Vehicles with peeling, unreadable New York state license plates can be ticketed. To avoid the hassle and expense, Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs and Sheriff Timothy Howard are advising motorists to trade them in.
Jacobs says the state is waiving all fees for the replacement.
"We apologize for the inconvenience, but it's just something that's happened. We hope that the state has resolved this so future batches of this production won't happen again. First we thought it was only the Empire plates, the white plates, but we are now seeing it also with the orange plates," Jacobs said.
Replacements are available at all Erie County Auto Bureau locations. Jacobs says drivers should bring in their peeling plates, along with their registration. He says it is considered an "express transaction" and will be addressed quickly.
Howard says before the Sheriff's Department starts ticketing motorists, they will be given a reminder.
"We don't want to waste the individual's time, the court's time or the officer's time. We just want to take care of the problem," Howard said.