Reports of cloned vehicles rise to record high as law-breaking drivers look to evade enforcement cameras

Instances of vehicle cloning – where a number plate is fraudulently used by another driver on a different but similar vehicle to avoid getting caught by enforcement cameras – are at their highest level ever, according to new data analysed by 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 use of their vehicle which they did not recognise or accept responsibility for*. This is a 9% rise on 2024 (10,460) and nearly double (93%) the amount recorded in 2018 (5,912).

The RAC says buying a fake number plate to create a cloned vehicle should not be possible as drivers have to provide number plate suppliers with the V5C vehicle logbook which, together with proof of identity and address shows they are the registered keeper and have the right to get one made. Unfortunately, there are illegal operations producing number plates with no checks as well as some suppliers who don’t always demand to see documents.

On top of cloning, there’s also the growth in the use of so-called ‘ghost’ plates which can’t be read by the UK’s 18,000 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras, which capture around 90m vehicle reads each day.

As these illegal plates are designed to evade capture by ANPR cameras enforcing speeding, red traffic lights, clean air zones, congestion charge zones, bus lanes, private car parking, or driving under a ‘red X’ on a smart motorway – it’s far harder to know the true extent of the problem. 

In an effort to crack down on both types of number plate fraud the RAC is backing a call to improve the UK’s outdated and poorly regulated number plate system.

Currently, criminals and organised crime groups can operate undetected, dangerous drivers can escape prosecution, and fines and vehicle user charges go uncollected. 

A report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety into vehicle registration plates, supported by the RAC, found that as many as one-in-15 vehicles may carry modified, non-compliant plates including ghost and stealth plates designed to evade ANPR detection.**

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “The continued rise in the number of cloned vehicles is alarming and confirms that cloning has become the menace of modern-day motoring, as it leaves innocent drivers having to fight to prove they weren’t driving their own vehicle at the time and place camera evidence shows. 

“If number plate suppliers were carrying out all the checks they’re supposed to, it would be much harder for dodgy drivers to buy cloned plates in the first place. Sadly, once fraudsters have managed to copy someone else’s plate it’s extremely unlikely they will be caught by the police as they pick similar cars – in terms of make, model and colour – so as not to draw any attention to themselves. It’s only when a fine arrives at a vehicle keeper’s home address that they realise someone else is driving around using their vehicle’s number plate illegally.

“In addition to this, we also have ghost number plates to contend with. These plates are either fully or partially invisible to the majority of enforcement cameras and allow drivers to flout the law whenever they get behind the wheel.

“More needs to be done to catch drivers who have ghost plates, whether that’s more police officers being equipped with handheld devices that can detect if plates are unreadable, updating ANPR cameras and introducing higher security standards for number plates and for those who produce them.

“While we’re aware some drivers are deliberately buying these plates to get away with driving offences, we also know that others may have acquired them unwittingly. This is because some number plate suppliers might not realise the plastic they’ve used for raised, 3D plates isn’t readable by cameras. Steps also need to be taken to ensure only the correct plastics are used.

“Fortunately, it looks like the Government is tackling this growing issue and have it in mind to toughen the penalty for the offence, but more could be done to prevent innocent drivers from having their cars cloned.”

To find out more on cloning, including what you should do if you think your car has been cloned, see our full guide here. RAC members can call our 24/7 Legal Helpline on 0330 159 1446 for free advice and support.

^{* DVLA states this figure includes instances of potential misidentification of vehicle registration numbers (VRNs) by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. It is important to note that in these circumstances, potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. It is very likely that a proportion of these cases will have been made because of errors on the part of an organisation or their customer – for example a local authority entering a vehicle registration number incorrectly when requesting keeper details.}

^{** https://media.rac.co.uk/parliamentary-group-uncovers-widespread-number-plate-illegality-putting-national-security-at-risk}