OPP Can Spot An Expired Ontario Licence Plate Even Faster Now & Here's How (VIDEO)
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning drivers it's now easier than ever for officers to spot an expired Ontario licence plate on the road and it's something that could end up landing you a hefty fine.
A new system is able to scan for any driver who hasn't yet completed their Ontario licence plate renewal or anyone driving with an expired Ontario driver's licence.
And while OPP has had Automated Licence Plate Reader (ALPR) technology for a few years, it is now being expanded to other police forces across the province.
"With this automatic licence plate system, it is incredible," said OPP Sgt Kerry Schmidt in a video posted to Twitter where he and another officer were completing some paperwork following a highway traffic stop.
"We've had about two dozen vehicles flagged as we've been sitting here," Schmidt explained, as the system flagged drivers with expired plates and even some with an expired Ontario driver's licence. "It just keeps hitting."
Even while filming the video, you can hear the system register another driver that passed by with an expired Ontario licence plate.
\u201cThe OPP #ALPR system flagged 32 vehicles in the 22 minutes #MississaugaOPP were conducting another traffic stop. The system identified 1 suspended driver, 4 unlicensed drivers, and 27 expired vehicle registrations. \nRenew your registration here.\u2b07\ufe0f https://t.co/uv6iUxQcYG\u201d— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP Highway Safety Division) 1676321110
Schmidt used the example as an opportunity to encourage drivers to renew their licence plates through Service Ontario, which you can do in-person or online in less than five minutes.
"It is free to renew your registration [...] Go online, you can renew up to 180 days in advance," Schmidt said, and added that OPP officers are seeing expired licence plates "over and over again."
The fine for an expired licence plate can be anywhere from $85 up to $1,000, the latter of which would also require attendance in court.
Despite the fact that Ontario licence plate stickers are no more, your licence plate (or vehicle registration) still needs to be renewed, and Service Ontario can also send you reminders leading up to the expiration date.
You can complete your Ontario licence plate renewal here.
