Are Digital License Plates Legal in Florida?

Digital license plates are not currently legal for consumer use in Florida. The legislative groundwork exists, but the two bills that would have authorized them in 2022 both died, and the state’s only authorized vendor describes Florida’s rules as still in development.¹ A Florida resident cannot replace a metal plate with a digital one today without risking problems with their registration.

Where the Law Stands in Florida

Florida’s 2022 legislative session produced two digital plate bills. Senate Bill 1178 laid out a full framework, defining digital license plates, authorizing the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to run a pilot program on government-owned vehicles, and setting a consumer availability date of July 1, 2023.² House Bill 91 was the companion measure.³

Neither passed. SB 1178 died in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and HB 91 died on the House’s Second Reading Calendar.³ The concept has not been dropped, though. Reviver, the only U.S. manufacturer of street-legal digital plates, states on its Florida page that rules and regulations are currently being developed.¹ “In development” is not the same as available for purchase.

What the Failed 2022 Bill Would Have Allowed

Any future Florida law will likely resemble SB 1178, so its structure is useful to know. The bill proposed amending Florida Statute 320.06 to let the DHSMV run a pilot program limited to government-owned vehicles. Those vehicles would carry a digital plate in addition to a physical plate so the state could test the technology under real conditions.²

For consumers, the bill would have created Section 320.08069, allowing any registered vehicle to use a DHSMV-approved digital plate in place of a physical one. There was a catch: you would still have to obtain a traditional physical plate first before switching to digital. The bill also exempted digital plates from physical requirements like being made of metal or having a retro-reflective surface, since those standards don’t apply to a screen.²

Under the pilot provision, the DHSMV would investigate feasibility, evaluate long-term cost to consumers, and eventually deliver written recommendations to the Governor and Legislature before any broader rollout.²

Which States Currently Allow Them

Only two states have approved digital license plates for consumer purchase: Arizona and California.⁴ Florida sits in a larger group of states where Reviver has done regulatory groundwork but where the plates are not yet on sale.

What a Digital Plate Would Cost in Florida

Once Florida opens up, pricing should look like what Reviver charges elsewhere. The RPLATE retails for $899 as an outright purchase.⁵ A subscription option runs $39.95 per month and bundles the hardware, service, full warranty, and the ability to cancel anytime.⁶

If you buy outright, you also need a separate service plan to keep the connected features working. After a 60-day trial, the ongoing plans are:

Essential, $35 per year, for basic connectivity to keep the plate displaying your registration.
Plus, $75 per year, adding personalization, DMV service integration, and battery replacement coverage.
Premium, $125 per year, covering everything in Plus with additional capabilities.

Without an active plan, the plate still shows your license number but will not update registration status or allow customization.⁷ Automatic registration renewal display is one of the main reasons to buy a digital plate, and that feature disappears if you stop paying.

These figures do not include your standard Florida registration fees, and dealership pricing may vary from what Reviver lists.⁵

Privacy Rules That Would Apply

Florida already has a privacy statute relevant to plate reading. Florida Statute 316.0777 covers Automated License Plate Recognition Systems (ALPRS), the cameras that scan plates on public roads. Images and personal information captured by ALPRS are confidential and exempt from public records requests.⁸

The same statute prohibits using ALPRS data to issue traffic citations. The cameras can be deployed only for collecting active criminal intelligence or investigative information, meaning they can help track a stolen vehicle or a suspect but cannot generate a speeding ticket.⁸ This protection applies to every plate a camera scans, digital or metal.

Data the Plate Itself Collects

Separate from roadside cameras, the plate collects data on its own. Under Reviver’s privacy policy effective January 1, 2026, the company collects the geographical location of wired plates and their associated vehicles.⁹ The policy specifies “wired plate only” for that language, so battery-powered models do not appear to collect continuous GPS data.

Reviver’s policy does not describe any way for users to opt out of GPS tracking on wired models. If location privacy matters to you, the battery-powered version appears to be the less-tracked option, at the cost of eventually needing a battery replacement.

What Florida Drivers Should Do Now

Wait. Installing a digital plate without state authorization could create problems with your registration, and Florida has not authorized consumer use. Watch Reviver’s Florida page and DHSMV announcements for word on finalized rules. When purchase becomes possible, expect roughly $899 upfront plus an annual service fee, or the $39.95 monthly subscription that bundles everything.

1
Reviver. Digital License Plates in Florida
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Florida Senate. Florida Senate Bill 1178 – License Plates
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Florida Senate. CS/CS/HB 91 – Digital License Plates
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Reviver. Digital License Plate Legal Info and Availability by State
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Reviver. Buy RPlate Digital License Plate
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Reviver. Subscription
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Reviver. Reviver Service Plans for Digital License Plates
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Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.0777 – Automated License Plate Recognition Systems Installation Within Rights-of-way of State Highway System Public Records Exemption
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Reviver. Privacy Policy