MIAMI (AP) — Florida drivers beware: An appeals court has ruled that none of the lettering on vehicle license tags can be obscured by frames or anything else.
The 3rd District Court of Appeal decision Wednesday came in the case of a driver who was stopped by an officer because the words “MyFlorida.com” were obscured by a tag frame. The officer later found drugs in the car and the driver was charged with a narcotics offense.
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A lower court tossed out incriminating statements the driver made to the officer, concluding that the tag frame didn’t violate requirements of state law regarding display of license tags.
The appeals court disagreed, sending the case back for further proceedings. The judges ruled that state law clearly says drivers cannot obscure any lettering or numbers on tags.
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Many Floridians proclaim their loyalty to sports teams or an alma mater with license plate frames. And many car dealers, including AutoNation, one of the state's biggest automotive retailers, include frames with every car sold.
