The mesophase behaviour of liquid-crystalline polymethacrylates with 4'-trifluoromethoxyazobenzene mesogens and alkylene spacers (-(-CH2-)-(n), n = 2-6) in the side chains was investigated and compared with that of the corresponding non-fluorinated polymers. The fluorinated polymers with spacer lengths n = 5 and 6 are the first side-group liquid-crystalline polymethacrylates showing a nematic phase below a smectic A phase.