Florida settles the controversy and enacts a law clarifying the use of frames on license plates

Governor Ron DeSantis enacted the SB 488 bill, which definitively clarifies what is allowed and what is not regarding the use of decorative frames around vehicle license plates in Florida.

The new regulation explicitly states that frames are legal as long as they do not cover the primary elements of the plate: the alphanumeric identifier - the letters and numbers - and the registration sticker located in the upper right corner.

The law also specifies that the information at the bottom of the plate, such as the name of the state, is not considered a primary element and may be partially covered by a frame without constituting a violation.

SB 488 arises as a response to the confusion generated by a previous law, HB 253, which has been in effect since October 1, 2025, and whose original aim was to combat toll evasion through mechanical or electronic devices that rotate, conceal, or flip license plates from within the vehicle.

However, the broad wording of that regulation resulted in drivers with simple decorative frames—even those installed by the dealers at the time of sale—being fined, arrested, or facing misdemeanor charges.

HB 253 raised the offense from a non-criminal status to a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, with penalties of up to $5,000 and five years in prison if it was proven that the device was used to commit a crime.

Since its enactment, approximately 1,000 drivers have been fined for decorative frames, according to data documented by the legal firm Ticket Toro, which also created an interactive map highlighting the unequal enforcement by jurisdiction, with Miami Beach leading in citations.

The most emblematic case was that of Demarquize Dawson, 40 years old, arrested in December 2025 by the Davie Police because the frame of his rental car partially obscured the letter "S" in "Sunshine State."

The Davie police themselves acknowledged that the arrest was "invalid" and apologized, admitting that the wording of the law was "vague, unclear, and open to misinterpretation."

Another driver, Iñigo Aldecoa, received a fine of $176 for a frame that had been placed by the dealership at the time of purchasing his vehicle: "I just bought this car and literally the dealership was the one that put this frame on."