Dog Poop Laws in Florida: Ordinances, Fines, and Disposal

Dog poop laws in Florida are set at the local level, not by the state. Cities and counties each write their own ordinances requiring you to pick up after your dog on public property and other people’s land, and fines for leaving waste behind run anywhere from $25 to $500 or more per violation depending on where you are. Knowing your specific city or county rule is the only way to know exactly what you owe.

Why Florida Has No Statewide Rule

Florida’s Constitution gives municipalities and charter counties broad authority to govern their own local affairs, including the power to legislate on any subject the state legislature could address unless a state law says otherwise.1Florida Senate. Florida Constitution The Municipal Home Rule Powers Act reinforces that structure and directs courts to read local authority broadly.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 166.021 – Powers Pet waste rules, fines, and enforcement are decided city by city and county by county.

What Local Ordinances Typically Require

The core rule is nearly identical everywhere. If you’re walking a dog and it defecates on public property, a park, a sidewalk, a right-of-way, or someone else’s private property, you have to remove the waste immediately and dispose of it properly. The obligation falls on whoever has custody of the dog at the time, not just the registered owner.

Hillsborough County’s ordinance requires anyone in custody of a dog to immediately remove feces deposited on any public property, recreation area, or another person’s private land. Escambia County’s language is nearly identical and covers yards, sidewalks, streets, and rights-of-way.3Florida Water Atlas. Florida Example Pet Waste Ordinances Hollywood’s code spells out disposal: waste must go into a bag, wrapper, or sealed container and then into a trash receptacle.4City of Hollywood Code of Ordinances. Hollywood Code 92.23 – Dog Fecal Matter on Public and Private Property; Removal Required

Many jurisdictions also require you to carry a bag or removal device whenever your dog is in a public area. Escambia County, for example, specifically requires “possession of device for removal.”3Florida Water Atlas. Florida Example Pet Waste Ordinances If an officer stops you and you have nothing to pick up with, that alone can be a citable offense in some cities.

Several cities carve out an exemption for people with disabilities who rely on a service animal. Tallahassee’s ordinance states the removal requirement does not apply to disabled persons accompanied by a service animal used for assistance under the law.3Florida Water Atlas. Florida Example Pet Waste Ordinances Not every city includes this exemption, so check the local code.

Fines by Jurisdiction

Violations are usually handled as civil infractions, meaning a citation and a fine rather than an arrest. Dollar amounts vary widely:

Most first-time citations across the state fall in the $25 to $150 range, but the ceiling in some jurisdictions is genuinely steep. Citations are issued by local animal control officers or code enforcement officers, who are authorized to investigate on both public and private property.7The 2025 Florida Statutes – Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 828.27 Ignoring a citation makes things worse: unpaid fines can escalate, add late fees, or trigger a mandatory court appearance.

Rules for Your Own Yard

Public cleanup ordinances don’t reach into your own yard, but that doesn’t mean waste can pile up indefinitely. When accumulated feces produce odors, attract flies, or create unsanitary conditions affecting neighbors, the issue becomes a nuisance. Florida law identifies conditions that breed flies, mosquitoes, or other disease-carrying insects, and conditions producing noisome odors harmful to human life, as presumptive evidence of a nuisance injurious to health.8The 2025 Florida Statutes – Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 386.041 – Nuisances Injurious to Health Local health authorities and code enforcement can investigate complaints and act to abate the nuisance.

If you live under a homeowners’ association, expect stricter oversight on top of the county or city rule. Florida HOAs commonly include pet waste provisions in their covenants and impose their own fines for uncleaned common areas or private lots. These are separate from municipal penalties, so a single incident in an HOA community can trigger fines from both.

Proper Disposal and the Biodegradable Bag Myth

The simplest compliant method is bagging the waste and putting it in a trash can. Most ordinances define proper disposal as placing waste in a sealed bag or container and depositing it in a garbage receptacle.4City of Hollywood Code of Ordinances. Hollywood Code 92.23 – Dog Fecal Matter on Public and Private Property; Removal Required Leaving a tied bag on the ground next to a full trash can doesn’t count.

One common misconception is that “biodegradable” or “compostable” bags fix the problem. The FTC has warned pet waste bag manufacturers that these claims are often misleading. An unqualified “biodegradable” label implies the product breaks down completely within a year of normal disposal, which does not happen inside a sealed landfill. Compostable claims are more problematic still: dog waste is generally unsafe to compost at home, and very few commercial facilities accept it, so most compostable claims on pet waste bags are essentially untrue.9Federal Trade Commission. FTC Staff Warns Marketers and Sellers of Dog Waste Bags That Their Biodegradable and Compostable Claims May Be Deceptive Standard plastic bags work fine for compliance. The waste ends up in a landfill either way.

Professional pet waste removal services operate throughout Florida, with weekly visits typically running $15 to $50 depending on yard size and number of dogs. That’s a fraction of even a single fine in most jurisdictions.

How to Find Your Local Ordinance

The rule that matters is the one where you actually walk your dog. Search your city or county name plus “code of ordinances” and look for the animal control chapter, or call your local code enforcement office and ask for the pet waste section and current fine schedule. Many counties post both online. If you’re moving or traveling within the state, check before you go: the rules in Pasco County differ from Hollywood, which differ from Miami-Dade, and assuming the wrong number is an expensive way to find out.