The 8 Weirdest, Strangest, and Stupidest Laws in Florida

The Sunshine State has passed a lot of laws in its 176-year history. Some of those laws probably made sense in the early years after the state’s admission to the Union but seem utterly weird in our modern setting. For instance, back in the day, it was illegal to not wear clothes while taking a bath.

Times have changed, for sure, but the number of bizarre laws keeps piling up in Florida’s law books. Below we’ve compiled eight of the strangest, most obscure laws from the state of Florida.

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1. Stay at home dads are considered vagrants

In the town of Oakland in Florida, men who are able to work but are habitually living on the livings of their wives or minor children are considered vagrants. Others included in this terminology include people who neglect all lawful businesses and are habitually spending all their time frequenting brothels, casinos or arcades and liquor shops.

2. You must park your truck indoors after 7 pm

Since the 1960s the city of Coral Gables has prohibited truck owners from parking their vehicles on driveways or on city streets. This law was reinforced in 2011 when the city started to fine people $100 for their first violation and $500 for subsequent violations.

3. No gossiping in Oakland streets

It is illegal for any person within the town of Oakland to willfully disturb the peace of others by repeating or uttering slander, scandal, malicious gossip or rumor, aimed at provoking a breach of the peace.

4. All houses must have a white picket fence

This law is straight out of the 19th Century. The town of Seaside in Florida once decreed that any house built within town limits must have white, picket fences and full-width, two-story porches. This has resulted in a town that looks more like a massive beach resort.

5. No alcohol between 2 and 7 am

All bar owners in Satellite Beach are advised to only serve liquor between 7 am each day until 2 am the following day. Have a look at these guides on how to start an LLC in Florida and how to find a great registered agent in Florida that can help you avoid any legal issues when opening a business in the state.

6. No peddling in cemeteries

This ordinance hails from the seaside city of Destin, Florida. It states that “No person in any city cemetery shall expose or offer for sale any article or thing, nor shall he station or place any stand, cart, or vehicle for the transportation, sale or display of any such article or thing.”

7. All doors in public buildings must open outwards

The reasoning behind this law is that in the event of a fire or other disaster, people can exit a building as quickly as possible. If doors opened inwards, a lot of people huddled around the door would prevent its opening and therefore trap everyone inside.

8. Owning a burglar alarm requires a permit

Any person who wishes to install a burglar alarm in their premises must obtain an emergency contact registration form from the village of Pinecrest, Florida. Upon completion of the form, the police department will issue a numbered alarm sticker to the person.