Warning: These NJ license plates are too cool — and can cost you your license

☑️ Displaying anything but MVC-issued license plates can result in a fine or jail time

☑️ "But they sell them online,' is not a legal defense," Monmouth Beach police say

☑️  A user faces loss of license for 6 months

Two New Jersey police departments are warning drivers about a license plate available online that does not take the place of your regular tags.

The plates with a black background and white lettering can be ordered with the numbers and letters that your current plate displays. Some companies will paint your current plate and add a ceramic coating.

Monmouth Beach Police Chief Daniel McManus said his officers have been seeing more of these plates.

"It started out slowly, but it's definitely picking up in popularity with those plates. They are not legally issued plates," McManus said. "They're not issued by the state.They're issued by a private company. They're easily able to be replicated or altered. It's not an official plate, so someone could easily alter it to avoid recognition."

ALSO READ: Murphy's final budget: 67% higher than when he started

Fines and jail time

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission spokesman Jim Hooker cited a New Jersey statute that says "no person shall use a marker other than the one issued to him by the motor vehicle commissioner, except as provided in R.S. 39:3-15 [out of state plates], under penalty of a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00."

The plate could also be considered counterfeit under state law. Violators face a loss of license for six months or a fine of between $50 and $100.

The plates could also make them not readable by a red light camera or E-ZPass sensor fine of up to $500 in New Jersey.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom