A new penalty affecting anyone driving a car or motorbike in Vietnam takes effect on August 15, 2026. Decree 238 (238/2026/ND-CP) sets a fine of up to 26,000,000 dong for cars (about ¥150,000, at roughly ¥1 = 170 dong) for making a license plate hard to read in order to dodge automated traffic cameras. Here's a rundown of the changes residents who drive locally and travelers renting a motorbike should know, using only the figures confirmed in primary sources.
A steep fine for making your plate “hard to read”
Decree 238 amends the current Decree 168 (168/2024/ND-CP). Its focus is on deliberately reducing a license plate's legibility. Painting over the numbers, applying stickers, bending the plate, covering it, or changing its color, shape, or dimensions — any of these “using materials or devices to alter a plate's legibility” acts are now covered together under the penalty.
The amount differs by vehicle type. For cars, Article 13, Clause 8 of the decree sets it at 20,000,000–26,000,000 dong; for motorbikes, Article 14, Clause 3 sets it at 4,000,000–6,000,000 dong. Converted at roughly ¥1 = 170 dong, that's about ¥120,000–150,000 for a car and about ¥24,000–35,000 for a motorbike (approximate). Hiding just one plate can add up to a sum that approaches the price of the motorbike itself.
The target: shutting down tricks to dodge the cameras
Why is hiding a plate treated this seriously? Behind it is the expansion of unmanned automated cameras that record violations. Locally, a fine issued after the fact is called “phat nguoi.” The system works by having a camera read the plate to identify the vehicle and then sending a notice to the owner afterward, meaning violations can pile up even if you're never pulled over by an officer while driving.
Small tricks — sticking reflective film on a plate, dirtying part of it, or covering it — have been used to interfere with this reading and dodge camera enforcement. Schemes have also circulated, like reflecting light at night to blow out the numbers, or devices that tilt the plate only while driving. Decree 238 is essentially an attempt to close off these workarounds by raising the cost. Enforcement doesn't stop at unmanned cameras, either — the practice of accepting photos and videos shot by citizens as evidence for building violation cases has been spreading.the new rule under which citizen-shot footage becomes material for building traffic violation cases— read alongside that, a picture emerges of more and more channels for recording vehicles. The motivation for hiding a plate in the first place is fading.
Main fines taking effect August 15
| Targeted conduct | Cars | Motorbikes |
| Altering a plate's legibility | 20,000,000–26,000,000 dong (about ¥120,000–150,000) | 4,000,000–6,000,000 dong (about ¥24,000–35,000) |
| Unregistered paid rides (unlicensed taxi-style operation) | 12,000,000–14,000,000 dong (about ¥70,000–82,000) + 6-point license deduction | — |
| Seating a child in the same row as the driver | 800,000–1,000,000 dong (about ¥4,700–5,900) | — |
Conversions are approximate at roughly ¥1 = 170 dong. Amounts are the ranges specified in Decree 238.
Practical points for residents and travelers
The key point for drivers is that you can be held responsible if the plate isn't legible while driving, even if you didn't apply anything to it yourself. Here's what travelers and rental users will want to check on the ground.
- Before renting a motorbike, check by eye that the plate is plainly legible. Film or a decorative cover left by a previous renter can still be there.
- If mud splash or rain obscures the plate, wipe it off promptly. Even dirt can count if it reduces legibility.
- Check whether a used or rental car's plate frame has decoration covering part of the numbers. It's surprisingly common for a decorative frame or sponsor sticker to overlap the plate.
- Prepare your license in advance. In Vietnam,a system letting you drive by converting your license if you hold a visa of 90 days or longeris in place, and the groundwork for driving on properly valid documentation is increasingly there.
Other changes taking effect the same day
August 15 also brings changes beyond license plates. Unregistered, unlicensed-taxi-style operation — using a private car to carry paying passengers — now carries a fine of 12,000,000–14,000,000 dong plus a 6-point license deduction. For details, seethe new rule making paid rides in private cars punishable by fines up to 14,000,000 dong. Seating a child in the same row as the driver carries a fine of 800,000–1,000,000 dong. In addition, the engine displacement condition has been removed, widening the scope of penalties for motorbike riders aged 16 to 18.
Bottom line: check whether it's legible, first
The core of Decree 238 is a steep fine for rigging a plate so cameras can't catch it. Painting, sticking, bending, covering — for a car, any of these can reach about ¥150,000. Even if you didn't tamper with the plate yourself, there's room to be held responsible if it isn't legible while driving. If you plan to drive a car or motorbike in Vietnam, from August 15 the first thing to check is whether your own plate is legible at a glance. That's the cheapest precaution you can take.
