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Florida criminal charge

Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties in Florida

Current through 2026 Florida legislative session

Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties is a criminal offense under Florida law, defined by Fla. Stat. § 812.015. Its classification is not fixed: Florida assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by Fla. Stat. § 812.015.

What is the penalty for retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties in Florida?

Penalties for Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 1 year (Resisting recovery of property/fare/trespass removal — An individual who, while committing or after committing theft, transit fare evasion, or trespass, resists the reasonable effort of a law enforcement officer, merchant, merchant's employee, farmer, or transit agency employee/agent to recover property, collect fare, or remove the individual, knowing or having reason to know the person's role.; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Fineup to $1,000 (Resisting recovery of property/fare/trespass removal — An individual who, while committing or after committing theft, transit fare evasion, or trespass, resists the reasonable effort of a law enforcement officer, merchant, merchant's employee, farmer, or transit agency employee/agent to recover property, collect fare, or remove the individual, knowing or having reason to know the person's role.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Jail / prisonup to 5 years (Possession of antishoplifting device countermeasure — A person possesses an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.)discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Fineup to $5,000 (Possession of antishoplifting device countermeasure — A person possesses an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Jail / prisonup to 5 years (Use or attempted use of antishoplifting device countermeasure — A person uses or attempts to use an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.)discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Fineup to $5,000 (Use or attempted use of antishoplifting device countermeasure — A person uses or attempts to use an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Jail / prisonup to 5 years (Organized/aggregated retail theft ($750 or more, various coordinated schemes) — A person commits retail theft under one of the coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location, distraction, mislabeled package, or group-overwhelming schemes described in (8)(a)-(g), with aggregated value of $750 or more (except (8)(f) which depends on item count, not value threshold).)discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Fineup to $5,000 (Organized/aggregated retail theft ($750 or more, various coordinated schemes) — A person commits retail theft under one of the coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location, distraction, mislabeled package, or group-overwhelming schemes described in (8)(a)-(g), with aggregated value of $750 or more (except (8)(f) which depends on item count, not value threshold).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Jail / prisonup to 15 years (Organized/aggregated retail theft (value in excess of $3,000, various coordinated schemes) — A person commits retail theft under coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location item-count, or social-media-solicited group schemes described in (9)(b)-(e), with aggregated value exceeding $3,000 (except (9)(d) which depends on item count).)discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082
Fineup to $10,000 (Organized/aggregated retail theft (value in excess of $3,000, various coordinated schemes) — A person commits retail theft under coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location item-count, or social-media-solicited group schemes described in (9)(b)-(e), with aggregated value exceeding $3,000 (except (9)(d) which depends on item count).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g)))discretionaryFla. Stat. § 775.082

Applies to current (2025 Florida Statutes).

How is retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties classified in Florida?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Resisting recovery of property/fare/trespass removalMisdemeanor of the First DegreeAn individual who, while committing or after committing theft, transit fare evasion, or trespass, resists the reasonable effort of a law enforcement officer, merchant, merchant's employee, farmer, or transit agency employee/agent to recover property, collect fare, or remove the individual, knowing or having reason to know the person's role.Fla. Stat. § 812.015(6)
Possession of antishoplifting device countermeasureFelony of the Third DegreeA person possesses an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.Fla. Stat. § 812.015(7)
Use or attempted use of antishoplifting device countermeasureFelony of the Third DegreeA person uses or attempts to use an antishoplifting or inventory control device countermeasure within premises used for retail purchase or sale of merchandise.Fla. Stat. § 812.015(7)
Organized/aggregated retail theft ($750 or more, various coordinated schemes)Felony of the Third DegreeA person commits retail theft under one of the coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location, distraction, mislabeled package, or group-overwhelming schemes described in (8)(a)-(g), with aggregated value of $750 or more (except (8)(f) which depends on item count, not value threshold).Fla. Stat. § 812.015(8)
Organized/aggregated retail theft (value in excess of $3,000, various coordinated schemes)Felony of the Second DegreeA person commits retail theft under coordinated, conspiratorial, multi-location item-count, or social-media-solicited group schemes described in (9)(b)-(e), with aggregated value exceeding $3,000 (except (9)(d) which depends on item count).Fla. Stat. § 812.015(9)

Common questions about retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties in Florida

Is retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?

It depends on the circumstances: retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Second Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 812.015.

Resisting recovery of property/fare/trespass removal: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.015(6)) · Possession of antishoplifting device countermeasure: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.015(7)) · Use or attempted use of antishoplifting device countermeasure: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.015(7)) · Organized/aggregated retail theft ($750 or more, various coordinated schemes): Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.015(8)) · Organized/aggregated retail theft (value in excess of $3,000, various coordinated schemes): Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.015(9))

What are the penalties for retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties in Florida?

Penalties for retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties in Florida depend on how it is classified — from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree up to a Felony of the Second Degree — with the ranges set by Fla. Stat. § 775.082; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which Florida statute covers retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties?

Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties is governed by Fla. Stat. § 812.015 (Retail and farm theft; transit fare evasion; mandatory fine; alternative punishment; detention and arrest; exemption from liability for false arrest; resisting arrest; penalties).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.