LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Temporary vehicle tags are being sold illegally online, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Fake and real tags can look nearly identical, making it hard to spot the difference at a glance.
Drivers using these counterfeit tags are uninsured, which could lead to costly consequences in a crash. Two recent arrests removed 71 forged tags from the roads.
Bancroft Police Chief David Mudd made the arrests after uncovering a notary selling the tags in a Facebook group. Bancroft is a small home-rule city in Jefferson County.
“If it’s a police officer sitting behind a vehicle, 10 feet or so away, they’re not easily discernible,” Mudd said.
Temporary tags should only come from Jefferson County clerk offices or licensed car dealers. Interim County Clerk David Yates said notaries or private individuals are never authorized to issue them.
“These counterfeits aren’t registered to a vehicle. Purchasing a fraudulent tag can result in fines, impoundment, or criminal charges,” Yates said.
The Sheriff’s Office says drivers use fake tags to avoid taxes, skip vehicle inspections, and drive without insurance. Vernon Brown, a spokesperson, said, “You just put the tag on and drive around—no insurance or anything like that.”
Mudd added that nearly 200 cases of fake temporary tags have been investigated, often discovered during traffic stops. Some have even appeared in cases of serious crimes like armed robbery or murder, though that is rare.
“We’re trying to keep people out of trouble and catch those pushing these tags,” Mudd said.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who may have unknowingly bought a fake tag to report it at 502-574-5400.
The two arrested over the weekend, Joann Smith and DeAngelo Thomas, now face felony charges.
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