FHP Warns Public of Strict Enforcement of Illegally Painted License Plates
ARTICLE ISSUED BY LOCAL CHANNEL 10 NEWS SOUTH FLORIDA
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2024/11/23/license-plate-crackdown-illegal-customization-under-fire-in-south-florida/
DO NOT BUY ALTERED OR PAINTED LICENSE PLATE SERVICES. YOUR TAG WILL BE SEIZED AND YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED. THE ONLY LEGAL CUSTOM LICENSE PLATES ARE THE PLATES SOLD ON THIS SITE.
Illegal customized license plates are catching the eye of Florida law enforcement, leading to a statewide crackdown by the Florida Highway Patrol. What is the problem? Nearly 80% of the violations are in South Florida. At a recent exotic car show at Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, altered license plates stood out as much as the high-end vehicles themselves—personalized, stylish, and undeniably unique, but illegal.
“We are trying to stop the current trend that we are seeing,” said Lt. Alex Camacho of the FHP.
Florida law prohibits altering state-issued license plates in any way, including changing colors, airbrushing designs, or applying vinyl wraps. The reflective coating is essential for readability and safety, according to Camacho.
“If you put this tag on your car, we are going to seize that tag. You are going to get your vehicle towed and get an infraction for it,” warned Camacho. “It’s bigger than people saying it’s not a big deal.”
The numbers back him up. Citations for unlawful plate alterations have surged over 98%.
Of 893 tickets issued statewide this year, 702 were written in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
A business called Platemakrs in Oakland Park boasts a large social media following, advertising customizations to plates from across the country. Local 10 News Investigator Jeff Weinsier made multiple attempts to reach them via email, but Local 10 received no response.
ALTERING A LICENSE PLATE IS ILLEGAL IN ALL STATES. THE STATE OF FLORIDA DOES OFFER OVER 130 DIFFERENT SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES FOR VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.THE MONEY RAISED FROM THE SALE OF THOSE LICENSE PLATES GOES DIRECTLY TO THE ORGANIZATION. DON’T BUY ILLEGAL LICENSE PLATES. BROWSE THROUGH ALL OF OUT LEGAL FLORIDA ISSUED LICENSE PLATES TODAY!
CLICK HERE TO BROWSE ALL OF OUR LEGAL FLORIDA LICENSE PLATES
How to purchase a legal Specialty License Plate:
To purchase a Legal Custom Florida License Plate, please complete the info request on this page and submit all required information. One of our clerks will then receive the order and begin the swap process. We check all plate requests for anything outstanding that may block you from being able to change over to a Specialty License Plate. Once this check has been completed and cleared we process the Specialty License Plate request. The process can take anywhere from 1-3 business days depending on the Plate you choose. We then ship your new Specialty License Plate and new Registration securely to you with package tracking included. Yes… Its that simple, you will receive your new license plate in the mail, ready to be affixed to your vehicle.