Florida campaign finance rules live in Chapter 106 of the state’s election code, and they govern every dollar raised or spent to influence a Florida election. Contributions are capped at $1,000 or $3,000 per election depending on the office, every candidate and committee must run money through a single designated bank account, and virtually every transaction becomes public record through required filings. Violations draw automatic late fines, civil penalties up to $2,500 per count, and in cases of willful conduct, misdemeanor charges plus a civil penalty of three times the amount involved.
How Much Someone Can Give
The contribution cap depends on what office the candidate is seeking. For statewide offices and Supreme Court retention races, any person or political committee can give up to $3,000 per election. Governor and lieutenant governor running on the same ticket count as one candidate for that cap.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.08 – Contributions; Limitations on Contributions For legislative seats, county offices, circuit and county court judges, multicounty offices, and district court of appeal retention races, the limit is $1,000 per election.2Online Sunshine. Florida Code 106.08 – Contributions; Limitations on Contributions
These caps are per election, not per cycle. The primary and general are treated as separate elections, so a donor who maxed out before the primary can give the same amount again for the general if the candidate advances.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.08 – Contributions; Limitations on Contributions Political parties and affiliated party committees are not bound by the per-election caps at all.
What Counts as a Contribution
Florida defines “contribution” broadly. Cash, checks, loans, and anything of value given to influence an election all qualify, including in-kind donations such as free office space, printing, or equipment. Transfers between political committees count. If someone pays a worker to help a campaign without billing the campaign, that payment is a contribution.3Online Sunshine. Florida Code 106.011 – Definitions
Volunteering your own time is not a contribution, even if you happen to be a professional whose services would normally cost money. Foreign nationals cannot make or offer any contribution or expenditure connected to a Florida election, full stop.1Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.08 – Contributions; Limitations on Contributions
The Campaign Depository and How Funds Can Be Spent
Every candidate and political committee must designate a campaign treasurer and open a primary campaign depository at a qualified bank. All contributions get deposited there, and every expenditure flows out of that one account.4Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.11 – Expenses of and Expenditures by Candidates and Political Committees The depository must stay separate from any personal account and is only used for campaign-related deposits and payments.
Campaign money cannot be used for personal living expenses, unrelated debts, or anything not tied to the election. Credit card charges paid with campaign funds have to relate directly to the campaign. If a campaign pays for something outside the depository system, there is no documented link to a legitimate campaign purpose, and that gap alone can trigger an investigation.
When a Group Has to Register as a Political Committee
Any organization that receives contributions or makes expenditures totaling more than $500 in a calendar year must register as a political committee by filing a Statement of Organization within ten days of forming. If the committee forms within ten days of an election, filing is immediate.5Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.03 – Registration of Political Committees and Electioneering Communications Organizations Spending money before completing registration or depositing contributions into an undesignated account creates immediate compliance problems.
Reporting and Public Disclosure
Every candidate and political committee files periodic reports listing contributions received and expenditures made. Each report must include the full name and address of every contributor, the date and amount of each transaction, and a description of each expenditure. For any individual contribution over $100, the report must also list the donor’s occupation. State-level filings go to the Division of Elections; local races file with local filing officers.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.07 – Reports; Certification and Filing
Reports become public record on filing. The schedule intensifies as elections approach. Missing a deadline triggers automatic fines of $50 per day for the first three days late, then $500 per day after that, capped at 25 percent of whichever is greater between total receipts and total expenditures for the reporting period. For reports due immediately before a primary, general, or special election, the fine is $500 per day from day one.7Online Sunshine. Florida Code 106.07 – Reports; Certification and Filing No investigation is needed; the fine runs automatically.
Rules for Political Advertisements
Every political ad in Florida needs a disclaimer, whether it runs on television, radio, a mailer, a yard sign, or online. A candidate-funded ad must prominently show the candidate’s name, party affiliation, and office sought, with language indicating the candidate paid for and approved the message. Two formats work: “Political advertisement paid for and approved by [name], [party], for [office]” or the shorter “Paid by [name], [party], for [office].”8Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.143 – Political Advertisements Circulated Prior to Election; Requirements
Ads paid for by anyone other than the candidate follow a different rule. They must carry “paid political advertisement” (or “pd. pol. adv.”), identify who paid, and disclose any in-kind production costs. An independent expenditure ad not coordinated with the candidate has to say explicitly that no candidate approved it, and the person making the expenditure must give the distributing media outlet a written statement to that effect.8Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.143 – Political Advertisements Circulated Prior to Election; Requirements
In-kind ads from a political party require their own language: “Paid political advertisement paid for in-kind by [party name]. Approved by [candidate name, party affiliation, and office sought].” Disclaimer errors are among the easiest violations to commit, especially on digital ads where space is tight.
Independent Expenditures by Outside Spenders
An independent expenditure is money spent to support or oppose a candidate or ballot issue without coordination with the candidate’s campaign. Once independent expenditures hit $5,000 in the aggregate, the spender must file periodic reports on the same schedule, with the same filing officer, and subject to the same penalties as a political committee. Reports have to show who spent the money, who received it, what was purchased, and which candidate or issue the spending was meant to influence.9Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.071 – Independent Expenditures; Reporting Requirements
You don’t have to be a formal organization to hit the threshold. An individual who spends $5,000 on mailers opposing a local ballot measure is in the same reporting framework as a committee. Because the amount is cumulative across the cycle, smaller expenditures can quietly add up to trigger the requirement.
Closing Out the Campaign Account
Within 90 days of withdrawing, becoming unopposed, losing, or winning, a candidate must empty the campaign account and file a final report accounting for the remaining funds. Once that clock starts, no more contributions can be accepted.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.141 – Disposition of Surplus Funds by Candidates
Leftover money can go to any of these:
- A pro rata refund to contributors.
- One or more 501(c)(3) charities, as long as the candidate is not employed by the recipient.
- The candidate’s affiliated party committee or political party, up to $25,000.
- The state’s General Revenue Fund, or for local candidates, the political subdivision’s general fund.
Winners get additional options. They can transfer a portion of surplus funds into an office account to cover expenses of holding the position, with the ceiling tied to the office; state officeholders can also retain up to $20,000 in the campaign account for a future run for the same office.10Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.141 – Disposition of Surplus Funds by Candidates
Enforcement, Fines, and Criminal Exposure
The Florida Elections Commission investigates alleged Chapter 106 violations. Cases start with a sworn complaint based on personal knowledge, or a referral from the Division of Elections. A sworn complaint must be filed within two years of the alleged violation.11Online Sunshine. Florida Code 106.25 – Florida Elections Commission; Duties When the Commission finds a violation, it can impose civil fines up to $2,500 per count. For a fourth offense in the same category, fines can be tripled to $7,500 per count.12Online Sunshine. Florida Code 106.265 – Civil Penalties
Willful conduct is a separate matter. Knowingly accepting contributions above the legal limits, failing to report required contributions, falsifying campaign reports, or making unauthorized expenditures are first-degree misdemeanors, each carrying up to one year in jail.13Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.19 – Violations by Candidates, Campaign Managers, or Treasurers; Penalty On top of that, the violator faces a civil penalty equal to three times the amount of money involved. A $10,000 illegal contribution produces a $30,000 civil penalty on top of any criminal sentence.14Florida Senate. Florida Code 106.19 – Violations by Candidates, Campaign Managers, or Treasurers; Penalty Accidental errors and bookkeeping mistakes are handled through the civil enforcement process; criminal charges are reserved for deliberate deception.