Florida license plate law: Are decorative plates, covers OK? State, police clarify confusion
Are decorative license plate frames legal or illegal in Florida?
Here's the short answer: Thin-framed license plates are OK as long as the frame does not block or obscure any part – fully or partially – of the registration sticker (tag) or license plate numbers, according to law enforcement.
The registration tag and license plate numbers are the most important, officials said.
There has been some confusion in recent weeks as headlines, law enforcement agencies, and the public worked to understand the impacts and interpretations of the law.
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What does the new Florida law state?
Florida statute 320.262 is the law that everyone is talking about. It went into effect on Oct. 1, 2025. The goal of the law, according to the language, bans "manual, electronic, or mechanical" devices designed to block or obscure a license plate. It also lists the punishments for those who make, sell, distribute, purchase, or use one of those devices.
320.262 License plate obscuring device prohibited; penalties.—
(1) As used in this section, the term "license plate obscuring device" means a manual, electronic, or mechanical device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle for the purpose of:
(a) Switching between two or more license plates to permit a motor vehicle operator to change the license plate displayed on the motor vehicle;
(b) Hiding a license plate from view by flipping the license plate so that the license plate number is not visible;
(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; or
(d) Interfering with the ability to record the primary features or details, including the license plate number or validation sticker, on the license plate.
(2) A person commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, if he or she purchases or possesses a license plate obscuring device.
(3) A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, if he or she manufactures, sells, offers to sell, or otherwise distributes a license plate obscuring device.
(4) A person commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if he or she uses a license plate obscuring device to assist in committing a crime or in escaping from or avoiding detection or arrest in connection with committing such crime.
Florida license plate frames: What's allowed? Do I need to remove my frame from my car?
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles sent a memo to all law enforcement agencies last week with guidance on how the rules should be enforced.
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The law, which took effect Oct. 1, prohibits the use of license plate obscuring devices. It bans anything that covers, obscures or interferes 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."
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles issued a new memo to help clarify the new law about Florida license plate frames. (Courtesy: FLHSMV)
So, license plate frames aren't completely banned. Frames are allowed as long as they don’t cover the plate number or the registration sticker in the top right corner, according to state officials.
Frames that cover the information at the bottom of the plate are also OK, according to the state, and they can also partially cover the state name at the top of the plates as long as law enforcement can still identify the state that issued the 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," the state said in the memo.
The memo also included a photo of a license plate frame that is considered OK. The frame partially covers the "Sunshine State" lettering at the bottom of the plate and the lettering at the top. But the license plate number and the registration decal are clearly visible and not obscured.
Law enforcement agencies have said that the law is designed to target tinted covers and devices that completely obscure or hide plates from law enforcement and cameras.
The law adds harsher penalties for anything that obstructs plates, making alterations to license plates a second-degree misdemeanor rather than a traffic violation.
What should drivers do?
Drivers with license plate frames should check to make sure they are legal. Again, frames should not cover essential information on the license plate, such as the license plate number or the registration sticker in the upper right corner. If the frame covers the bottom of the plate, that's still OK, according to the state.
If still in doubt, just remove the frame.
Drivers with license plate frames or covers that violate the law could face fines of up to $500 or, in some cases, jail.
The Source: This article was written using information from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Florida statue 320.262 and previous FOX 35 reporting.