September 12, 2026 at 17:07

Some drivers will go to remarkable lengths to avoid paying a toll. According to the California Highway Patrol, one Volkswagen Jetta driver went considerably further than forgetting to top up their FasTrak account. CHP’s Solano office says officers recently stopped the driver of a black VW Jetta equipped with a device designed to hide its license plate. Better still, police say the sole occupant openly admitted the reason for having it.

The police posted a video on Instagram of their interaction. In it, we see a police car dashcam in lane two of traffic as the VW drives by. As it does, the rear plate appears to be entirely obscured. Fast forward through a few seconds of sped-up footage and we see the Jetta again but this time, the plate is completely visible. Officers pulled the car over and made contact with the driver.

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According to CHP, the driver admitted using the device specifically to avoid paying Express Lane and Bay Area bridge tolls. That admission could make the few dollars saved on each trip look rather insignificant. California has been tightening its rules surrounding license plate manipulation. State law prohibits driving with visual or electronic products designed to obscure the reading or recognition of a license plate, and legislation that took effect in 2025 expanded restrictions on altering a plate’s reflective coating to avoid detection.

CHP specifically cited California Vehicle Code Section 5201.1, saying the base fine for operating a vehicle with a switchable plate frame, flipper, or other product intended to obscure a plate is $250 per violation. That’s before additional state and county penalty assessments get involved.

The agency also pointed to CVC 5201, which requires plates to remain visible and legible, along with CVC 23302(a)(1), covering toll evasion. Beyond a traffic citation, CHP warns that unpaid toll violations can result in civil penalties and potentially interfere with vehicle registration. Ultimately, the device this driver allegedly intended to use to avoid camera tolls gave police more of a reason to pay attention.