Florida statute
Fla. Stat. § 810.09 — Trespass on property other than structure or conveyance
Current through 2025 Florida Statutes
Part of Chapter 810: Burglary and Trespass, Florida Statutes.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Fla. Stat. § 810.09
Statutory text current through the 2025 Florida Statutes. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Florida.
(1)(a) A person who, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully enters upon or remains in any property other than a structure or conveyance:1. As to which notice against entering or remaining is given, either by actual communication to the offender or by posting, fencing, or cultivation as described in s. 810.011; or2. If the property is the unenclosed curtilage of a dwelling and the offender enters or remains with the intent to commit an offense thereon, other than the offense of trespass,commits the offense of trespass on property other than a structure or conveyance.(b) As used in this section, the term “unenclosed curtilage” means the unenclosed land or grounds, and any outbuildings, that are directly and intimately adjacent to and connected with the dwelling and necessary, convenient, and habitually used in connection with that dwelling.
(2) Except as provided in this subsection, trespass on property other than a structure or conveyance is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.(a) If the offender defies an order to leave, personally communicated to the offender by the owner of the premises or by an authorized person, or if the offender willfully opens any door, fence, or gate or does any act that exposes animals, crops, or other property to waste, destruction, or freedom; unlawfully dumps litter on property; or trespasses on property other than a structure or conveyance, the offender commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.(b) If the offender is armed with a firearm or other dangerous weapon during the commission of the offense of trespass on property other than a structure or conveyance, he or she commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Any owner or person authorized by the owner may, for prosecution purposes, take into custody and detain, in a reasonable manner, for a reasonable length of time, any person when he or she reasonably believes that a violation of this paragraph has been or is being committed, and that the person to be taken into custody and detained has committed or is committing the violation. If a person is taken into custody, a law enforcement officer must be called as soon as is practicable after the person has been taken into custody. The taking into custody and detention in compliance with the requirements of this paragraph does not result in criminal or civil liability for false arrest, false imprisonment, or unlawful detention.(c) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed is a construction site that is:1. Greater than 1 acre in area and is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED CONSTRUCTION SITE, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”; or2. One acre or less in area and is identified as such with a sign that appears prominently, in letters of not less than 2 inches in height, and reads in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED CONSTRUCTION SITE, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.” The sign must be placed at the location on the property where the permits for construction are located. For construction sites of 1 acre or less as provided in this subparagraph, it may not be necessary to give notice by posting as defined in s. 810.011(5).(d) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed upon is commercial horticulture property and the property is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS DESIGNATED COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FOR HORTICULTURE PRODUCTS, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”(e) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed upon is an agricultural site for testing or research purposes that is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL SITE FOR TESTING OR RESEARCH PURPOSES, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”(f) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed upon is a domestic violence center certified under s. 39.905 which is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED RESTRICTED SITE, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”(g) Any person who in taking or attempting to take any animal described in s. 379.101(19) or (20), or in killing, attempting to kill, or endangering any animal described in s. 585.01(13) knowingly propels or causes to be propelled any potentially lethal projectile over or across private land without authorization commits trespass, a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “potentially lethal projectile” includes any projectile launched from any firearm, bow, crossbow, or similar tensile device. This section does not apply to any governmental agent or employee acting within the scope of his or her official duties.(h) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed upon is an agricultural chemicals manufacturing facility that is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING FACILITY, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”(i)1. The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the offender trespasses with the intent to injure another person, damage property, or impede the operation or use of an aircraft, runway, taxiway, ramp, or apron area, and the property trespassed upon is the operational area of an airport that is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED OPERATIONAL AREA OF AN AIRPORT, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”2. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “operational area of an airport” means any portion of an airport to which access by the public is prohibited by fences or appropriate signs and includes runways, taxiways, ramps, apron areas, aircraft parking and storage areas, fuel storage areas, maintenance areas, and any other area of an airport used or intended to be used for landing, takeoff, or surface maneuvering of aircraft.(j) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the offender trespasses with the intent to commit a crime on commercial agricultural property that is legally posted and identified by signs in letters of at least 2 inches at each pedestrian and vehicle entrance in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”1. A first-time offender who is under 18 years of age at the time he or she commits the crime specified in this paragraph must be given the option of participating in a diversion program described in s. 958.12, s. 985.125, s. 985.155, or s. 985.16 or a program to which a referral is made by a state attorney under s. 985.15.2. For the purpose of this paragraph, the term “commercial agricultural property” means property cleared of its natural vegetation or fenced for the purposes of planting, growing, harvesting, processing, raising, producing, or storing plant or animal commercial commodities.(k) The offender commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, if the property trespassed upon is an area being maintained or secured by federal, state, or local law enforcement officers which is legally posted and identified in substantially the following manner: “THIS AREA IS A DESIGNATED RESTRICTED SITE SECURED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND ANYONE WHO TRESPASSES ON THIS PROPERTY COMMITS A FELONY.”
(3) As used in this section, the term “authorized person” or “person authorized” means any owner, his or her agent, or a community association authorized as an agent for the owner, or any law enforcement officer whose department has received written authorization from the owner, his or her agent, or a community association authorized as an agent for the owner, to communicate an order to leave the property in the case of a threat to public safety or welfare.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is trespass on property other than structure or conveyance a felony or a misdemeanor in Florida?
It depends on the circumstances: trespass on property other than structure or conveyance ranges from a Misdemeanor of the First Degree to a Felony of the Third Degree in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 810.09.
Basic trespass on property other than structure or conveyance: Misdemeanor of the First Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(a)) · Trespass while armed: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(b)) · Trespass on construction site: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(c)) · Trespass on commercial horticulture property: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(d)) · Trespass on agricultural testing/research site: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(e)) · Trespass on domestic violence center: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(f)) · Trespass via lethal projectile in hunting/fishing violation: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(g)) · Trespass on agricultural chemicals manufacturing facility: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(h)) · Trespass on airport operational area with intent to injure or impede: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(i)) · Trespass on commercial agricultural property with intent to commit crime: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(j)) · Trespass on law-enforcement-secured area: Felony of the Third Degree (Fla. Stat. § 810.09(2)(k))
Which Florida statute covers trespass on property other than structure or conveyance?
Trespass on property other than structure or conveyance is governed by Fla. Stat. § 810.09 (Trespass on property other than structure or conveyance).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.