New York City is cracking down on cars with illegal plates and other untraceable vehicles. Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday announced that a new task force made up of the city’s police department (NYPD) and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has removed over 7,500 “ghost cars”—vehicles with forged or altered license plates that evade traffic cameras and toll readers—and 27,000 unregistered motorized vehicles in just 12 weeks. Since the start of the Adams administration, more than 73,000 ghost cars and illegal motorized vehicles have been seized.
Ghost cars and other illegal vehicles are public safety risks and have been increasingly involved in violent crimes, including robberies, shootings, and traffic offenses like hit-and-runs. Additionally, these vehicles evade tolls, costing the state millions of dollars in lost revenue.
As reported by Gothamist, a report published by Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in August estimated that cars with ghost plates cost the city up to $200 million per year.
“Ghost plates and the vehicles that use them have long been a plague on the streets of New York City. But the days of motorists getting away with it are over,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said.
“When you are caught driving or parking a ghost vehicle, you will be stopped and, when necessary, arrested. Your vehicle will also be impounded. I assure everyone that all of our interagency task forces are fully dedicated to this critical work of ensuring public safety.”
The task force was established in September and assigned 15 NYPD officers strictly to identifying and seizing parked ghost cars under the direction of DSNY. In the 12 weeks since the task force formed, it has already seized 5,119 ghost cars.
Last year, the NYPD confiscated a record 18,430 illegal and unregistered motorized scooters, bikes, and ATVs—a 128 percent increase from 2022. In 2024, the department has already surpassed that total, removing 27,040 illegal vehicles.
The new task force expands on existing efforts to combat ghost cars. In March, Adams, Hochul, and MTA Chair Janno Lieber launched a multi-agency, city-state initiative that conducted 58 operations, resulting in 700 arrests, 32,244 summonses, and the seizure of 3,198 vehicles from owners with over $27.3 million in unpaid tolls, taxes, and fees.
The increased effort comes a few weeks before the January 5 start date of congestion pricing, which will charge motorists a $9 daytime toll to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. MTA officials have been concerned that drivers of ghost cars might be able to evade the fees, according to Gothamist.
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