Covering your license plate in Florida is now classified as a second-degree misdemeanor.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) — A new Florida law now makes covering a license plate a second-degree misdemeanor. Drivers who use license plate covers may want to remove them to avoid penalties.
The law, which took effect in October, was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on May 19.
“You know, things change, laws change, let’s just adapt to what the new change is to remove the decorative covering, remove the tinted plate cover, remove the stickers from the tag,” said Chris Sims, public information officer for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office.
A second-degree misdemeanor can carry penalties of up to a $500 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both, which also requires a court appearance.
The statute itself is not entirely new. Previously, violating the rule was considered a non-criminal traffic infraction.
An unobstructed license plate must have no coverings, sprays, tints, wraps, or frames that block any information, including the letters, numbers, or registration decal. Clearly visible plates also help law enforcement solve crimes.
“We rely a lot on video surveillance evidence,” Sims said. “And so if, as we zoom in from that video, if they have coverings to the tags, or tint on the tags, or the tags painted, it’s very likely that we wouldn’t be able to necessarily get that information from the tag that would lead us to solve that crime.”
If a license plate cover does not block or obscure any information, drivers are generally in compliance.
“Leave the tag just as it came to you in the mail, or just as it came to you from the DMV,” Sims said. “Just put the plate on there. Maybe put the stickers or your decorative items somewhere else on your vehicle where it’s not a violation.”
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