License Plate Covers and Sprays Don’t Work — Here’s Why
For more than a decade, companies have marketed license plate sprays and covers that promise to make your car invisible to traffic cameras. The ads claim these “stealth” solutions can outsmart red-light cameras, speed cameras, and automated license plate readers (ALPRs) used by police and toll agencies. They promise an easy fix: a few sprays or a clear plastic cover, and you can drive freely without worrying about tickets or tolls. Unfortunately, real-world testing and scientific evidence show the truth — license plate covers and sprays don’t work.
From early tests in Iowa to modern investigations by British lawmakers and American transportation agencies, these gimmicks have repeatedly failed. Worse, using them may put you on the wrong side of the law, exposing you to fines or even criminal penalties. This article breaks down the history, technology, and legal reality behind the myth — and why smarter enforcement systems make “ghost plates” impossible to rely on.
The 2010 Cedar Rapids Experiment
Back in 2010, a local news team in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, teamed up with police to test one of the most popular products at the time: PhotoBlocker spray. The product claimed to “make your license plate invisible to cameras” by reflecting light back at the camera flash.
To test it, officers removed a vehicle’s plate, applied five coats of the spray, reinstalled it, and drove through intersections equipped with red-light and speed cameras. The result? Every photo captured by the city’s camera system showed a perfectly clear plate. The spray made no difference at all.
Police concluded the test with a warning: “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” In other words, the only real way to avoid a ticket was simple — obey the law.
Why the Science Doesn’t Work
The premise of license plate spray is that it can reflect or distort the light used by traffic cameras. These systems often use infrared illumination (IR) or bright flash photography to capture plates under all lighting conditions. The spray is supposed to create a reflective layer that overexposes the image, blurring the characters.
However, modern cameras use advanced optics and software that automatically adjust exposure and contrast. They’re also designed to capture multiple images at slightly different angles and wavelengths. That means even if one photo is washed out, another will be readable.
In short: a $30 spray can’t defeat a $50,000 camera system. The same applies to clear plastic license plate covers marketed as “photo blockers.” While they might reflect sunlight or glare from a phone camera, they fail against the specialized sensors used by traffic enforcement systems.
The Rise of “Ghost Plates” in the U.K.
In 2025, the British government launched a Parliamentary inquiry into the growing use of ghost plates — illegal or modified number plates that fool ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras. Drivers were using reflective films, altered fonts, and even fake cloned plates to evade detection.
Lawmakers discovered more than 130 licensed suppliers selling illegal or unreadable plates, and a black market thriving on TikTok and eBay. Offenders weren’t just dodging speeding tickets; organized criminal groups were using ghost plates to move stolen vehicles and avoid detection during crimes.
The findings echoed what American cities learned years earlier: no matter how clever the product claims to be, camera enforcement always evolves faster.
Why License Plate Sprays and Covers Fail in 2025
1. Infrared and Polarized Detection: Modern cameras use IR illumination invisible to the human eye. Reflective sprays don’t distort IR wavelengths effectively, so the characters remain visible. Cameras also use polarization filters that cut glare and compensate for reflective surfaces.
2. Multi-Angle Capture: Many U.S. systems like Redflex and Verra Mobility now use dual-angle cameras to take simultaneous shots of the plate from two perspectives. Even if one angle produces glare, the other is clear.
3. AI Image Correction: Enforcement systems now use machine learning to reconstruct plate numbers even from partial or blurred images. Algorithms fill in missing pixels or compare to vehicle databases.
4. Manual Review: When automated systems fail to read a plate, trained reviewers examine the image manually. If the plate is found intentionally obscured, drivers may receive an “obstructed plate” citation — often a higher fine than a regular speeding ticket.
5. Stronger Materials Standards: States like California and New York now require plates made from retroreflective materials designed to resist tampering and allow accurate capture even under heavy reflection.
Together, these advances mean that even if a spray causes temporary glare, enforcement systems can still extract your plate data with little effort.
U.S. Enforcement: Stronger Laws and Bigger Fines
Across the U.S., altering, obscuring, or covering a license plate is illegal in nearly every state. Here are a few examples:
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California: Vehicle Code §5201 prohibits any cover or coating that obstructs visibility or alters plate reflectivity. Fines can exceed $250 per violation.
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New York: Police have issued thousands of tickets in “Operation Clear Plate,” targeting cars with tinted covers or ghost plates.
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Florida: Possession of plate-flipping devices or sprays used to obstruct cameras can carry fines up to $5,000 and possible impoundment.
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Texas: State lawmakers have debated micro-etching and RFID chips to authenticate plates and catch counterfeits.
In every case, authorities emphasize that even attempting to alter your plate’s visibility can bring penalties greater than the traffic fine you were trying to avoid.
False Security and Real Consequences
Many drivers buy sprays and covers believing they’re harmless — after all, the plate still “looks fine” to the naked eye. But police and insurers treat it differently.
If you’re caught using a device or spray that interferes with enforcement, you can be cited for obstructing a license plate or tampering with vehicle identification. In some states, it’s classified as a misdemeanor.
And if that same plate is used in a crash, hit-and-run, or stolen-vehicle investigation, you may face criminal exposure far beyond a speeding ticket. Insurers can deny claims if your vehicle is found to have illegal modifications.
Even worse, when these products fail — as most do — drivers still receive citations and often end up paying two fines instead of one.
What Independent Tests Show
Independent tests across both the U.S. and Europe have consistently disproven the claims of spray and cover manufacturers:
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RadarTest.com concluded after multiple trials: “Photoblocker spray had zero effect on cameras.”
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ProductReview.com.au users reported that the spray “made the plate more visible.”
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UK police trials of reflective films found 100% legibility of plates under infrared camera light.
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Consumer Reports warned in its road-safety bulletin that such products offer “a false sense of immunity from detection” and can lead to more aggressive driving behavior.
These findings line up with what police observed in Cedar Rapids 15 years ago — despite new marketing and packaging, the core problem hasn’t changed.
Safer and Legal Alternatives
If your motivation is privacy rather than evasion, there are legal ways to protect your information without breaking the law:
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Request ALPR data deletion: Some U.S. cities let residents request removal of non-criminal license plate data from databases.
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Install a dash cam: Protect yourself from false accusations with your own record of traffic events.
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Avoid aftermarket plate frames or tints: Keep your plate clean, visible, and compliant with state standards.
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Drive responsibly: The simplest, cheapest way to avoid tickets is to obey posted limits and stop lights.
For privacy-minded drivers, advocacy for better data-retention limits and transparency laws is more effective than resorting to products that don’t work.
The Bigger Picture: Technology Always Wins
Traffic enforcement technology has become smarter, faster, and more integrated. Systems now link cameras, toll databases, and DMV records in real time. The idea that a spray or cover could outsmart that ecosystem is outdated.
In the U.K., police are testing AI-driven camera systems that detect altered plates automatically. In the U.S., highway patrol units use mobile ALPR scanners capable of reading hundreds of plates per minute from moving vehicles — day or night.
Against that backdrop, the logic of a reflective spray simply doesn’t hold up.
Final Thoughts
Fifteen years after the first “PhotoBlocker” test in Iowa, the verdict is still the same: license plate sprays and covers don’t work. They fail under modern technology, invite legal trouble, and ultimately offer false confidence that can lead to riskier driving.
If your goal is to avoid fines, the answer isn’t chemical coatings or tinted plastic — it’s safe, lawful driving. If your goal is privacy, push for smarter laws on data retention, not illegal products that can backfire.
The bottom line hasn’t changed since 2010: The only guaranteed way to avoid camera tickets is to drive responsibly and keep your plate clean and legal.
