French mayors do not have the right to ban burkinis, according to the countries highest administrative court, which suspended the bans already in place.
The ruling from the state council suspends a single ban in the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, but it's expected to set a precedent for other towns prohibiting full-body swimwear on their beaches.
Under French law, temporary decisions can be delivered before the court takes more time to prepare a judgment on the underlying legality of the case.
Officials say the ban on the burkini is in response to growing terror concerns after a truck rampage in Nice killed 84 and the stabbing of an 86-year-old priest occurred last month.
Earlier this week, photos of police telling a woman on a beach in Nice to remove part of her clothing went viral on social media.
Human rights groups allege the ban on the burkini promotes Islamaphobia.