Florida has no state breed ban, and a 2023 change to state law ended the last local one, in Miami-Dade County. That is the short answer to the first question most owners of large or “restricted-breed” dogs ask. The longer answer is that the law stops at the government. Hotels, vacation rental owners, condo associations and insurers are private, and they can and do set their own breed and size rules. This guide separates the two.
What Florida Law Says About Local Breed Rules
Florida’s dangerous dog act lets a local government adopt ordinances to address attacks on people or domestic animals, and to put further restrictions on owners of dogs that have bitten or attacked. Section 767.14 attaches one condition: “no such regulation is specific to breed, weight, or size.” The Legislature amended that section in 2023 (chapter 2023-253), and the change took effect on October 1, 2023.
The most visible effect was in Miami-Dade County, which had banned certain pit bull-type dogs since 1989. News coverage of the change reported that, with the new state law in effect, the county’s ordinance became null and void. Under section 767.14, a local rule written under the dangerous dog act cannot single out a dog by breed, weight or size.
How Florida Defines a Dangerous Dog
The definition in section 767.11 mentions no breed. A dangerous dog is one that has aggressively bitten, attacked or endangered a person, or inflicted severe injury on one, on public or private property; one that has more than once severely injured or killed a domestic animal while off its owner’s property; or one that, unprovoked, has chased or approached a person on a street, sidewalk or public ground in a menacing fashion or apparent attitude of attack. The test is what a particular dog has done, not what it looks like.
What Private Rules Can Still Do
Section 767.14 limits local governments and public housing authorities. It does not reach a business or a homeowners association. The same coverage that reported the Miami-Dade change noted that residential communities, such as condominiums and apartment buildings, can still restrict specific breeds. Three places where you will meet a breed or size rule:
- Hotels. Each property writes its own pet policy. The ones in our hotel guides limit by weight and number of pets rather than by breed. Examples: the W Fort Lauderdale has a 45-pound limit, Andaz Miami Beach 50 pounds for one dog, Hotel Effie Sandestin 65 pounds per pet, and Homewood Suites Destin 75 pounds. See our Florida pet-friendly hotels guide and the city hotel pages it links to.
- Vacation rentals. The owner or manager sets the rule, and it can include breed, weight or number of dogs. Read the house rules, not just the pet-friendly badge. Our rental guide explains what to ask, and our fenced yard page lists houses by yard.
- Insurance. The Insurance Information Institute reports that some insurers will not cover owners of breeds they categorize as dangerous, such as pit bulls, that others decide case by case, and that some charge more for certain breeds or do not ask about breed at all. After a bite, an insurer may charge a higher premium, decline to renew, or exclude the dog. If you are moving to Florida with a dog, read our moving guide and call your insurer before you sign a lease or a mortgage.
What to Do If Your Dog Is Large or on a Restricted List
- Ask in writing, before you pay. Ask for the weight limit, any breed list, and the number of dogs allowed, and keep the reply.
- Ask what happens at the door. A policy that reads well online can be applied differently by staff. A written answer helps.
- Look for operators that say it plainly. A St. Augustine tour company, for example, says in its listing that all sizes and breeds are welcome. See our Florida tours that take dogs for others.
- Keep records that show your dog’s record. A current rabies certificate, a vet letter and training records may help when a decision is made case by case.
- Service dogs are covered by different rules. The ADA says a service animal may not be excluded based on assumptions or stereotypes about its breed. Our service animal guide explains the law.
More Pet-Friendly Florida
Continue with our pet-friendly hotels in Florida and pet-friendly vacation rentals in Florida.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 767.14 – local government authority, no regulation specific to breed, weight or size: flsenate.gov
- Florida Statutes 767.11 – definition of a dangerous dog: flsenate.gov
- CBS Miami – New state law takes effect that will lift Miami-Dade ban on pit bulls: cbsnews.com
- Insurance Information Institute – Dog bite liability: iii.org
