Illegal license plate flippers widely available on e-commerce platforms in Malaysia for $35–80

These devices often feature a small motor that flips the real license plate to reveal a fake number when activated. They are usually universal and can be installed in minutes.

Dozens of sellers are offering them on major e-commerce platforms in the country. Some listings carry disclaimers that buyers are responsible for ensuring compliance with local laws, but others openly market them as "license plate covers to avoid camera tickets."

This GIF made from a YouTube video (@Neo Tech HD) shows how a license plate flipper works.

Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri, director of the Federal Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, said it is illegal to use plates that show a different number from the one approved and issued for a vehicle.

It is also against the law to display them in a misleading manner, he said.

"We will intensify enforcement and mount special operations to identify those who may have this device fitted on their vehicle," he told The Star.

Those caught with the flipper fitted on their vehicle can be fined up to RM5,000, jailed for as long as a year, or both, if convicted.

In addition to prohibiting the use of such devices, experts are also calling for them to be removed from online marketplaces.

Associate Professor Law Teik Hua of Universiti Putra Malaysia said the devices are mainly used by motorists seeking to avoid detection by traffic enforcement systems.

"The prohibition of both the sale and use of such devices would constitute a meaningful pre-emptive measure for securing public safety as well as upholding the law," he added.

The issue of modified or obscured registration numbers goes beyond plate-flipping devices.

The use of illegal ‘fancy’ plates has also risen sharply, with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) logging 74,339 such offenses last year, up from 56,093 in 2023, with Johor state recording the highest number of cases for the second year in a row, according to The Rakyat Post.

Mohd Yusri said such plates make it harder to trace vehicles involved in crimes or accidents.

License plate flippers have also been an issue in the U.S., with states across the country seeing more cases in recent years.

Several states have moved to outlaw these devices, with some also imposing penalties on those who buy, sell, or manufacture them, Land Line Media reported.

Florida, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania are among the more recent ones to introduce bans, while Texas and Washington have put restrictions in place since 2013.