Fictitious or Altered Plates and Documents in New Jersey

N.J.S.A. 39:3-33 · License, Registration & Insurance Offenses

What the law says

The section requires vehicles to display properly issued registration plates and prohibits obscuring specified information on plates or temporary registration documents. It also prohibits driving a vehicle that is not properly registered and identified, displaying a fictitious or incorrect number, or displaying a plate designed to resemble a required registration plate for advertisement during the period before registration plates are received.

Motor vehicle offenses like this are heard in the municipal court where the ticket was issued. A motor vehicle conviction isn't a criminal record, but it can bring fines, MVC points, surcharges, license suspension, and higher insurance costs.

What the statute covers

Key rules in N.J.S.A. 39:3-33 that the State relies on:

How the charge is graded

• Displaying a fictitious number: a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 60 days.
• Any other violation of this section: a fine not exceeding $100; for a second offense of the same violation, the person may be fined in double the amount prescribed for the first offense.

Penalties in the statute

• A person convicted of displaying a fictitious number is subject to a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 60 days.
• A person violating any other provision of this section is subject to a fine not exceeding $100.
• In default of payment of the fine for a violation other than display of a fictitious number, imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 10 days shall be imposed.
• A person convicted of a second offense of the same violation other than display of a fictitious number may be fined in double the amount prescribed for the first offense and, in default of payment, may be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 20 days.

Other rules that can matter

• If two registration plates are issued for an automobile, they must be displayed on the front and rear; if only one is issued, it must be displayed on the rear.
• The rear registration plate may be displayed more than 48 inches from the ground on tank trucks, trailers, and other commercial vehicles carrying inflammable liquids, and on sanitation vehicles used to collect, transport, and dispose of garbage, solid wastes, and refuse.
• If two registration plates are issued for a motorcycle, they must be displayed on the front and rear; if only one is issued, it must be displayed on the rear.
• It is not a violation of this section, and therefore is not a basis for a lawful stop, if part of the specified plate or temporary-registration information is concealed or otherwise obscured in a way such that the information can still reasonably be identified or discerned.
• The Attorney General shall issue such guidance as the Attorney General deems necessary for law enforcement officers to properly interpret and enforce this section.
• The chief administrator is authorized and empowered to issue registration plate inserts to be inserted in and attached to the registration plates. Inserts may be issued in place of new registration plates and shall have inscribed on them, in numerals, the year in which registration of the vehicle has been granted.
• During the period between applying for motor vehicle registration and receiving registration plates from the commission, the prohibition on an advertising plate applies when the plate is in the position normally reserved for required registration plates and is designed with a combination of letters, numbers, colors, or words to resemble those plates.
• The penalties for violations other than display of a fictitious number do not apply to the display of a fictitious number.

Common defense strategies

Every case turns on its facts, but defenses we often explore include:

• Proving the license, insurance, or registration was valid on the date of the stop
• Showing you never received notice of a suspension
• Correcting MVC record errors before trial
• Negotiating to reduce surcharges and suspension exposure

What to do right now

1. Don't pay the ticket online. Paying is a guilty plea.
2. Check your driver history abstract so you know your current points.
3. Keep the summons and write down what happened at the stop.
4. Tell your lawyer if you hold a CDL or already have points or suspensions.
5. Call before your court date. Many tickets can be resolved without you missing work.

How we help

Edward G. Appel has defended New Jersey clients since 1988 in municipal and Superior Courts in all 21 counties. We review the discovery, look for weaknesses in the State's case, file motions where they're warranted, and push for dismissals, downgrades, or diversion before you face a trial. Call 856-856-2373 for a free, confidential consultation about your Fictitious or Altered Plates and Documents charge.

Related charges

• Driving While Suspended for DWI or Refusal (Criminal) →
• Driving While Suspended →
• Driving Without a License →
• Driving Without Insurance →
• Driving an Unregistered Vehicle →
• Failure to Exhibit License, Registration, or Insurance →

Sources

• N.J.S.A. 39:3-33 on Justia (2024 New Jersey Revised Statutes)
• NJ MVC points schedule
• NJ MVC surcharges

Statute summaries are based on the 2024 compilation of the New Jersey Revised Statutes. Laws change, so confirm the current version with counsel.

Disclaimer: This page is general information about New Jersey law, not legal advice, and doesn't create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results don't guarantee a similar outcome.