Florida Tightens License Plate Rules, Making Obstructions a Misdemeanor

Overview

• House Bill 253, in effect since Oct. 1, treats any frame, cover or tint that obscures any part of a tag as a second-degree misdemeanor with up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
• The law creates new crimes tied to license plate obscuring devices, making purchase a second-degree misdemeanor, manufacturing or selling a first-degree misdemeanor, and use during another offense a potential third-degree felony.
• Local reporting shows dealership-installed or decorative frames are catching drivers off guard because even tiny obstructions can trigger criminal exposure.
• Chattahoochee’s police chief says the changes respond to sprays and remote-controlled covers used to defeat toll cameras and hide tags during crimes.
• Some departments say officers will emphasize education for routine cases, while critics warn vague terms like “angular visibility” expand discretion and urge civil penalties and public reporting of stop data.