One Plate, And Nothing Over It
Fla. Stat. 316.605 — the plate on the rear, between 12 and 60 inches up, and legible at 100 feet
Where it goes. A vehicle displays the license plate or plates assigned to it, one on the rear and, if two, the other on the front, each securely fastened outside the main body not higher than 60 inches and not lower than 12 inches from the ground, and no more than 24 inches to the left or right of the centerline, so as not to swing.
Clear at 100 feet. All letters, numerals, printing, the registration decal and the alphanumeric designation are clear and distinct and free from defacement, mutilation, grease and other obscuring matter, so as to be plainly visible and legible at all times 100 feet from the rear or front. Nothing is placed on the face of a Florida plate except as permitted by law or rule.
Read the right way. Plates are displayed so the letters and numerals read from left to right parallel to the ground, and not inverted or reversed.
What a violation is. A violation is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation under chapter 318.
Registration itself, temporary tags and specialty plates are governed by other sections that are not on this page. What a particular ticket means is a question for a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Fla. Stat. 316.605 — Licensing of vehicles; display of plates
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Florida attorney.