This time, we will introduce a free app that was released in 2024 that allows you to easily and neatly hide your car’s license plate. Have you ever wanted to post a photo of your beloved car on social media, but hesitated to share it because the license plate was visible?
Since car license plates contain personal information, it’s important to hide them to protect privacy. However, manually hiding them using image editing software can be a hassle. Here, we’ll introduce some free apps that can neatly hide car license plates in images taken with your iPhone or other smartphone .
Can personal information be identified from a license plate?
According to the Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association (JASPA), license plates do not contain any information that can identify an individual, and therefore are not considered personal information. Because it is not easy to inquire about the registered owner from the license plate number, they lack personal identification and are therefore not considered “personal information.”
However, you can request a “Certificate of Registration Details, etc.” at your nearest Transport Bureau or Motor Vehicle Inspection and Registration Office. However, in addition to all the letters and numbers on the license plate, you will need the last seven digits of the chassis number. If even a part of it is unclear, we will not be able to check. You can request just the chassis number, but you must fill in all the digits. You will also need to write down the reason for the request in detail. This Certificate of Registration Details, etc. will allow you to confirm the registration details of the owner, etc. You will need something to verify the address and name of the person making the request (such as a driver’s license). If you really want to check the registration details, please inquire at the Land Transport Bureau. Click here
Furthermore, even if you don’t make an inquiry, the license plate contains a place name, which may allow you to guess the owner’s approximate base of operations. Furthermore, if you upload a photo of your license plate to social media without editing it, you must be aware of the risk that you could be identified by combining the license plate information with the car’s model and characteristics, or information captured in the photo. To prevent the possibility of your personal information being identified from your license plate, when uploading a photo of your car to social media, you should use a stamp or blur the license plate.
Recommended apps to neatly hide your car’s license plate number
Minkara
Minkara is a social networking site where people who enjoy car life can gather together. You can use Minkara’s unique features for free, such as blogs, “Car Introductions,” “Parts Reviews,” and “Maintenance Logs.”
You can quickly check vehicle-specific information and updates from your friends, and easily post blogs, part reviews, and maintenance logs. By using the Minkara app, you can take advantage of features unique to the app, such as editing photos you upload, receiving push notifications for new posts, and specifying the sort order for part reviews and maintenance logs.
The Minkara app has an image editing function that allows you to automatically hide license plates when uploading photos. You can also download images with hidden license plates to your phone without uploading them.
Number Synthesis
“Number Plate Overlay” is an image processing app that specializes in hiding car license plates. It’s easy to use and allows you to easily hide just the plate, making it useful for protecting your privacy when uploading photos of your beloved car to social media or blogs. You can choose from three modes for hiding license plates.
・Solid Color Fill – Fills the plate with a solid color. You can freely select the color, or use the eyedropper function to extract it from a photo.
・Mosaic processing – Mosaic only the license plate to make the information unreadable.
・Design composition – You can composite a design image onto the plate, and you can create original designs.
The AI-based automatic detection function allows you to automatically detect the position of the plate by simply setting the rough position.
CARTUNE
Automatic license plate hiding function
Many people are concerned about license plates appearing in photos of their beloved cars, due to privacy and personal information concerns. CARTUNE automatically finds license plates in images and beautifully processes them to hide them. Furthermore, the accuracy of license plate detection is constantly improving, so you can easily upload photos of your beloved car without worrying about editing the license plate.
How to choose an app
When choosing an app, consider the following:
- The size of the number you want to hide
- How to hide
- Other editing features
- Ease of use
We recommend trying out a few apps to find the one that works best for you.
Things to note when hiding your license plate number
- Make sure your license plate is completely hidden.
- Even if only part of the license plate is visible, personal information may be identified.
- Be sure to check the edited image before posting it on social media.
Here’s an image I took using the app. It looks beautifully edited.
Install the license plate cover before taking the photo
Another method is to cover the license plate before taking the photo.
summary
There are many free apps that can neatly hide your car’s license plate number. Use the apps introduced here as a reference to find the one that suits you best and post images of your beloved car while protecting your privacy.
