The American-Statesman reviewed news reports, city records and other online resources to determine which Central Texas municipalities are using the technology. The Statesman examined all cities within Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties and contacted agencies that do not appear to have said whether they use the cameras.
As of the publication of this map, nine communities report using license plate reader technology: Bee Cave, Buda, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Hutto, Lakeway, Mustang Ridge, Round Rock and West Lake Hills.
Nine cities cancelled canceled their contracts with license plate reader vendors: Austin, Bastrop, Lago Vista, Leander, Liberty Hill, Manor, Pflugerville, San Marcos and Sunset Valley. Elgin is pausing its program. Dripping Springs, Rollingwood and Smithville report that they are not using the technology.
The Kyle City Council declined on Sept. 5 to cancel the city’s contracts with Flock, the Atlanta-based license plate reader company that has drawn significant public backlash. Instead, council members will consider putting a nonbinding question on the May 2027 ballot asking voters whether the city should continue using license plate readers.
Officials in Bartlett, Coupland, Creedmoor, Florence, Granger, Jarrell, Jonestown, Taylor, Thorndale, Thrall, Weir and Wimberley did not respond to the Statesman’s inquiries, leaving it unclear whether they are using license plate readers.
The map reflects a shifting debate over the technology. The Statesman previously reported that the Austin Police Department no longer directly accesses an automated license plate reader database after the city’s Flock contract expired in 2025. But officers can still receive information from partner agencies that have lawful access to the system. Austin has no written agreements governing those exchanges and does not track them, raising questions about how often the data is shared and whether city surveillance rules apply.
Backlash against the technology accelerated locally when the Pflugerville City Council voted Aug. 25 to cancel the city’s contract with Flock after a resident sought logs showing which outside agencies had searched the city’s data. Bastrop, Elgin, Manor and Leander followed with moves to end or pause their contracts — with the Bastrop City Council also voting to ban the use of license plate reader technology altogether. The changes came after Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to stop spending money on Flock cameras.
Supporters say license plate readers help locate stolen vehicles, missing people and suspects. Critics say searchable records of where vehicles travel can enable mass surveillance, especially when the data is retained or shared with different law enforcement agencies.