Tallahassee, Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed new Traffic law effective October 1, 2025
Offenses Involving Motor Vehicles; Reclassifies offense of driving, moving, or causing to be moved vehicle or equipment with certain lighting on highway as third degree felony in specified circumstance; increases the penalty for knowingly altering a motor vehicle registration certificate, a license plate, a temporary license plate, a mobile home sticker, or a validation sticker or obscuring a license plate from a noncriminal traffic infraction to a second degree misdemeanor; provides criminal penalties if person purchases, possesses, manufactures, sells, offers to sell, or otherwise distributes license plate obscuring device; provides enhanced penalty if person uses license plate obscuring device for specified purposes.
HB 253: recategorization of offenses with fake emergency lights in Florida
One of the pillars of HB 253 drastically modifies the statute 316.2397. Previously, a driver who was driving with unauthorized red, red and white, or blue lights visible from the front of his vehicle, and who also used these lights in order to stop another motor vehicle, faced a charge of first-degree misdemeanor.
Now, this infraction is raised to the category of third-degree felony. This legislative change reflects a firm determination to punish more rigorously any attempt at official identity theft, recognizing the inherent risk that this entails for public safety and trust in the authorities. The rule underlines the importance of avoiding confusion on the road.
Possession or acquisition: A person who buys or owns a device to hide license plates commits a second-degree misdemeanor.
Marketing: Anyone who manufactures, sells, offers for sale or distributes one of these devices incurs a minor offense of the first degree.
Use in a crime: The most severe penalty applies if a driver uses the device to hide the license plate for the purpose of assisting in the commission of a crime or to evade detection or arrest. In such a scenario, the offender will be charged with a third-degree felony.
This part of the legislation underscores the state of Florida’s commitment to transparency and accountability on public roads. The statute will come into force on October 1, 2025, providing an adjustment period for drivers and the judicial system. The administration of Ron DeSantis thus promotes a legal framework that seeks to reduce the opportunities to evade justice and improve road safety for all.
