License plates are everywhere; on city cameras, dashcams, security footage. But when that footage becomes part of a public records request, one question keeps coming up:
Can you legally blur a license plate in a FOIA release?
The short answer: Yes, in most cases, you should.
Let’s break down why that’s often required.
Recommended Reading: Selling Online? Protect Your Privacy with Video Redaction
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public the right to request records from federal agencies. State laws like California’s CPRA or New York’s FOIL offer similar access at the local level.
But FOIA isn’t a free-for-all. It includes a list of exemptions that allow agencies to redact information that could:
License plates can fall under the “personal privacy” exemption, depending on the context.
A license plate might seem harmless, it’s on a public street, after all. But in the wrong hands, it can link someone to their home, habits, and identity.
Public safety departments, transit authorities, and city agencies regularly redact license plates in:
It’s not about hiding wrongdoing. It’s about avoiding doxxing, stalking, or misuse of personal data.
There’s no single, national law that says “license plates must always be blurred.” But many state-level public records laws treat them as sensitive information when releasing visual data.
A few examples:
The key is context. A plate linked to a suspect in a criminal case? Maybe it stays visible. A plate in a parking lot unrelated to the case? Redact it.
When we say “blur,” we’re usually talking about visual redaction, obscuring details in an image or video to make them unreadable. True redaction ensures that once blurred, the data can’t be recovered or enhanced.
Cropping isn’t enough. Pixelating might fail. Proper redaction tools are built to remove the data completely and consistently.
Good question. There’s often a tension between transparency and privacy.
Some investigative reporters argue that redacting license plates limits their ability to track public agency behavior or uncover misconduct. But FOIA isn’t meant to compromise personal safety, even in the name of oversight.
This is why agencies must weigh each case individually, often consulting legal teams before releasing footage.
Here’s where modern tools make life easier.
Instead of manually scrubbing every frame of a video, government teams can now use AI-powered redaction software to:
Software like Sighthound Redactor are built for exactly this, handling visual and audio redaction for compliance with FOIA, CPRA, and other laws.
Blurring license plates isn’t a legal grey area, it’s a common-sense step to protect privacy. FOIA was designed to keep government actions transparent, not to expose civilians to risk.
If your agency handles public records that include video, images, or ALPR data, automated redaction tool is a must have.
Want to see how it works?
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