Plate reader laws by state

31 of the 50 states and DC have a law or rule on license plate readers. 19 of those set how long the data can be kept, and 19 say whether it is a public record. 5 let an agency release a car's reads to its registered owner. Each row cites the law and was checked October 25, 2026.

Checked Oct 25

Plate reader laws in each state

Each row sums up one state's law and links to its text on an official site. Open "Quote" under a law to read the words the row is based on.

Every row was checked on October 25, 2026.

Plate reader laws by state, checked October 25, 2026
State	Law	What it does	How long it is kept	Who it can be shared with	Public record?	Owner access
Alabama Rule, not a statute Flock cameras in Alabama	Ala. Admin. Code ch. 265-X-6 No ALPR statute; an administrative rule, not a statute: Ala. Admin. Code ch. 265-X-6 (Alabama Justice Information Commission; authority Code of Ala. 1975, § 41-9-620) Quote LPR data collected by a capturing agency, as well as the data from the access log, shall be retained for no more than five years, at which time it will be destroyed or erased.	An administrative rule, not a statute, limits police plate-reader data to criminal justice or public safety purposes, bars its sale and caps how long it is kept. More Less about Alabama	no more than five years (rule 265-X-6-.06)	May be shared with another criminal justice agency for a criminal justice or public safety purpose, with a dissemination log; not shared for other purposes; not sold (rule 265-X-6-.04)	Not stated	Not stated
Alaska No state law found Flock cameras in Alaska	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Arizona Law Flock cameras in Arizona	A.R.S. § 44-7953 A.R.S. § 44-7953 (Laws 2026, ch. 232, § 26; SB 1552) Quote A contract between a law enforcement agency and a business that uses a camera system that has the sole purpose of identifying motor vehicles must include a provision that prohibits the business from selling or disseminating to third parties any data collected by the camera system.	A vendor-contract rule only: a law enforcement agency's contract with a business whose camera system only identifies vehicles must bar the business from selling or passing the data to third parties. More Less about Arizona	No entry	The contract must prohibit the business 'from selling or disseminating to third parties any data collected by the camera system' (A.R.S. § 44-7953)	Not stated	Not stated
Arkansas Law Flock cameras in Arkansas	Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-12-1801 to -1808 Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-12-1801 to -1808 (Automatic License Plate Reader System Act; Act 1491 of 2013, amended by Act 668 of 2025) Quote a governmental entity authorized to use an automatic license plate reader system under § 12-12-1803(b) shall not sell, trade, or exchange captured plate data for any purpose.	Makes plate-reader use unlawful except for listed uses: police checks against listed databases, parking enforcement, secured-area access, private property owners for safety, and highway police checks of commercial trucks. More Less about Arkansas	150 days for most users; 60 days for a private landowner, leaseholder or commercial business (§ 12-12-1804(a), Act 668 of 2025)	Not used or shared for any other purpose; a governmental entity may not sell, trade or exchange the data; police may share data that indicates evidence of an offense with other law enforcement agencies (§ 12-12-1804(a), (d))	Protected Not called a public record: the data 'may be disclosed only' to the registered owner, with the owner's written consent, or as the federal Driver Privacy Protection Act permits; compiled practice and usage statistics are public records under the FOIA (§ 12-12-1808, Act 1491 of 2013)	Yes Yes: may be disclosed 'To the person to whom the vehicle is registered' (§ 12-12-1808(a)(1)(A)); not if a valid protection order against a joint registrant is presented (§ 12-12-1808(b))
California Law Flock cameras in California	Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.90.5-1798.90.55 Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1798.90.5-1798.90.55 (SB 34, 2015); Cal. Veh. Code § 2413 (Highway Patrol) Quote A public agency shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information, except to another public agency, and only as otherwise permitted by law.	Requires plate-reader operators and users to keep security safeguards, a public usage and privacy policy and access logs; a public agency must hold public comment first and shall not sell, share or transfer the data 'except to another public agency, and only as otherwise permitted by law', and data hosting or towing services do not count as sharing. More Less about California	No statewide period in the Civil Code: each policy must state 'The length of time ALPR information will be retained' (§ 1798.90.51(b)(2)(G)). Highway Patrol: 60 days under Veh. Code § 2413	A public agency shall not sell, share, or transfer ALPR information, except to another public agency, and only as otherwise permitted by law (§ 1798.90.55(b))	Not stated	Not stated
Colorado Law, from a secondary source Flock cameras in Colorado	C.R.S. § 24-72-113 C.R.S. § 24-72-113 (passive surveillance records; not plate-reader specific)	Requires government passive-surveillance images, which secondary sources say include plate-reader images, to be destroyed after three years, with access after the first year only for listed reasons. More Less about Colorado	3 years	No entry	Not stated	Not stated
Connecticut Law Flock cameras in Connecticut	Public Act 26-14, § 13 Public Act 26-14 (SB 397, 2026), § 13 Quote any automated license plate reader data collected or otherwise acquired or held or stored by a public agency or by a private vendor under contract with a public agency shall not be retained for a period in excess of twenty-one days	From October 1, 2026, lets public agencies and their vendors run plate readers only for listed purposes, caps retention, limits sharing, bars uses such as immigration enforcement, and makes the data confidential. More Less about Connecticut	21 days, unless kept under a warrant or court order or another listed exception (§ 13(b)(2)(A))	Only with a Connecticut public agency; New York, Rhode Island or Massachusetts law enforcement or a joint task force that signs a written declaration; any other agency with a judicially issued probable cause warrant or a Terrorist Screening Database match; or the registered owner (§ 13(d)(6))	Not public No: 'confidential and shall not be deemed a public record' under the FOIA (§ 13(e)(1)); camera locations (unless DHS funding required secrecy) and audit and access logs with plate data redacted are public records (§ 13(e)(2))	Yes Yes: 'an individual requesting data regarding a motor vehicle registered in such individual's name'; every owner, lessor and regular user must join the request (§ 13(d)(6)(D))
Delaware No state law found Flock cameras in Delaware	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Florida Law Flock cameras in Florida	Fla. Stat. §§ 316.0777, 316.0778 Quote An automated license plate recognition system may not be used to issue a notice of violation for a traffic infraction or a uniform traffic citation.	Lets the Department of Transportation allow police plate readers on state highway rights-of-way, bars their use for traffic citations, ties retention to a state schedule and makes identifying plate-reader data confidential. More Less about Florida	The maximum period in the Department of State's retention schedule (§§ 316.0777(2)(d), 316.0778)	Confidential data 'may be disclosed by or to a criminal justice agency in the performance of the criminal justice agency's official duties' (§ 316.0777(4)(a))	Not public Confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution: images and data with personal identifying information (§ 316.0777(3))	Yes Yes, unless it is active criminal intelligence or investigative information: data on a plate registered to an individual 'may be disclosed to the individual' (§ 316.0777(4)(b))
Georgia Law, from a secondary source Flock cameras in Georgia	O.C.G.A. § 35-1-22 O.C.G.A. § 35-1-22 (HB 79, 2018)	Lets police collect plate-reader data and use it only for law enforcement purposes, caps retention, allows sharing among law enforcement agencies and makes misuse a crime. More Less about Georgia	30 months	Law enforcement agencies may share captured plate data with other law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes	Exempt Not subject to public disclosure under the Open Records Act	Not stated
Hawaii No state law found Flock cameras in Hawaii	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Idaho Law Flock cameras in Idaho	Idaho Code § 49-1432 Idaho Code § 49-1432 (added 2025, ch. 316) Quote The device and its data shall not be used to enforce traffic infractions other than those associated with a traffic accident.	Lets state and local agencies use plate readers for law enforcement and traffic-flow analysis; police use is limited to crimes, traffic accidents and missing persons, not traffic infractions, with access controls, training, logs and audits. More Less about Idaho	No entry	No entry	Not stated	Not stated
Illinois Law Flock cameras in Illinois	625 ILCS 5/2-130 625 ILCS 5/2-130 (P.A. 103-540, eff. 1-1-24); 5 ILCS 140/7.5(fff); 605 ILCS 140 (Expressway Camera Act) Quote Any ALPR user in this State, including any law enforcement agency of this State that uses ALPR systems, shall not share ALPR information with an out-of-state law enforcement agency without first obtaining a written declaration from the out-of-state law enforcement agency that it expressly affirms that ALPR information obtained shall not be used in a manner that violates subsection (b).	Bars plate-reader users from sharing data for enforcing laws against reproductive or lawful health care or on immigration status, and requires a written declaration before sharing with out-of-state police. More Less about Illinois	No entry	No sharing with an out-of-state law enforcement agency without first obtaining its written declaration that the data will not be used for the barred purposes (625 ILCS 5/2-130(c))	Limited ALPR information 'shall be held confidentially to the fullest extent permitted by law' (§ 2-130(d)); Illinois State Police ALPR information is exempt under 5 ILCS 140/7.5(fff), which is inoperative on and after July 1, 2028	Not stated
Indiana Law, from a secondary source Flock cameras in Indiana	IC 32-25.5-3.8 IC 32-25.5-3.8 (HEA 1150, P.L. 26-2026), homeowners' associations only; no government-use statute found	Bars homeowners' associations from installing, maintaining or operating plate readers; no state statute on government or police use was found. More Less about Indiana	No entry	No entry	Not stated	Not stated
Iowa Law Flock cameras in Iowa	Iowa Code § 321P.4 Iowa Code § 321P.4 (2024 Acts, ch. 1181, § 4) Quote shall permanently delete from the plate reader and storage device, as applicable, every image of a vehicle registration plate captured by the plate reader, and any other accompanying data, no later than thirty days after the image was captured.	Requires the operator of a plate reader to delete plate images and related data within 30 days, unless police copy them for an ongoing criminal case; breaking the rule is a simple misdemeanor. More Less about Iowa	30 days (§ 321P.4(1))	No entry	Not stated	Not stated
Kansas Law Flock cameras in Kansas	K.S.A. 45-221(a)(55) K.S.A. 45-221(a)(55) (Kansas Open Records Act exemption) Quote Except to the extent disclosure is otherwise required by law, a public agency shall not be required to disclose: ... (55) Records of a public agency that contain captured license plate data or that pertain to the location of an automated license plate recognition system.	A public-records exemption only: agencies need not disclose captured plate data or records about where a reader is; it does not regulate use. More Less about Kansas	No entry	No entry	Exempt Not required to be disclosed: 'Records of a public agency that contain captured license plate data or that pertain to the location of an automated license plate recognition system' (K.S.A. 45-221(a)(55))	Not stated
Kentucky Law Flock cameras in Kentucky	KRS 189.632 KRS 189.632 (2026 Ky. Acts ch. 71, § 1, eff. July 15, 2026) Quote It is unlawful for an individual, entity, partnership, corporation, association, or this Commonwealth, its agencies, and political subdivisions to use an ALPR except as provided in this section.	Makes plate-reader use unlawful except for listed purposes (parking, secured areas, public safety, police and commercial-vehicle work, tolls), caps retention for most uses and limits sharing. More Less about Kentucky	90 days for most users; police, public-agency and Transportation Cabinet data kept for their listed purposes follows the agency's retention policy (KRS 189.632(4)(a)-(b))	Not sold, shared, accessed or transferred for any other purpose, except to law enforcement or its contractors, by subpoena, to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, insurers and lenders for listed purposes (KRS 189.632(4)(d))	Not stated	Not stated
Louisiana No state law found Flock cameras in Louisiana	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Maine Law Flock cameras in Maine	29-A M.R.S. § 2117-A Quote Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a person may not use an automated license plate recognition system.	Bars any person from using plate readers except the Department of Transportation, State Police commercial-vehicle screening and law enforcement agencies for listed purposes; data are confidential and most may be kept 21 days. More Less about Maine	21 days, except intelligence and investigative record information and commercial motor vehicle screening data (§ 2117-A(5))	Available for use only by a law enforcement agency in carrying out its functions, or by the collecting agency for its intended purpose and related proceedings; commercial vehicle data may go to the FMCSA (§ 2117-A(4))	Not public Confidential under Title 1, chapter 13; aggregate summary reports may be released (§ 2117-A(4))	Not stated
Maryland Law Flock cameras in Maryland	Md. Code, Public Safety § 3-509 Quote Information gathered by an automatic license plate reader system is not subject to disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act.	Lets police use captured plate data only for a legitimate law enforcement purpose, bars selling it and uploading historical data to other agencies, requires procedures and audits, and keeps it out of the Public Information Act. More Less about Maryland	No entry	Historical data may not be uploaded 'to any other law enforcement agency or entity, regardless of whether the agency or entity is located inside or outside the State', but may be uploaded to the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center database (§ 3-509(b)(2)(iv)-(v))	Exempt Not subject to disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act (§ 3-509(d))	Not stated
Massachusetts No state law found Flock cameras in Massachusetts	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Michigan No state law found Flock cameras in Michigan	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Minnesota Law Flock cameras in Minnesota	Minn. Stat. § 13.824 Minn. Stat. § 13.824 (also § 626.8472) Quote data collected by an automated license plate reader that are not related to an active criminal investigation must be destroyed no later than 60 days from the date of collection.	Limits what plate readers may collect, requires most data to be destroyed within 60 days, bars a central state database, restricts sharing, and requires public logs, a public list of fixed readers and independent audits. More Less about Minnesota	60 days for data not related to an active criminal investigation (subd. 3(a))	Data not related to an active criminal investigation may be shared with another law enforcement agency only under the subd. 7 access standards, and not with or sold to anyone else unless law allows (subd. 4)	Not public 'private data on individuals or nonpublic data' unless public under § 13.82 (subd. 2(b))	Records law Not stated in § 13.824. The data are 'private data on individuals'; § 13.04, subd. 3 lets the subject of such data see it
Mississippi No state law found Flock cameras in Mississippi	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Missouri No state law found Flock cameras in Missouri	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Montana Law Flock cameras in Montana	Mont. Code Ann. §§ 46-5-117 to -119 Mont. Code Ann. §§ 46-5-117 to -119 (Ch. 202, L. 2017) Quote Except as provided in subsection (2), an agency or employee of the state or any subdivision of the state may not use, either directly or indirectly, a license plate reader on any public highway.	Bars state and local agencies from using plate readers on public highways except listed uses; police may use them for listed purposes under a published policy, yearly audits, a 90-day retention cap and no sale of the data. More Less about Montana	90 days for law enforcement data (§ 46-5-118(1)); data under § 46-5-117(2)(a)-(c) (planning, parking, weigh-station screening, an agency's own vehicles) no more than 18 months (§ 46-5-119(3))	Police policy must address sharing with other agencies (§ 46-5-117(2)(d)(i)(C)); law enforcement data may not be sold for any purpose except as § 46-5-117 provides (§ 46-5-118(7))	Protected 'is a public record but is protected from disclosure' under the public records parts 'except to the person to whom the license plate is registered' (§ 46-5-118(5)); data under § 46-5-117(2)(a)-(c) is 'private' and 'not a public record' (§ 46-5-119(1))	Yes Yes: the protection from disclosure does not apply to 'the person to whom the license plate is registered' (§ 46-5-118(5))
Nebraska Law Flock cameras in Nebraska	Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-3201 to 60-3209 Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-3201 to 60-3209 (Automatic License Plate Reader Privacy Act, LB93, 2018) Quote Except as otherwise provided in this section or in section 60-3204, the use of an automatic license plate reader system by a governmental entity is prohibited.	Bars government use of plate readers except listed police checks, parking, secured areas, tolls and weigh stations; caps retention at 180 days, requires posted policies and yearly reports, and limits disclosure. More Less about Nebraska	180 days, unless evidence, under a preservation request, or subject to a warrant, subpoena or court order (§ 60-3204(1))	Disclosed only to the registered owner, with the owner's prior written consent, under a court disclosure order, or as the result of a match (§ 60-3209(1)); privacy policy required so data is not shared in violation of the Act (§ 60-3206(2))	Not public 'not considered a public record for purposes of sections 84-712 to 84-712.09' (§ 60-3209(1))	Yes Yes: 'shall only be disclosed to the person to whom the vehicle is registered' or as listed; not where a valid protection order against a joint registrant is presented (§ 60-3209)
Nevada No state law found Flock cameras in Nevada	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
New Hampshire Law Flock cameras in New Hampshire	RSA 261:75-b RSA 261:75-b (number plate scanning devices); RSA 236:130 (highway surveillance) Quote Records of number plates read by each LPR shall not be recorded or transmitted anywhere and shall be purged from the system within 3 minutes of their capture in such a manner that they are destroyed and are not recoverable	Limits plate readers to state, county and local police for listed purposes, with no images of occupants, registration of each device and plate records purged within 3 minutes unless tied to an arrest, citation or listed alert; RSA 236:130 bars government surveillance on public ways unless a statute or listed exception allows it. More Less about New Hampshire	3 minutes, unless an alarm led to an arrest, citation or protective custody or identified a missing or wanted vehicle (RSA 261:75-b, VIII)	Captured license plate data obtained for the purposes described in paragraph V shall not be used or shared for any other purpose (RSA 261:75-b, VIII)	Not stated	Not stated
New Jersey Law Flock cameras in New Jersey	P.L.2026, c.4, § 5 P.L.2026, c.4 (A4070 1R, Privacy Protection Act), § 5 (C.52:4CC-5) Quote A government entity shall not sell, share, or transfer automated license plate recognition information concerning the operation of a person's motor vehicle, except:	Bars government entities from selling, sharing or transferring plate-reader information except as listed, including to other jurisdictions' police only with a certification against civil immigration use, and requires notice to the person within 90 days of a compelled disclosure. More Less about New Jersey	No entry	Only to another government entity when permitted by law; under a valid judicial order or warrant; with the person's written consent; or to another jurisdiction's law enforcement for a criminal investigation if it certifies no civil immigration use, no onward sharing and the same New Jersey limits (§ 5b.(1))	Not stated Not stated for the data itself; sharing agreements under § 5b.(1)(d) are government records under OPRA (§ 5b.(2)(a))	Not stated
New Mexico Law Flock cameras in New Mexico	NMSA 1978 §§ 29-22-1 to -5 Driver Privacy and Safety Act (SB 40, 2026); NMSA 1978 §§ 29-22-1 to -5 Quote Automated license plate reader information is confidential and not considered a public record for the purposes of the Inspection of Public Records Act.	Bars plate-reader users from sharing data they reasonably believe may be used for immigration enforcement, a protected health care activity, or liability based solely on 'participation in activities protected by the United States constitution or the constitution of New Mexico'; requires a written declaration from out-of-state parties and bars sharing with non-law-enforcement. More Less about New Mexico	No entry	No access for an out-of-state third party or non-New Mexico law enforcement agency without a written declaration; no sale, sharing or transfer to non-law enforcement officers or agencies, except the user's vendor (§ 3B-C)	Not public 'confidential and not considered a public record for the purposes of the Inspection of Public Records Act' (§ 3D)	Not stated
New York No state law found Flock cameras in New York	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
North Carolina Law Flock cameras in North Carolina	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 20-183.30 to 20-183.33 N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 20-183.30 to 20-183.33 (Article 3D) Quote Captured plate data obtained by an automatic license plate reader system, operated by or on behalf of a law enforcement agency for law enforcement purposes, shall not be preserved for more than 90 days after the date the data is captured.	Requires a written policy before police use plate readers, limits data to law enforcement purposes and not traffic enforcement, caps retention at 90 days and makes the data confidential. More Less about North Carolina	90 days, unless preserved by a sworn request or a search warrant (§ 20-183.32(a)-(c))	Disclosed only to a criminal justice officer at a state or local agency or a similar federal official for a legitimate law enforcement purpose on written request; not sold (§ 20-183.32(e))	Not public 'confidential and not a public record as that term is defined in G.S. 132-1' (§ 20-183.32(e))	Not stated
North Dakota No state law found Flock cameras in North Dakota	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Ohio No state law found Flock cameras in Ohio	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Oklahoma Law, from a secondary source Flock cameras in Oklahoma	47 O.S. § 7-606.1 47 O.S. § 7-606.1 (Laws 2016, c. 365, § 1; amended Laws 2017, c. 74, § 2), uninsured-vehicle enforcement program	Lets district attorneys run an uninsured-vehicle enforcement program that uses plate readers; per secondary sources the data may be used only to enforce the Compulsory Insurance Law or as otherwise permitted by law, may not be sold and is exempt from the Open Records Act. More Less about Oklahoma	No entry	No sale of the data	Exempt Exempt from the Oklahoma Open Records Act	Not stated
Oregon Law Flock cameras in Oregon	SB 1516, §§ 3-9 SB 1516 (2026), §§ 3-9 (Oregon Laws 2026, ch. 77); ORS 192.345(44) Quote Except as provided under sections 3 to 9 of this 2026 Act, a law enforcement agency may not use an automated license plate recognition system or captured license plate data.	Limits police plate-reader use to listed purposes under published policies, caps retention at 30 days, limits sharing with agencies not created under Oregon law, requires vendor audits and lets people sue vendors for misuse. More Less about Oregon	30 days for data not related to a court proceeding or ongoing criminal investigation (§ 4(3)(a))	Other law enforcement agencies may query; data goes to a government entity not created under Oregon law only for a listed law enforcement purpose, limited to relevant data, with no unrestricted or ongoing access, and logged (§ 5)	Limited Conditionally exempt: listed in ORS 192.345 as exempt 'unless the public interest requires disclosure in the particular instance'; audit contents are disclosed with personal information removed (ORS 192.345(44), as amended by § 11)	Not stated
Pennsylvania No state law found Flock cameras in Pennsylvania	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Rhode Island No state law found Flock cameras in Rhode Island	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
South Carolina No state law found Flock cameras in South Carolina	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
South Dakota No state law found Flock cameras in South Dakota	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Tennessee Law, from a secondary source Flock cameras in Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-302 Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-302; § 10-7-504(a)(32)	Caps how long a government entity may store captured plate data at 90 days unless part of an ongoing investigation, and a records-law exception keeps the data confidential. More Less about Tennessee	90 days	No entry	Not public Confidential and not open for public inspection (§ 10-7-504(a)(32))	Not stated
Texas No state law found Flock cameras in Texas	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Utah Law Flock cameras in Utah	Utah Code §§ 41-6a-2001 to -2006 Utah Code §§ 41-6a-2001 to -2006 (Automatic License Plate Reader System Act) Quote Except as provided in Subsection (2), a governmental entity may not use an automatic license plate reader system.	Bars government plate-reader use except listed uses; police need a written policy and, for fixed readers on state highways, a UDOT special use permit; data is a protected record kept no more than nine months. More Less about Utah	nine months, except under a preservation request, disclosure order or warrant (§ 41-6a-2004(1)(c))	May not be used or shared for any purpose other than the purposes in § 41-6a-2003; may not be sold; aggregate data without plate identity may be disclosed (§ 41-6a-2004(1)(b), (2))	Protected A protected record under GRAMA (Title 63G, Chapter 2) when held by a governmental entity (§ 41-6a-2004(1)(a))	Records law Disclosed only under GRAMA's protected-record rules (§ 63G-2-202), a disclosure order or a warrant (§ 41-6a-2004(1)(d))
Vermont Law Flock cameras in Vermont	23 V.S.A. §§ 1607-1608 23 V.S.A. §§ 1607-1608 (versions effective July 1, 2025); 23 V.S.A. § 1609 Quote information gathered by a law enforcement officer through use of an ALPR system shall only be retained for 18 months after the date it was obtained.	Restricts police plate-reader use to legitimate law enforcement purposes by certified officers, with written requests for data, an 18-month retention limit and yearly reports; a § 1609 prohibition on state and local use of plate readers is scheduled to take effect when §§ 1606-1608 are repealed, on July 1, 2027 under 2024 Act 135. More Less about Vermont	18 months, unless preserved under § 1608 or a warrant (§ 1607(c)(2))	Historical data transmitted only to a Vermont or out-of-state law enforcement officer or person with a legitimate law enforcement purpose; after six months only by warrant or court order (§ 1607(b)(2))	Not stated	Not stated
Virginia Law Flock cameras in Virginia	Va. Code § 2.2-5517 Va. Code § 2.2-5517 (Chapter 55.6) Quote System data shall be purged after 21 days of the date of its capture in such a manner that such data is destroyed and not recoverable by either the vendor or the law-enforcement agency.	Limits police plate-reader use to criminal investigations, missing or endangered persons and listed alerts, requires state-approved vendors, purges data after 21 days, bars sale and limits sharing. More Less about Virginia	21 days for system data; 2 years for audit trail data, unless part of an ongoing investigation, prosecution or civil action (§ 2.2-5517(E))	No sale; no sharing with any database of another state, federal, private or commercial entity; sharing allowed with other law enforcement for listed purposes, prosecutors, defendants in discovery, under court order, with the vendor, or to alert the public (§ 2.2-5517(F))	Exempt 'shall not be subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act' (§ 2.2-5517(F))	Not stated
Washington Law Flock cameras in Washington	ESSB 6002, Chapter 239, Laws of 2026 ESSB 6002, Chapter 239, Laws of 2026 (a new chapter in Title 10 RCW) Quote Except as provided for in this section, it is unlawful for any agency to access, operate, or use an automated license plate reader system or its associated automated license plate reader data.	Makes agency plate-reader use unlawful except for listed purposes, caps retention at 21 days, bars sharing except in judicial proceedings, bars sale and keeps the data out of the Public Records Act. More Less about Washington	21 days, with listed exceptions (warrant or court order, parking, traffic studies 30 days, commercial vehicles six months, evidence) (§ 4)	An agency shall not 'Disclose, share, or permit access to automated license plate reader data except as required in a judicial proceeding'; direct system access only for other authorized state or local agencies (§ 5(1))	Exempt 'not subject to disclosure under the public records act, chapter 42.56 RCW', except de-identified use for bona fide research (§ 5(5))	Not stated
Washington, DC Law Flock cameras in Washington, DC	D.C. Code § 50-2443 D.C. Code § 50-2443 (D.C. Law 25-325, § 113, May 2, 2025); definitions § 50-2431(8) Quote Implement a usage and privacy policy in order to ensure that the collection, use, maintenance, sharing, and dissemination of LPRS information is consistent with respect to individuals' privacy and civil liberties.	Requires the Mayor to issue rules for District agencies' plate-recognition systems used to enforce parking or moving violations: one shared database, security safeguards and a usage and privacy policy. More Less about Washington, DC	No entry	No entry	Not stated	Not stated
West Virginia No state law found Flock cameras in West Virginia	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Wisconsin No state law found Flock cameras in Wisconsin	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry
Wyoming No state law found Flock cameras in Wyoming	No entry	No state statute on plate readers was found.	No entry	No entry	No entry	No entry

How to read the table

Law: The law's text was read on the state's own code or legislature site, and the quote comes from it.
Law, from a secondary source: A law exists, but its official text could not be read. The row relies on legal summaries, such as the National Conference of State Legislatures list.
Rule, not a statute: An agency rule, not a law passed by the legislature.
No state law found: No state law on plate readers was found. Cities and counties may still set their own rules.

A state reads "No state law found" only after four checks:

The National Conference of State Legislatures list of plate-reader laws.
A summary of state laws by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association.
Web searches on October 25, 2026 for new laws.
A reading of the official text of any lead that looked like a law.

The official codes were not searched word by word, so a law could be missing. If you know of one, tell CamsAhead.

Each row has the day it was checked. How CamsAhead counts cameras explains how the site uses its sources.

Ask an agency for its plate-reader records

Each of the 50 states and DC has a public records law. You can use it to ask a police department or a city for its plate-reader records. The letter below fills in your state's law and the time it gives the agency to answer.

What to ask for

The policy: the agency's written rules for its plate readers, such as how long it keeps reads and who may search them.
The sharing list: which agencies can search its reads, and whose reads it can search. Flock data sharing shows the lists that agencies post.
The search log: a record of each search, with its date, who ran it and the reason given.
Camera locations: where its fixed plate readers stand.
Your own car: in 5 states, the plate-reader law lets an agency release a car's reads to its registered owner. They are Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Montana and Nebraska. Ask for yours by plate, and the letter adds it.

Who to send it to

Send the letter to the agency that runs the cameras, such as the city police, the county sheriff or the city itself. Look on its website for a public records page or officer. Many agencies take requests by email or through an online portal. Keep a copy, and note the day you sent it.

What to expect

Each records law sets how fast the agency must answer. Some give a number of business days, while others say "promptly" or set no fixed limit at all. The letter quotes the rule for your state.

An agency may hold back records it says the law protects. The table's Public record column shows what your state's plate-reader law says about the reads. The letter asks the agency to name the exemption and send the rest.

6 states let only their own residents ask: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. There, the letter adds a line that you live in the state. Copies can cost money, so the letter asks for the price first.

Questions about plate reader laws

Are Flock cameras legal where I live?

Flock cameras are license plate readers, so look up your state's plate-reader law in the table. Each row says what the law does and links to its text. In 20 of the 50 states and DC, no state law on plate readers was found.

Which states limit how long plate-reader data is kept?

19 plate-reader laws set a limit. The table's "How long it is kept" column gives each one and the section that sets it.

Is plate-reader data a public record?

It depends on the state. 19 plate-reader laws say whether the data is a public record, and the table's Public record column sums up each one in a word. Even where the reads are closed, you can ask for the agency's policy and sharing list.

Can I get plate-reader data about my own car?

In 5 states, the plate-reader law lets an agency release a car's reads to its registered owner. They are Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Montana and Nebraska. Pick one of them in the letter. It adds the ask for you.

How do I ask my city for its plate-reader records?

Send a public records request to the agency that runs the cameras. Most often, that is the police. The letter fills in your state's records law and how long the agency has to answer.

Can I file a FOIA request for Flock camera records?

The federal FOIA covers only federal agencies. Your city police or county sheriff answers under your state's own records law, and many people call that a FOIA request too. The letter names that law for each state.

Sources and updates

State codes and legislature sites: the law linked in each row, read for its quote, checked October 25, 2026
National Conference of State Legislatures, Automated License Plate Readers: State Statutes: the rows marked "Law, from a secondary source", part of the California row, and the first check behind "No state law found"
FindLaw: its copy of the state code, for part of the Georgia row
Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association, Automatic License Plate Recognition Systems: Summary of State Laws: the second check behind "No state law found"
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, Open Government Guide: each state's records law, response time and residents-only rule, checked October 25, 2026

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