A Florida driver apparently thought a photograph and a printer could solve a license plate problem. Unfortunately, the homemade replacement had one flaw that caught a state trooper’s attention.
The driver had recently purchased a vehicle and needed a license plate. Instead of obtaining a new registration or temporary tag, the driver reportedly photographed the plate on another vehicle, printed a paper copy, and attached it to the newly purchased car.
The improvised tag might have looked convincing enough during the day, but a Florida Highway Patrol trooper noticed something unusual while patrolling Fort Myers at night. The plate wasn’t reflecting light the way an authentic license plate should.
That detail led to a traffic stop, the discovery of the photocopy, and a second-degree misdemeanor charge. The case became the subject of an October 19, 2026, FOX 13 Tampa Bay report featuring an interview with Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Ken Watson.
A Paper Plate
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The traffic stop occurred during the week preceding October 19, although FHP did not specify the exact date.
After pulling the vehicle over, the trooper discovered that the plate wasn’t simply damaged or improperly mounted. It was a printed photograph of a legitimate plate registered to an entirely different vehicle.
The driver reportedly explained that the original plate belonged to another vehicle they owned. After purchasing the newer car, they photographed that plate, printed the image, and used it as a substitute.
The lack of reflectivity exposed the homemade tag. In the FOX 13 footage, the printed plate also appears to have ink that is running, another indication that it isn’t an ordinary metal license plate.
Trooper Explains Problem
Watson explained that a license plate isn’t interchangeable between vehicles simply because someone owns both of them.
Each properly registered plate is associated with a particular vehicle and its registered owner. Copying the numbers from one vehicle onto another does not establish a valid registration.
“This is something that one of our troopers picked up on, realizing this license plate was not real,” Watson told FOX 13.
He warned that drivers create additional legal problems by attempting to bypass the registration process.
The driver could have registered the newly purchased vehicle online and ordered a legitimate plate, Watson explained. A properly issued temporary tag would also have been an acceptable alternative.
Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has previously warned that license plate reflectivity is an important part of the state’s requirements. In an August 2024 announcement concerning altered plates, FHP emphasized that unauthorized changes can violate state law.
Criminal Charge Filed
The Fort Myers driver was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for the photocopied plate, according to FHP.
The driver’s identity has not been publicly released, and the agency has not confirmed whether the newly purchased vehicle was properly insured when the trooper conducted the stop.
Watson used the incident to remind vehicle owners that purchasing a car does not eliminate the requirement to obtain legitimate registration documents before driving it on public roads.
He also emphasized the importance of proper insurance and keeping vehicle documentation current.
The driver now faces a criminal charge stemming from the decision to use a printed copy of a license plate instead of obtaining an authorized tag.