if one isn’t damaged—to your nearest Service Ontario location, along with you driver’s licence, proof of valid insurance, and the original vehicle permit. If you don’t have the original vehicle permit, Service Ontario can replace it for a fee of $32.
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