Cheapskates have lengthy used a gadget recognized license plate flippers to keep away from paying tolls. To some, skipping out on paying to drive on toll roads could appear akin to the story of Robin Hood, however extra hardened criminals additionally use license plate flippers to cover their identities.
Whereas most states have legal guidelines on the books making it unlawful to change or disguise a automobile’s license plate, Orlando Florida’s Information 6 reviews a brand new set of legal guidelines (HB 253) within the Sunshine State make doing so a extra critical offense.
“HB 253 additionally says that alterations to license plates now represent a second-degree misdemeanor, relatively than a noncriminal site visitors violation.
This is applicable to any of the next conditions:
Mutilating or defacing a registered license plate
Altering the plate’s coloration
Making use of reflective materials, spray, protecting or anything that may obscure the plate
Attaching an illuminated gadget that may stop somebody from studying the plate”
Simply buying or proudly owning a “license plate obscuring gadget” in Florida is now a second-degree misdemeanor that would land you 60 days in jail plus fines as much as $500. Folks discovered responsible of “creating or promoting” such a tool, a first-degree misdemeanor can go to jail for a yr together with a $1,000 nice. Utilizing a tool to obscure your license plate whereas committing against the law is a third-degree felony with fines as much as $5,000 and 5 years in jail.
Different states with legal guidelines towards obscuring license plates
Legal guidelines in different states, corresponding to Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Texas (though Texans may very well be justified in hiding one among the worst state license plate designs), are imposing stiffer penalties for obscuring a automobile’s license plate as properly. Whereas units used for hiding license plates initially had benign makes use of, a rising pattern sees them used extra ceaselessly by criminals, in accordance with Stateline.
“License plate flippers are generally used for aesthetic functions at auto exhibits, the place they permit drivers to modify between customized or ornamental plates. However throughout the nation, 1000’s of drivers additionally flip or cowl their license plates to evade detection — whether or not by legislation enforcement, toll techniques or automated velocity cameras.”
Tennessee’s anti-plate-flipping legislation went into impact in July 2024, below which shopping for or possessing a license plate flipper is assessed as a Class B misdemeanor. As well as, the legislation specifies a Class A misdemeanor-charge for anybody who “acts with prison negligence and manufactures, sells, gives to promote, or in any other case distributes a license plate flipper.”
The Tennessee legislation describes a license plate flipper as any guide, digital, or mechanical gadget that permits a motorcar operator to obscure the automobile’s license plate. Obscuring a license plate consists of alternating between two or extra plates, hiding the plate from view, or making the license numbers “not seen.”
The ethical of the story? Do not do unlawful stuff until you are prepared for the penalty.
