Hundreds charged last year for obstructed licence plates: WRPS
Posted Jul 22, 2025 07:34:23 AM.
Last Updated Jul 22, 2025 10:27:28 AM.
Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) is reminding drivers to keep their licence plates visible.
The service has launched an educational campaign on the issue and has laid a number of charges for obstructed plates.
The focus is on keeping those licence plates visible for officers, toll systems, and red-light and automated speed cameras.
Just last year, WRPS said it handed down 404 charges for obstructed plates. Each of those charges comes with a $110 fine.
“When your plate is unreadable, we are unable to obtain information on the driver and vehicle before conducting a traffic stop,” Staff Sergeant Scott Griffiths of the WRPS Traffic Services Unit said.
“An obstructed plate also reduces the chances of officers identifying and locating your vehicle if it’s stolen.”
So, what constitutes an obstructed licence plate?
WRPS officers are keeping an eye out for plates blocked by dirt and debris (which includes snow in the wintertime), tinted licence plate covers, plates covered by a bumper bar or spare tire, and any defective licence plates that are peeling or fading.
Those old plates can be replaced at a Service Ontario location for free, as long as it is within the five-year coverage period.
