Florida Statute 316.605 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES

Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL

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316.605 Licensing of vehicles.—

(1) Every vehicle, at all times while driven, stopped, or parked upon any highways, roads, or streets of this state, shall be licensed in the name of the owner thereof in accordance with the laws of this state unless such vehicle is not required by the laws of this state to be licensed in this state and shall, except as otherwise provided in s. 320.0706 for front-end registration license plates on truck tractors and s. 320.086(5) which exempts display of license plates on described former military vehicles, display the license plate or both of the license plates assigned to it by the state, one on the rear and, if two, the other on the front of the vehicle, each to be securely fastened to the vehicle outside the main body of the vehicle 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 of the vehicle, and in such manner as to prevent the plates from swinging, and all letters, numerals, printing, writing, the registration decal, and the alphanumeric designation shall be clear and distinct and free from defacement, mutilation, grease, and other obscuring matter, so that they will be plainly visible and legible at all times 100 feet from the rear or front. Except as provided in s. 316.2085(3), vehicle license plates shall be affixed and displayed in such a manner that the letters and numerals shall be read from left to right parallel to the ground. No vehicle license plate may be displayed in an inverted or reversed position or in such a manner that the letters and numbers and their proper sequence are not readily identifiable. Nothing shall be placed upon the face of a Florida plate except as permitted by law or by rule or regulation of a governmental agency. No license plates other than those furnished by the state shall be used. However, if the vehicle is not required to be licensed in this state, the license plates on such vehicle issued by another state, by a territory, possession, or district of the United States, or by a foreign country, substantially complying with the provisions hereof, shall be considered as complying with this chapter. A violation of this subsection is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.

(2) Any commercial motor vehicle operating over the highways of this state with an expired registration, with no registration from this or any other jurisdiction, or with no registration under the applicable provisions of chapter 320 shall be in violation of s. 320.07(3) and shall subject the owner or operator of such vehicle to the penalty provided. In addition, a commercial motor vehicle found in violation of this section may be detained by any law enforcement officer until the owner or operator produces evidence that the vehicle has been properly registered and that any applicable delinquent penalties have been paid.

History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; s. 1, ch. 78-55; s. 6, ch. 84-260; s. 58, ch. 85-180; s. 10, ch. 86-243; s. 19, ch. 87-198; s. 26, ch. 91-221; s. 239, ch. 99-248; s. 2, ch. 2005-47; s. 39, ch. 2005-164; s. 18, ch. 2007-196; s. 10, ch. 2010-223; s. 14, ch. 2014-216; s. 66, ch. 2016-239.

Note.—Former s. 316.284.

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Amendments to 316.605

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Civil Citations / Citable Offenses under S316.605

R or S next to points is Mandatory Revocation or Suspension

S316.605 TAG - None/Obscured/Defaced/Improper display - Points on Drivers License: 0

S316.605 (1) TAG - None/Obscured/Defaced/Improper display - Points on Drivers License: 0

Cases Citing Statute 316.605

Total Results: 25

Dontray Chaney v. City of Orlando, FL

483 F.3d 1221, 67 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 1061, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 8288, 2007 WL 1063010

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Apr 11, 2007 | Docket: 655009

Cited 96 times | Published

obscured license plate, in violation of Fla. Stat. § 316.605. 2 He was also charged with the misdemeanor

United States v. Audley Dunkley, Coval Baker, Joseph Brown

911 F.2d 522, 1990 U.S. App. LEXIS 15666, 1990 WL 120077

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Sep 7, 1990 | Docket: 90030

Cited 37 times | Published

times 100 feet from the rear or front.” Fla.Stat. § 316.605. The district court credited Officer Tucker's

State v. Diaz

850 So. 2d 435, 2003 WL 21087992

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 15, 2003 | Docket: 1783843

Cited 33 times | Published

at all times 100 feet from the rear or front," § 316.605(1), Fla. Stat. (2000), the Legislature has failed

Sands v. State

753 So. 2d 630, 2000 WL 217529

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 25, 2000 | Docket: 1729014

Cited 7 times | Published

citation for a violation of section 316.605, Florida Statutes. Section 316.605, entitled "Licensing of Vehicles

Harris v. State

11 So. 3d 462, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 7773, 2009 WL 1706450

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 19, 2009 | Docket: 1235751

Cited 6 times | Published

because he was improperly stopped for violating section 316.605, Florida Statutes (2006). The relevant portion

State v. Parrish

731 So. 2d 101, 1999 WL 218411

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 16, 1999 | Docket: 1733775

Cited 5 times | Published

failed to apply the visibility requirement of section 316.605, Florida Statutes (1997): "all letters, numerals

McKally v. Perez

87 F. Supp. 3d 1310, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23737, 2015 WL 758283

District Court, S.D. Florida | Filed: Feb 6, 2015 | Docket: 64300566

Cited 4 times | Published

furnished by the state shall be used.” Fla. Stat. § 316.605(1) (alterations added). Florida law also strictly

Saviory v. State

717 So. 2d 200, 1998 WL 636978

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 18, 1998 | Docket: 2579916

Cited 2 times | Published

making it difficult to read from a distance. Section 316.605(1) provides that all letters, numerals, printing

State v. English

148 So. 3d 529, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 15812, 2014 WL 5039681

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 10, 2014 | Docket: 60243546

Cited 1 times | Published

State, 788 So.2d 308, 309 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001). Section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes, provides in pertinent

Jenkins v. State

102 So. 3d 739, 2012 Fla. App. LEXIS 21517

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 14, 2012 | Docket: 60226774

Cited 1 times | Published

instead charged Mr. Jenkins with violating section 316.605, Florida Statutes (2009), requiring display

Marques Johnson v. James Dunn

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Jan 30, 2024 | Docket: 63373963

Published

Argued: Jun 9, 2022

42 U.S.C. § 1983. 5 See Fla. Stat. § 316.605(1) (Licensing of vehicles). 6 Fla. Stat

Marques A. Johnson v. James Dunn

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Oct 2, 2023 | Docket: 63373963

Published

Argued: Jun 9, 2022

42 U.S.C. § 1983. 5 See Fla. Stat. § 316.605(1) (Licensing of vehicles). 6 Fla. Stat

AQUILINO MAYORGA v. THE STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 15, 2022 | Docket: 63385758

Published

JJ. PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See § 316.605(1), Fla. Stat. (2020) (providing: “Every vehicle

United States v. James Bernard Braddy

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Aug 31, 2021 | Docket: 60326083

Published

visible and legible at all times.” Fla. Stat. § 316.605(1). Thus, even if Officer Sullivan was mistaken

HERSCHELL M. WILLIAMS v. STATE OF FLORIDA

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 13, 2020 | Docket: 17155670

Published

essential to a correct interpretation of section 316.605 is the phrase, “visible and legible at all

STATE OF FLORIDA v. DYLAN MORRIS

270 So. 3d 436

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Apr 24, 2019 | Docket: 14988988

Published

License plate frames and whether they violate section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes (2017), are challenged

State v. Pena

247 So. 3d 61

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 9, 2018 | Docket: 6525134

Published

at all times 100 feet from the rear or front.” § 316.605(1), Fla. Stat. (2015). The trial court found

Jermaine D. English v. State of Florida

191 So. 3d 448, 41 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 219, 2016 WL 2755988, 2016 Fla. LEXIS 1005

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: May 12, 2016 | Docket: 3063428

Published

obstruction to a license plate in violation of section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes (2013), and whether the

Munroe v. State

177 So. 3d 320, 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 15907, 2015 WL 6449374

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 26, 2015 | Docket: 60251173

Published

to suppress, reading “the plain language of section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes [], to mean that a license

Calvin Eugene Baker v. State of Florida

164 So. 3d 151

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 26, 2015 | Docket: 2659808

Published

suppress, as we read the plain language of section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes (2013), to mean that a

Sowerby v. State

73 So. 3d 329, 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 17204, 2011 WL 5109234

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 28, 2011 | Docket: 60303372

Published

that the car was in violation of that part of section 316.605(1), Florida Statutes, saying that: [A]ll letters

Willis v. State

762 So. 2d 1005, 2000 Fla. App. LEXIS 8527, 2000 WL 904907

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 7, 2000 | Docket: 64798840

Published

record, Willis was charged with violation of section 316. 605(1), Florida Statutes (1997), failure to display

State v. St. Jean

697 So. 2d 956, 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 8808, 1997 WL 428513

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 1, 1997 | Docket: 64775305

Published

visible.” This was asserted to be a violation of section 316.605, Florida Statutes (1995). A subsequent search

State v. Garcia

696 So. 2d 1352, 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 8494, 1997 WL 413812

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 25, 1997 | Docket: 64775093

Published

concurs. HARRIS, J., dissents, with opinion. . Section 316.605, Florida Statutes (1995), provides in pertinent

United States v. Williams

784 F. Supp. 1553, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19678, 1991 WL 322288

District Court, M.D. Florida | Filed: Dec 11, 1991 | Docket: 65976861

Published

plate in violation Florida law. See Fla.Stat. § 316.605(1) (1990). Accordingly, the initial stop of the

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham W. Syfert, Esq., a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney. Attorney Syfert regularly works with Chapter 316 in the context of traffic and automobile accident law and represents clients throughout Northeast Florida. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.