Florida bans Flock license plate readers from state highways

Florida's Department of Transportation has ordered the removal of all automated license plate reader cameras from state highways, marking the most aggressive state-level action yet against the controversial surveillance technology.

In a memo issued Monday, the agency revoked permits for Flock cameras and other license plate readers, giving operators 30 days to remove the devices. The department also halted all future requests for license plate reader installations on state roadways.

The Florida DOT cited the "recent exponential increase in deployments" of the technology, combined with "concerning reports of misuse, data privacy concerns, and surveillance schemes" as reasons for the ban, according to NBC News and local outlet WUSF, which first reported the decision.

Why it matters

Florida's statewide highway ban represents a significant escalation in the pushback against automated license plate readers, which have proliferated rapidly across American communities in recent years. The move could influence other states weighing similar restrictions and puts pressure on Flock Safety, the dominant vendor in the space, as it faces mounting questions about data access, retention policies, and the scope of surveillance its network enables.

Growing resistance to surveillance cameras

The Florida action follows Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledging concerns about the cameras approximately one week earlier, when he described them as "out of control."

Texas took similar steps in August when Governor Greg Abbott froze state spending on Flock cameras. That same month, Pflugerville, Texas canceled its Flock contract after a records request revealed outside agencies had searched its camera data 1.6 million times.

Multiple municipalities have also terminated their Flock contracts, including Lansing, Michigan; Tempe, Arizona; and Knox County, Tennessee.

Data access fuels privacy debate

The backlash centers on how license plate reader data is collected, stored, and accessed. These cameras automatically capture and log the license plates of passing vehicles, creating searchable databases that can track vehicle movements across time and location.

Concerns have intensified over which agencies can access this data, how long it's retained, and whether the surveillance infrastructure could be misused. The Pflugerville case, where outside agencies conducted 1.6 million searches of local camera data, illustrated how extensively these systems can be queried by entities beyond the communities that installed them.

Florida's ban applies specifically to state highways, though it remains unclear whether local jurisdictions will face pressure to remove cameras from municipal roads. The 30-day removal deadline suggests the state views the issue as urgent enough to warrant swift action rather than a gradual phase-out.

The details were first reported by NBC News and WUSF.