Drivers who park on city streets with obscured or altered license plates could face a $50 fine starting Wednesday, as the NYPD launches a new effort to curb so-called “ghost cars.”

The initiative, part of the city’s campaign to crack down on vehicles evading tolls and traffic cameras, targets plates that are dirty, rusted, damaged, covered with plastic or otherwise manipulated to obscure their numbers.

“Ghost plates only exist to evade the law, and they pose a threat to both public safety and traffic safety,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement last month. “Over the past year, the NYPD has taken thousands of illegal ghost plates off the streets, which are often connected to larger crimes. These new rules will strengthen our ability to crack down on this problem and make our streets safer for all.”

The new rules, first introduced in January alongside the rollout of the city’s congestion pricing tolling plan, include strict guidelines for how license plates must be displayed.

Plates must be securely fastened, clearly readable and positioned 12 to 48 inches off the ground when possible. They must remain clean and free of any material — such as coatings, plastic covers or reflective substances — that could hinder visibility.

Vehicles parked with covers that hide registration stickers, vehicle identification numbers or other identifying information will also be fined.