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State Orders Removal of FDOT License Plate Readers Across Florida Roadways

The Florida Department of Transportation has ordered law enforcement agencies to remove automated license plate readers from state highway rights-of-way within 30 days, impacting major corridors across Pensacola, Escambia County, and Santa Rosa County.

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2 hours ago

August 31, 2026

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Workers dismantling FDOT license plate readers from an overpass on a Florida highway at sunset.

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State Orders Removal of FDOT License Plate Readers Across Florida Roadways

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Last updated: August 31, 2026

Drivers traveling along major state corridors across Northwest Florida—from Pensacola, Warrington, and Cantonment in Escambia County to Gulf Breeze, Milton, and Pace in Santa Rosa County—will soon see roadside surveillance cameras dismantled. On August 31, 2026, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) issued an executive directive revoking all existing permits for automated license plate readers (ALPRs) operated by law enforcement agencies within state highway rights-of-way.

The policy order sets a strict 30-day deadline for law enforcement agencies to take down surveillance hardware, marking a decisive shift by state leadership to curtail mass vehicular tracking and protect personal privacy.

Why it matters here

In Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, key regional corridors such as U.S. Highway 98, U.S. Highway 29, and U.S. Highway 90 fall directly under FDOT jurisdiction. For years, automated plate-reading networks—largely supplied by vendors such as Flock Safety—have proliferated along these high-traffic arteries to log vehicle movements.

While local law enforcement agencies have utilized the technology to aid investigations and track stolen vehicles, the statewide mandate represents a major recalibration toward individual liberty, Fourth Amendment principles, and data protection. Across the Panhandle, neighboring Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden confirmed his office will comply with the state order, removing cameras from state rights-of-way and going a step further by removing remaining cameras from county roadways while ending contractual timelines with Flock Safety.

Statewide Directive: FDOT Revokes ALPR Permits on State Highways

The state’s action was formally enacted through Engineering and Operations Memorandum No. 26-01, signed by FDOT Chief Operating Officer Will Watts. The memorandum immediately revoked all active ALPR General Use Permits and instituted a freeze on the issuance of any new permits under state jurisdiction.

Under the directive, law enforcement agencies across Florida have until September 30, 2026, to uninstall and remove all license plate reader devices from state road rights-of-way. If an agency fails to meet the 30-day deadline, FDOT announced that state crews will step in to remove the hardware directly. The department also retained the authority to immediately dismantle any installation identified as an active safety hazard.

FDOT exercised its regulatory power under Section 316.0777(2)(b) of the Florida Statutes, which grants the agency explicit discretionary authority to approve, deny, or mandate the removal of automated license plate recognition hardware along the State Highway System.

Scope of the Florida License Plate Reader Ban

While the state mandate is comprehensive for state-controlled infrastructure, it does not apply universally to every road. The FDOT order is strictly limited to the State Highway System and state-maintained rights-of-way. It does not automatically prohibit automated cameras installed on municipal streets, county-maintained roads, private commercial properties, or inside residential developments governed by homeowners associations.

State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani noted this jurisdictional distinction following the announcement, pointing out that many devices in metropolitan areas operate outside state rights-of-way. While welcoming the curb on warrant-less mass tracking, Eskamani called on county and municipal governments to evaluate their own local contracts and consider pauses or public audits.

Privacy Concerns and Pushback Against Mass Surveillance

In the official memorandum, FDOT stated that the sweeping revocation was necessary to “preserve Floridians’ sovereignty and quality of life.” State transportation officials highlighted an “exponential increase in deployments” along highway networks, pointing to mounting public concerns surrounding data privacy, potential misuse, and expansive surveillance schemes.

The administrative action aligns with recent warnings from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis regarding the unchecked expansion of automated tracking systems. DeSantis warned against allowing Florida to drift into a “digital AI surveillance state,” stating that automated license plate surveillance had grown “out of control” without sufficient guardrails.

Law Enforcement Agencies Across Florida Adjust

Agencies across the state have begun adjusting operations to align with the new policy:

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office: In Duval County, Sheriff T.K. Waters announced that while the technology had aided criminal investigations, the agency will fully comply with the state order and will discontinue the use of LPR technology entirely across Duval County in light of state policy and community privacy concerns.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office: Leadership confirmed the agency will remove all license plate readers across Clay County roadways.
Hernando County Sheriff’s Office: Officials confirmed compliance and noted the agency had already begun taking down cameras on county-maintained roads prior to the state’s formal order.
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office: Confirmed it will remove cameras from both state and county rights-of-way across the neighboring Panhandle jurisdiction.

Background: The Rapid Rise of Florida Automated License Plate Readers

Automated license plate readers function by capturing high-speed photographs of passing vehicles, extracting registration numbers via optical character recognition, and cross-referencing that data with state and national law enforcement databases in real time. Over recent years, the deployment of license plate readers state roads Florida saw dramatic growth as local police departments and sheriff’s offices contracted with third-party vendors to establish regional monitoring webs.

However, the rapid spread of automated tracking sparked nationwide debate regarding government overreach, data retention practices, and the routine collection of location records belonging to law-abiding citizens. By revoking permits across the state highway grid, Florida transportation officials have placed clear regulatory limits on roadside surveillance infrastructure.