Florida’s New Law on License Plate Obscuring Devices: Effective October 1, 2025

Beginning October 1, 2025, Florida drivers will face stricter penalties under Chapter 2025-36, Laws of Florida. This new law significantly increases criminal consequences for tampering with license plates and introduces penalties for owning or using license plate obscuring devices36.

Key Changes in the Law

1. Improper Vehicle Lighting
   Driving with unauthorized red, red-and-white, or blue lights—especially when attempting to impersonate law enforcement—has been reclassified as a third-degree felony.
2. Tampering with License Plates
   What was once a noncriminal traffic infraction is now a second-degree misdemeanor. This covers altering, defacing, or obscuring a license plate in any way.
3. License Plate Obscuring Devices (New Statute §320.262)
   The law creates a new offense for possessing or using devices that conceal or manipulate license plates. Examples include:
   • Flip devices that hide a plate
   • Covers that block plate visibility or readability
   • Technology that prevents cameras from capturing plate details
   Penalties include:
   • Second-degree misdemeanor: Possession of such a device
   • First-degree misdemeanor: Manufacturing or selling a device
   • Third-degree felony: Using a device to commit or conceal a crime.

Why This Matters for Florida Drivers

Florida has long targeted traffic enforcement as a public safety priority. With this law, authorities now have broader power to charge motorists with criminal offenses rather than minor traffic violations. Even owning an obscuring device, without using it, can result in criminal charges.

Protect Your Record

A misdemeanor—or worse, a felony—can damage your reputation, cost you your license, and affect employment opportunities. If you are facing charges under this new law, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands how prosecutors apply these statutes in real cases.

At The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., we bring over 25 years of courtroom experience to defending Florida drivers. Visit or Tampa Criminal Traffic Attorney page. Attorney Rocky Brancato personally handles every major case, drawing on his background in high-stakes criminal litigation to protect your future.

Call (813) 727-7159 today to schedule a confidential consultation.

FAQs About Florida’s New License Plate Law

1. What is considered a license plate obscuring device?

Any manual, electronic, or mechanical device that hides, flips, switches, or blocks the legibility of a license plate—including covers, sprays, or frames that interfere with cameras.

2. Is it illegal to have a tinted or decorative license plate cover?

Yes. If the cover affects visibility or detectability of the plate’s details, it can be prosecuted under the new statute.

3. Can I be charged just for buying or owning a plate-flipping device?

Yes. Merely possessing one is now a second-degree misdemeanor.

4. What happens if I use a device to avoid a toll or red-light camera?

That use can elevate the offense to a third-degree felony, especially if tied to a crime or attempt to avoid detection.

5. When does this law take effect?

The law takes effect October 1, 2025.