Welcome To Service Dog Laws Florida
In Florida, service dogs are governed by various laws, depending on the context. According to federal Americans with Disabilities Act law, service dogs are allowed to go anywhere that the general public is allowed or invited to go.
This includes any publicly and privately owned businesses that serve the public. Some examples are restaurants, hotels and motels, retail stores and malls, taxis and buses, theaters and concerts, sports facilities, community centers, etc. For a related article, check out our guide to Emotional Support Animal Laws in Florida.
Definitions of Service Animal
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 2010 Regulations define a service animal as:
“any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition.”
Americans with Disabilities Act
Florida Statute 413.08 defines a service animal as:
An animal that is trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability. In places of public accommodation, a service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse.
Florida Statutes 2023
Disability Rights Florida
Call Disability Rights Florida at 1-800-342-0823
Sam is an experienced writer, advocate for people with disabilities and mental health, dog lover, artist, philosopher, and generally complicated human being.
