Florida License Plate Law (320.061): What's Legal & What's Not

The law does not specifically exempt dealership frames. Florida Statute 320.061 prohibits any device that 'alters' or 'obscures' a license plate, and officers have cited drivers — and even made arrests — over standard dealer-installed frames. Whether a particular frame violates the statute depends on officer discretion, which is exactly why Ticket Toro is challenging the law as unconstitutionally vague in federal court (Case No. 1:26-cv-21355-JAL).

Yes. A violation of 320.061 is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor — a criminal charge, not a civil infraction. That means an officer can arrest you, book you into jail, and you will have a criminal case. In 2024, Demarquize Dawson was arrested by Miami-Dade police for a dealership frame that partially covered the words 'Sunshine State' on his plate.

Yes. Any cover, coating, or film that obscures the plate — whether clear, tinted, smoked, or reflective — violates 320.061. Officers do not need to prove the cover actually prevented a camera or person from reading the plate; the statute only requires that it 'obscures' the plate in some way. Tinted covers are among the most commonly cited violations under this law.

Yes. Ticket Toro filed a federal lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida (Case No. 1:26-cv-21355-JAL) challenging Statute 320.061 as unconstitutionally vague under the Due Process Clause. The suit argues the terms 'alter,' 'mutilate,' 'deface,' and 'obscure' are so undefined that ordinary people cannot know what conduct is prohibited, giving officers unfettered discretion to make arbitrary arrests.

A violation is a second-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 60 days in jail, 6 months of probation, and a $500 fine. Additionally, a conviction creates a permanent criminal record. The citation itself also typically carries court costs and may result in points on your driving record depending on how the clerk codes the offense.

Yes. Many 320.061 citations contain technical defects — incorrect statute codes, missing vehicle descriptions, improper officer signatures, or vague descriptions of the alleged 'alteration.' Ticket Toro's AI scans for 50+ defects in 60 seconds. Additionally, our federal lawsuit challenging the statute itself may provide grounds for dismissal as the case progresses.

Potentially. The statute prohibits anything that 'obscures' the plate, which officers have interpreted to include accumulated dirt, mud, snow, or road grime. While most officers use discretion for minor buildup, there is no safe harbor in the statute — any obstruction could technically justify a citation. Keep your plate clean to avoid giving officers probable cause for a stop.

Miami-Dade County is by far the most aggressive, issuing 422 citations under tag-alteration statutes in just four months according to our data analysis. Broward and Palm Beach counties also enforce actively, particularly along I-95 corridors. Rural counties tend to enforce less frequently, but enforcement is expanding statewide as automated license plate readers (ALPRs) become more common.

Because 320.061 is a criminal misdemeanor — not a civil traffic infraction — you have the right to a public defender if you cannot afford an attorney. However, hiring a traffic defense attorney gives you the best chance of dismissal. Ticket Toro starts at $35 and our attorneys are the ones actively challenging this law in federal court, giving us unique expertise in these cases.