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 \u00a5150,000, at roughly \u00a51 = 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.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 any of these \u201cusing materials or devices to alter a plate's legibility\u201d acts are now covered together under the penalty.<\/p>\n
The amount differs by vehicle type. For cars, Article 13, Clause 8 of the decree sets it at 20,000,000\u201326,000,000 dong; for motorbikes, Article 14, Clause 3 sets it at 4,000,000\u20136,000,000 dong. Converted at roughly \u00a51 = 170 dong, that's about \u00a5120,000\u2013150,000 for a car and about \u00a524,000\u201335,000 for a motorbike (approximate). Hiding just one plate can add up to a sum that approaches the price of the motorbike itself.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cphat nguoi.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
Small tricks \u2014 sticking reflective film on a plate, dirtying part of it, or covering it \u2014 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 \u2014 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<\/a>\u2014 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.<\/p>\nMain fines taking effect August 15<\/h2>\n