South Florida Traffic Cameras Unaffected by License Plate Reader Ban
Florida's Department of Transportation ordered removal of automated license plate readers from state roads by Sept. 30, but local traffic enforcement cameras such as red-light and school-zone cameras are not affected. Several South Florida cities have recently launched new camera programs. The directive applies to all license-plate cameras, including those from Flock Safety and other vendors.
The FDOT directive targets all automated license-plate readers on state roads regardless of vendor, covering Flock Safety, Axon, Rekor, Motorola Solutions, and Vetted Security Solutions. These systems capture vehicle images with GPS and time stamps, storing data on make, model, and color that officers can search by plate number or location history, with agencies able to share access across state and national networks.
Local traffic cameras operate under separate Florida statutes and remain unaffected. Red-light, school-zone, and school bus cameras in Broward and Palm Beach County continue operating, with several cities launching new programs in the past month. Florida law prohibits using license-plate camera data to issue citations directly, though officers may use it to establish reasonable suspicion for a stop, which can then lead to citations if corroborated.
The removal of license-plate readers from state roads could create a patchwork of surveillance coverage, where drivers face inconsistent privacy protections depending on which road they travel. Local traffic cameras remain, meaning enforcement continues but under different legal frameworks. This may increase public confusion about which cameras serve safety versus surveillance purposes, potentially shaping future legislative debates about camera oversight and privacy rights across Florida.