Florida criminal charge
Unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties in Florida
Unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties is a criminal offense under Florida law, defined by Fla. Stat. § 812.15. 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. § 812.15.
What is the penalty for unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties in Florida?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Unauthorized interception/reception/access to communications service — Applies when a person willfully violates subsection (2)(a) by knowingly intercepting, receiving, decrypting, disrupting, transmitting, retransmitting, or acquiring access to a communications service without authorization and with intent to defraud, or knowingly assisting others to do so.; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Unauthorized interception/reception/access to communications service — Applies when a person willfully violates subsection (2)(a) by knowingly intercepting, receiving, decrypting, disrupting, transmitting, retransmitting, or acquiring access to a communications service without authorization and with intent to defraud, or knowingly assisting others to do so.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Repeat violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) — Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) and has been previously convicted of any such provision.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Repeat violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) — Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) and has been previously convicted of any such provision.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Commercial advantage or financial gain violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) — Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain.) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Commercial advantage or financial gain violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) — Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain.; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Possession of a single unauthorized-use device — Applies when a person intentionally possesses a communications device knowing or having reason to know it is designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Possession of a single unauthorized-use device — Applies when a person intentionally possesses a communications device knowing or having reason to know it is designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 5 years (Possession of five or more unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person intentionally possesses five or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $5,000 (Possession of five or more unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person intentionally possesses five or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 15 years (Possession of fifty or more unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person intentionally possesses fifty or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $10,000 (Possession of fifty or more unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person intentionally possesses fifty or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Jail / prison | up to 1 year (Advertising unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person places an advertisement in any publication promoting the sale of a communications device knowing or having reason to know the device is designed to be primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; county jail, not state prison (s. 775.08(2))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
| Fine | up to $1,000 (Advertising unauthorized-use devices — Applies when a person places an advertisement in any publication promoting the sale of a communications device knowing or having reason to know the device is designed to be primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a).; or up to double the pecuniary gain/loss (s. 775.083(1)(f)); statutes may authorize higher (s. 775.083(1)(g))) | discretionary | Fla. Stat. § 775.082 |
Applies to current (2025 Florida Statutes).
How is unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties classified in Florida?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorized interception/reception/access to communications service | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | Applies when a person willfully violates subsection (2)(a) by knowingly intercepting, receiving, decrypting, disrupting, transmitting, retransmitting, or acquiring access to a communications service without authorization and with intent to defraud, or knowingly assisting others to do so. | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(2)(b) |
| Repeat violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) | Felony of the Third Degree | Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) and has been previously convicted of any such provision. | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(3)(a) |
| Commercial advantage or financial gain violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5) | Felony of the Third Degree | Applies when a person willfully violates paragraph (2)(a), paragraph (4)(a), or subsection (5) for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial gain. | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(3)(b) |
| Possession of a single unauthorized-use device | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | Applies when a person intentionally possesses a communications device knowing or having reason to know it is designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a). | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(a) |
| Possession of five or more unauthorized-use devices | Felony of the Third Degree | Applies when a person intentionally possesses five or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a). | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(b) |
| Possession of fifty or more unauthorized-use devices | Felony of the Second Degree | Applies when a person intentionally possesses fifty or more communications devices knowing or having reason to know they are designed primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a). | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(c) |
| Advertising unauthorized-use devices | Misdemeanor of the First Degree | Applies when a person places an advertisement in any publication promoting the sale of a communications device knowing or having reason to know the device is designed to be primarily useful for committing or assisting a violation of paragraph (2)(a). | Fla. Stat. § 812.15(5) |
Common questions about unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties in Florida
Is unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Second Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 812.15.
Unauthorized interception/reception/access to communications service: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(2)(b)) · Repeat violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5): Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(3)(a)) · Commercial advantage or financial gain violation of (2)(a), (4)(a), or (5): Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(3)(b)) · Possession of a single unauthorized-use device: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(a)) · Possession of five or more unauthorized-use devices: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(b)) · Possession of fifty or more unauthorized-use devices: Felony of the Second Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(4)(c)) · Advertising unauthorized-use devices: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 812.15(5))
What are the penalties for unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties in Florida?
Penalties for unauthorized reception of communications services; 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 unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties?
Unauthorized reception of communications services; penalties is governed by Fla. Stat. § 812.15 (Unauthorized reception of communications services; 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.