Fake Ontario licence plates discovered by police lead to 'serious charges'

This fake Ontario licence plate was spotted by police in Whitby, Ont. (Supplied)

A driver in Ontario caught using fake licence plates is now facing serious charges, police say.

According to Durham police, the fake plates under tinted plate covers were spotted by an officer on a car travelling through Whitby on Monday.

Police said the traffic stop resulted in a slew of "serious charges" for the driver, which include having no insurance and driving with a suspended licence.

The vehicle has been impounded for 45 days, police said.

Earlier this summer, Ontario police reminded drivers to renew their licence plates, even though it's now free of charge.

While Ontario scrapped the licence plate renewal fee back in March, the actual renewal process is still required.

At the time, the province said dropping this fee would save drivers $120 a year.

OPP Sergeant Kerry Schmidt warned motorists that they could face a serious fine if they fail to renew their plate.

Some drivers in Ontario have been hit with $500 fines for failing to do so.