Florida’s New License Plate Laws Are a Trap for Drivers: What You Need to Know

If you were recently stopped, cited, or arrested in Florida because of a license plate frame or cover, you are not imagining things. Law enforcement is aggressively enforcing two overlapping statutes that many drivers have never heard of: Florida Statute § 320.061 and Florida Statute § 320.262.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about Florida's new license plate laws, from why the sudden increase in enforcement and common penalties for violating the law to how an experienced criminal defense attorney can help if you've recently been arrested in Palm Beach County, Florida. 

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Why Florida License Plate Laws §§ 320.061 and 320.262 Matter More Than You Think

Individually, these laws regulate how license plates must appear on your vehicle. Together, they give law enforcement broad authority to stop you, often as a pretext for a much more serious investigation.

Under Florida Statute § 320.061, it is illegal to alter, deface, obscure, or use any substance, device, or other means that interferes with the legibility, visibility, or identification of a license plate.

Here is the key language:

“A person may not alter the original appearance of a license plate, or use any substance, coating, covering, or other material that alters, impairs, conceals, or obscures the plate’s numbers, letters, county name, decals, or sticker.”

This includes:

• Covers (clear, tinted, colored, smoked, or reflective)

• Frames that block any portion of the plate, including the top, bottom, or corners

• Wraps, stickers, or vinyl

• Plastic shields marketed as “anti-photo” or “spray-on stealth” products

• Accessories that distort legibility from any angle

The statute also prohibits “the use of any substance, coating, or covering” that could reduce visibility, even if marketed as totally legal.

Florida Statute § 320.262 is where the danger increases.

This statute requires that license plates be:

• Clearly visible

• Legible

• Free from obscuration

• Readable at all times, including from a distance and at different viewing angles

Unlike § 320.061, which focuses on physical alteration, § 320.262 focuses on visibility and legibility, a much more subjective standard.

That means a plate can technically be “unaltered” and still violate the law if:

• A frame blocks the county name or state website

• A cover causes glare or reflection

• Lighting conditions make the plate harder to read

• The plate is not plainly visible from behind the vehicle

This statute gives officers enormous discretion, especially during nighttime stops or in poor lighting condition

Why Enforcement Is Suddenly Increasing

CBS12 recently reported that Florida has tightened enforcement and banned several common license plate accessories, after concerns that covered or obscured tags:

• Interfere with toll collection

• Prevent red-light and speed-camera identification

• Obstruct law enforcement investigations

• Hide or distort personalized plates

In Palm Beach County, our firm has seen a wave of clients stopped for:

• Plate frames bought at auto shops

• Dealership-branded frames

• Clear plastic covers sold for years without issue on Amazon

• License plate “protectors” used during car washes

• Decorative college, sports team, or charity frames

Many drivers were shocked to learn that even a small frame covering part of “MyFlorida.com” or the bottom county name is illegal. And because the enforcement is new and aggressive, people who have never had a ticket before are suddenly finding themselves in handcuffs.

The Penalties for Violating § 320.62

A violation of § 320.262 when  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.

However, this is where the real danger lies:

It gives police a lawful basis to stop your vehicle.

And once the stop occurs, officers may:

• Claim to smell alcohol

• Conduct roadside DUI exercises

• Ask to search the vehicle

• Run background checks

• Question passengers- (potential ICE issues)

• Extend the stop for “investigatory purposes.”

For high-value clients, professionals, CDL holders, executives, and medical license holders, a simple tag-frame stop can quickly spiral into far more serious allegations.

Many of our clients came to us charged with:

• DUI

• Possession of a controlled substance

• Carrying a concealed firearm improperly stored

• Driving while license suspended

• Open container violations

• Probation violations triggered by the stop

It all began with a plate frame they purchased at a dealership.

The Hidden Issue Behind Florida's New License Plate Laws: Many Popular Frames and Covers Are Technically Illegal

Florida’s law requires that every part of the plate be readable at all times.

That means:

• If your frame covers part of the state motto, it’s illegal.

• If your cover has even a slight tint, it’s illegal.

• If sunlight, angle, or glare makes your plate harder to read, it may be illegal.

Police have vast discretion in deciding whether your tag is “obscured,” “altered,” or “concealed.”

Even worse, many major retailers still sell products that are illegal under Florida law, causing unsuspecting drivers to believe they’re compliant when they aren’t.

A recent memo from the Florida Department of Highway Saftey and Motor Vehicles eased up on the enforcement. 

How We Defend These Cases in Palm Beach County

Our firm approaches § 320.061 and 320.262 stops with a strategy rooted in protecting your record, your future, and your reputation, especially if you are a professional with licensing concerns.

1. We challenge the legality of the stop itself.

Just because an officer says the plate was obscured does not make it true.

We analyze:

• Dash-cam and body-cam footage

• The angle and distance of the officer’s observation

• Whether the plate was fully visible in real lighting conditions

• Whether the frame only covered decorative elements, not the tag number

• Whether the officer had ulterior motives for the stop

If the stop is unlawful, all evidence obtained afterward may be suppressed.

2. We examine whether the accessory truly violated the statute.

The statute requires that the cover or frame “alter, impair, conceal, or obscure” key identifying information.

If the accessory only covered decorative background or nonessential graphics, that may not be sufficient for a lawful stop.

3. We protect professionals, executives, and licensed individuals.

For many of our clients, the consequences include:

• Loss of employment

• Mandatory reporting to licensing boards

• Immigration impacts

• Public record damage

• Reputational harm

We take a proactive, discreet approach to minimize exposure and manage the case with confidentiality and strategy.

4. We negotiate aggressively to keep your record clean.

When appropriate, we pursue:

• Dismissal

• Withhold of adjudication

• Reduced penalties

• Avoidance of points or record notations

• DUI reduction when applicable

• Sealing or expungement when possible

Why You Should Take a § 320.262 Stop Seriously

Even if the citation seems small, it may be the basis police used to pull you over before filing more serious charges.

And even if you only received a civil infraction, fighting it matters because:

• Paying it is an admission of guilt.

• It stays on your driving record.

• It can be used to justify future stops.

• It may escalate insurance premiums.

We have seen countless cases where drivers did not realize their plate frame was a problem until the moment they were placed in handcuffs.

Arrested or Cited Under § 320.262? We Can Help Today.

If you were stopped in Palm Beach County under Florida's new license plate laws, especially if the stop led to a DUI arrest, drug charge, firearm charge, or any other criminal accusation, you need an experienced defense team on your side.

Palm Beach County criminal defense attorney Matthew Konecky has spent over 20 years defending high-stakes criminal and DUI cases, and we know how to challenge these stops effectively.

Your reputation, your career, and your future matter. We protect all three.

Call today for a confidential case evaluation if you've violated Florida's new license plate laws.

Matthew Konecky, P.A. – Palm Beach County Criminal & DUI Defense
561-671-5995
Palm Beach Gardens | Jupiter | West Palm Beach