Florida Bans Automatic License Plate Readers on State Roads

The order is laid out in a one-page memorandum from DOT Chief Operating Officer Will Watts. Engadget reported that permits are immediately revoked and that agencies had until 30 days after Aug. 31 to clear state roadways. The department will also exercise its discretionary authority to cease issuing all future permits or requests for license plate readers within its jurisdiction.

In the memorandum, Watts wrote: "While Florida law limits the issuance of permits for LPR systems to law enforcement agencies, the recent exponential increase in deployments along our roadways, coupled with concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns and surveillance schemes merit immediate action to preserve Floridians' sovereignty and quality of life."

The ban was requested by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said in August 2026 that use of the technology in the state was "out of control." As DeSantis has noted, the DOT rule change does not affect the roughly 98 percent of ALPRs installed on local roads and private property. Separately, sheriffs in Jacksonville and Okaloosa County have also committed to removing ALPRs from their jurisdictions.

Automatic license plate readers have been used for decades in settings such as stoplights and toll roads, and law enforcement agencies have relied on them to find stolen vehicles or missing people and to develop leads in criminal investigations. Engadget reported that license plate readers helped find a murder suspect who fled Florida for West Virginia just over a week before the ban.

Flock, the ALPR maker that has faced the most public backlash in 2026, has pointed to nonpolice uses such as letting firefighters survey a fire before they arrive. Opponents say the cameras create constant surveillance, and Engadget noted documented cases of Flock cameras being misused. Flock has tried to address those concerns with software updates, shorter data retention, and policy changes, but continued public outcry and vandalism have pushed regulators to respond.

The Florida order follows several other official actions. The Los Angeles Police Department suspended its Flock contract in July. Earlier in August, two counties in Ohio paused their use of Flock cameras because of reports of alleged misuse. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott paused funding for state agencies trying to acquire Flock hardware. Engadget noted that most of those measures target Flock specifically rather than license plate readers in general, but they reflect a growing willingness to reconsider how the technology is used in public safety.