Are Any Dog Breeds Banned in Florida?

No dog breeds are banned in Florida. Since October 1, 2023, state law has prohibited every city, county, and public housing authority from passing or enforcing any rule that singles out dogs by breed, weight, or size. Florida now regulates dogs based on what an individual dog has done, not what it looks like.

The 2023 Law That Ended Breed Bans

Florida Statute 767.14 lets local governments and public housing authorities pass animal safety rules, impose requirements on owners of dogs that have bitten someone, and enforce the state’s dangerous dog law. Every one of those local rules must be breed-neutral. The statute says no regulation can be “specific to breed, weight, or size.”¹

Before 2023, the law contained a grandfather clause: breed-specific ordinances adopted before October 1, 1990, were allowed to stay on the books. A small number of local governments relied on that exemption to keep bans targeting breeds like pit bulls. When Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 942 in June 2023, the legislature removed the exemption entirely, effective October 1, 2023.

Miami-Dade County had the most well-known breed ban in Florida, a decades-old ordinance prohibiting residents from owning pit bulls. When SB 942 took effect, the county confirmed that state law had automatically reversed its pit bull ban. No local vote or repeal was necessary because the new law simply removed the legal authority the ordinance depended on.¹ If you’ve heard that a specific Florida city or county still bans a breed, that information is outdated.

How Florida Decides a Dog Is Dangerous

Instead of targeting breeds, Florida law looks at what a specific dog has done. Under Section 767.11, a dog can be classified as “dangerous” if it:

Aggressively bit, attacked, endangered, or inflicted severe injury on a person, on public or private property.
Severely injured or killed a domestic animal more than once while off the owner’s property.
Chased or approached a person on public grounds in a menacing manner without provocation, confirmed by a sworn statement and investigated by animal control.

“Severe injury” is defined narrowly: broken bones, multiple bites, or disfiguring wounds requiring sutures or reconstructive surgery. A single minor bite that doesn’t meet that threshold won’t trigger a dangerous dog classification, though local authorities can still investigate the incident.²

Animal control investigates reports, interviews the owner, and collects sworn statements before issuing a written notice of classification. The owner has seven calendar days to request a hearing in writing; miss that window and the classification becomes final.¹

What Owners of a Dangerous Dog Must Do

Once a dog is officially classified as dangerous and any appeal is exhausted, the owner takes on a serious list of ongoing obligations. These aren’t suggestions; failing to comply can result in the dog being confiscated or destroyed. The owner must:

Obtain a certificate of registration from local animal control every year. Only people 18 or older can register the dog.
Maintain at least $100,000 in liability insurance for damages from an attack causing bodily injury.
Have the dog microchipped and spayed or neutered.
Keep the dog’s rabies vaccination current.
Build a secure enclosure with solid sides and a top that prevents the dog from escaping, keeps young children out, and provides protection from the elements.
Post clearly visible warning signs at all entry points to the property, understandable to both children and adults.
Muzzle and restrain the dog with a substantial chain or leash any time it leaves the enclosure, under the control of a competent person. The muzzle must let the dog see and breathe while preventing biting.

The owner also has to notify animal control right away if the dog gets loose, bites someone, attacks another animal, is given away, dies, or moves to a new address.¹

Criminal Charges When a Dog Attacks

Florida holds owners criminally accountable when their dogs cause harm, and the charges depend on whether the dog was already classified as dangerous.

If a dog that has already been declared dangerous attacks or bites a person or domestic animal without provocation, the owner commits a first-degree misdemeanor. If the attack causes severe injury or death to a person, it becomes a second-degree felony.³

Even without a prior classification, owners can face charges. Under Section 767.136, if an unclassified dog attacks and causes severe injury or death to a person, and the owner knew the dog had dangerous tendencies but recklessly disregarded them, the owner commits a second-degree misdemeanor. There’s a built-in defense: if the victim was committing or attempting a crime at the time of the attack, the owner has no criminal liability under this section.⁴

Where Breed Can Still Affect You in Florida

The state ban on breed-specific rules covers governments and public housing. Private parties operate under different rules, and this is where breed still matters in practice.

Landlords and HOAs

Private landlords in Florida can include breed or size restrictions in lease agreements. Homeowners and condominium associations can adopt similar restrictions in their governing documents, including weight limits or lists of prohibited breeds. These are private contractual agreements, so the state’s breed-neutral law doesn’t reach them.

The major exception involves disability-related assistance animals. Under the Fair Housing Act, landlords and HOAs must provide reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities who need a service animal or emotional support animal. Standard pet rules, breed restrictions, pet deposits, and pet fees generally do not apply. The focus shifts to the individual animal’s behavior rather than its breed. If you have a legitimate need for an assistance animal that happens to be a restricted breed, the housing provider typically must accommodate you.⁵

Homeowners Insurance

This catches many Florida dog owners off guard. Even though no government in Florida can ban your breed, your homeowners insurance company can refuse to cover you because of it. Insurers commonly maintain lists of breeds they consider high-risk and may deny coverage, exclude dog-bite liability from your policy, or charge higher premiums based on your dog’s breed. Florida law does not currently prohibit this. If you own a breed that insurers flag, shop around and ask specifically about breed-related restrictions before binding a policy.

1
Online Sunshine. The 2025 Florida Statutes – Chapter 767
2
Justia Law. Florida Statutes 767.11 – Definitions
3
Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 767.13 – Attack or Bite by Dangerous Dog
4
Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 767.136
5
U.S. Department of Justice. ADA Requirements: Service Animals