Bill > A04129

This bill amends the New York vehicle and traffic law to strengthen regulations around decorative or facsimile license plates. Currently, the law prohibits manufacturing, selling, or offering for sale license plates that are identical to official state-issued license plates. The bill expands this prohibition to include plates that are substantially similar to official license plates, specifically those that visually appear to be genuine department-issued plates. The key change is replacing the word "identical" with "substantially similar" and adding language that emphasizes the visual similarity, which will make it easier to prosecute individuals or businesses creating counterfeit-looking license plates. This modification aims to prevent potential fraud, confusion, or misuse of license plate designs that could be mistaken for official government-issued vehicle registration plates. The amendment will take effect immediately upon enactment.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4129