Is it really illegal to hide your license plate to avoid paying parking?

A leaf, a dishcloth, a surgical mask, and even a diving fin : in Paris and other major cities, hiding your license plate has become a national sport. The goal is to fool vehicles equipped with LAPI (Automated License Plate Reading) technology , the cars that allow drivers to check that they have paid for their parking.

On social media, this lawyer even claims that the practice is not illegal. According to Maître Dufour, " the current texts of the Highway Code (without naming which ones, editor's note) require a legible plate for vehicles in circulation, not specifically for those stopped ." Legally, " nothing prohibits this practice ," he adds.

However, despite this lawyer's assertion, suggesting the existence of a legal loophole, concealing license plates to avoid parking checks is indeed illegal in France. Article R317-8 of the Highway Code sets out an unambiguous requirement, stating that " each plate must be maintained in a state of repair that allows the inscriptions on it to be read." Therefore, there is no distinction between vehicles in circulation and those at a standstill, as Maitre Dufour implied in his video.

Offenders are subject to graduated penalties depending on the severity of the offense. A 4th class fine - €135 reduced to €90 in the event of prompt payment - is initially provided for in the texts. Article R317-8 of the Highway Code also gives authorities the possibility of impounding the vehicle if the license plate is intentionally hidden. In short, believing in the existence of the legal loophole proposed by Maître Dufour can cost you dearly.