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FLORIDA - Florida’s House Bill 253 (HB 253), effective October 1st introduces new rules and penalties for altering or obscuring license plates.
The law reclassifies certain actions involving license plates as criminal offenses and establishes fines and jail time to ensure visibility and compliance.
Under HB 253, modifying a license plate now constitutes a second-degree misdemeanor.
This includes mutilating or defacing a plate, changing its color, applying reflective material or coatings that obscure the plate, or attaching any device that prevents the plate from being clearly read.
Violators may face a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.
The law also defines “license plate obscuring devices” as manual, electronic, or mechanical tools designed to switch between multiple plates, hide a plate from view, cover or obscure plate numbers or validation stickers, or interfere with recording the plate’s identifying information.
Possessing or buying a license plate obscuring device is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor with penalties of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Creating, selling, or distributing such devices is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Using an obscuring device in the commission of a crime is a third-degree felony, carrying a maximum of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Law enforcement will enforce these provisions to improve traffic safety and prevent vehicles from being used to evade detection.
Drivers are advised to ensure that their license plates remain unobstructed and compliant with the new regulations.