SUBJECT: Obscured Licease Plates

On October 1, 2025, Florida Statute 320.262 License plate obscuring device prohibited, penalties went into effect.

This statute prolubits license plate obscuring devices.

This memo is intended to provide additional guidance on the use of a license plate frame.

Sections (Ic) and (1Xd) of’s. 320.262 F.S. reads as follows, (1)(c) “covering, obscuring, or otherwise interfering with the legibility, angular visibility, or detectability of the primary features or details, including the license plate number or validation sticker, on the license plate”, are prolibited or (1)Xd) “interfering with the ability to record the primary features or details, including the license plate number or validation sticker, on the license plate” are prohibited.

This act does not probibit the use of a license plate frame as long as the frame does not obscure visibility of the following:

•The alpha numeric plate identifier
•The decal located in the top right hand comer of the license plate.

The Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles does not consider the information on the bottom of the plate to be a primary feature of the plate. A plate frame that impinges on the information at the top of the plate is permissible, as long as law enforcement is able to identify the state that issued the plate.

For reference, in a 2019 case, the Fourth District Court of Appeal, analyzing a similar statute (s. 320.061 F.S.). found the plate frame below to be permissible.

(PHOTO) HOVE C71

Law enforcement officers should consult their agency counsel should they have additional questions or need further guidance.

On today’s news they said one small city had already issued over 90 tickets and some arrests for the license plates. (Didn’t take them that long did it). Also, I could not find a written story online from that crack down but did find another that had more information from today.

https://fastlaneonly.com/floridas-license-plate-crackdown-can-now-land-drivers-in-jail/

The problem comes when public surveillance is so pervasive that it become the de facto equivalent of real-time tracking, which is not legal without a warrant. There is some current public discussion to this very point, and may need to be settled in the courts eventually.

I disagree on one thing, It is not against the 4th amendment. Plates are for public view and in public view. Like the plain view doctrine. If you want to see some crazy stuff dealing with the 4th(and first) youtube – first amendment auditing. My favorite is KULT News lol. One thing many do is stand on the street and film license plates. People freak out, call the police. There is a SO that does this kind of stuff.

And I totally appreciate you and FAC. Also I will be taking it off my A to B lol. It might be worth $200 for parts. My other one does not have a plate cover.

You can do whatever you are comfortable with. We are sharing information.

I drive the vehicles but nowhere in this bill does it say you can have a frame around the license. What it says is that it can obscure the License plate number or sticker.

(1) As used in this section, the term “license plate 61
obscuring device” means a manual, electronic, or mechanical 62
device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle 63
for the purpose of: 64
(a) Switching between two or more license plates to permit 65
a motor vehicle operator to change the license plate displayed 66
on the motor vehicle; 67 —– assuming this means that while driving you can switch the plates?
(b) Hiding a license plate from view by flipping the 68
license plate so that the license plate number is not visible; 69 —- assuming this means turning it backwards?
(c) Covering, obscuring, or otherwise interfering with the 70
legibility, angular visibility, or detectability of the primary 71
features or details, including the license plate number or 72
validation sticker, on the license plate; or 73 —- assuming this means the Sticker and license plate number which most dealership frames dont cover this anyway?
(d) Interfering with the ability to record the primary 74
features or details, including the license plate number or 75

Maybe I am being nit picking and should just go take it off but both plates are clearing visible both sticker and number.

Cherokee Jack provided the reference to last year’s bill.

If the vehicles are not yours and you don’t drive them, you don’t need to worry about being arrested for the tags.

There’s no bill, presently or in discussion concerning shaving.