TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan plans to amend laws and regulations to impose stricter penalties for using fake license plates, such as raising the maximum fine to NT$36,000, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) said on Thursday (Nov. 14). Other proposed changes include confiscating and destroying vehicles, and applying the same penalties to both drivers and vehicle owners. The MOTC aims to submit these proposals for legislative review during the current session.
Lin Fu-shan (林福山), director-general of the MOTC's Department of Public Transportation and Supervision (交通部公共運輸及監理司), highlighted the alarming rise in fake license plate cases. The recent increase in the use of forged license plates has severely impacted vehicle plate management, jeopardizing road traffic safety and social order, he noted.
The ministry's statistics show a sharp increase in these violations, with 1,012 cases already recorded in 2024, compared to an average of 171 cases annually in previous years. The number of counterfeit license plates has steadily risen, with 95 cases in 2021, 169 in 2022, and 251 in 2023. In August 2024 alone, authorities detected 259 cases, the highest for any month this year.
Lin stated that the ministry will expedite the process of reporting to the Executive Yuan (行政院) and seeking approval from the Legislative Yuan (立法院). Once the Legislative Yuan approves the amendments, the MOTC can implement them swiftly. Meanwhile, the Highway Bureau (公路局) and the National Police Agency (警政署) are currently reviewing measures to enhance the security of license plates. As this legislation progresses, authorities hope these efforts will curb the spread of counterfeit plates and strengthen road safety.
