Is it legal to avoid Flock cameras?

2 min readGuide

We found no law against choosing roads that pass fewer Flock cameras, but covering or altering your license plate to beat a camera is illegal in many states, including New York and Georgia.

Picking your roads

No law we could find requires a driver to take the fastest route or to pass a particular camera. Choosing among public roads is what every navigation app already does. When FOX 5 Atlanta covered camera-avoiding apps in August 2026, it drew the line this way: “Simply taking a different road to avoid a camera is one thing. Illegally obscuring a license plate is another.”

A detour doesn't suspend traffic law. Private roads, gated streets, turn restrictions and no-through-traffic signs all still count, and a FlockDetour route never replaces posted signs.

Covering your plate is where it turns illegal

New York made selling license plate covers illegal on September 1, 2024, raised the fine for obscuring a plate to between $100 and $500, and requires anyone convicted to surrender the cover. Georgia law requires plates to be clearly displayed.

FlockDetour never recommends covering, tinting or altering a plate, and never advises blocking or damaging a camera. Where towns have removed Flock cameras, it happened through council votes and contract decisions.

What towns have done about it

Are Flock cameras themselves legal?

For Norfolk, Virginia, a federal judge said yes. On January 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Mark Davis ruled that Norfolk, Virginia's 176 Flock cameras don't violate the Fourth Amendment, writing that “an individual scan of a license plate, a vehicle identifier that generally must be displayed under state law, does not invade any privacy interests.” The plaintiffs, represented by the Institute for Justice, said they would appeal to the Fourth Circuit.

Some states limit how the cameras are used. Virginia's HB 2724, in effect since July 1, 2025, restricts police use of plate readers to purposes such as criminal investigations and missing-person cases and requires reads to be purged after 21 days. New Hampshire requires reads to be purged within 3 minutes unless they lead to an arrest, a citation or protective custody, or identify a vehicle tied to a serious crime.

Records law has moved too. In November 2025 a Washington state court ruled that Flock camera images held by Stanwood and Sedro-Woolley are public records, even though Flock stores them.

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Questions people ask

Is it legal to use an app that avoids Flock cameras?
DeFlock, FlockHopper and FlockDetour are map and navigation apps on the App Store and Google Play that suggest routes on public roads. We found no law against using one. Follow traffic laws and posted signs on any route. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I get a ticket for covering my license plate?
Yes, in many states. In New York, obscuring a plate carries a fine of $100 to $500 and the cover must be surrendered, and selling plate covers there has been illegal since September 1, 2024. Georgia requires plates to be clearly displayed. FlockDetour never recommends covering a plate.
Are Flock cameras unconstitutional?
A federal judge ruled on January 27, 2026 that Norfolk, Virginia's use of 176 Flock cameras doesn't violate the Fourth Amendment. The plaintiffs said they would appeal to the Fourth Circuit, so the question isn't settled.
Can I get the Flock data collected about my car?
You can ask through a public records request, but agencies often refuse image requests from the public. Search audit logs, which show who searched which plates and why, are more often released. A Washington court ruled in November 2025 that Flock camera images are public records there.

Related guides

How to avoid Flock cameras, legally · How to request your city's Flock audit logs · How long does Flock keep license plate data? · All guides · Live camera map · Get the app

Sources

FlockDetour is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Flock Safety or any surveillance vendor.