Florida
Weird Laws in Florida: Which Are Still on the Books?
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited October 21, 2026). · 2 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
We checked five weird Florida claims from popular lists against the full text of the Florida Statutes, reading the chapters each claim would most likely fall under, as of October 21, 2026. For four of the five no state law was found, and the fifth has the right animal but the wrong punishment. For the rest of the country, see our weird laws by state guide.
Weird laws in Florida: the verdicts
Each claim below was checked against the Florida code and, where it names a town, the local code. 5 claims checked.
The claim: Unmarried women may not parachute on Sundays.
What the law says: No Florida state law found that bars unmarried women from parachuting on Sundays. Parachuting is not addressed in the aviation or public-order chapters checked.
No state law found in the Florida code as of October 21, 2026.
How we searched
We searched the full text of the Florida Statutes for any rule on parachuting, unmarried women or Sunday activities, and read the section lists of the aviation, aircraft-offense, miscellaneous-crimes and assembly chapters.
Parts of the code read
- Florida Statutes Chapter 330 (regulation of aircraft, pilots and airports)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 860 (offenses concerning aircraft, motor vehicles, vessels and railroads)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 877 (miscellaneous crimes)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 871 (disturbing religious and other assemblies)
No town code was checked for this claim.
Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.
The claim: Singing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit is banned.
What the law says: No Florida state law found banning singing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit. The nearest state rules are disorderly conduct (877.03) and exposure of sexual organs (800.03).
No state law found in the Florida code as of October 21, 2026.
How we searched
We searched the full text of the Florida Statutes for any rule on swimsuits, bathing suits or bathing attire, and read the miscellaneous-crimes and lewdness chapters for any rule on singing or dress in public places.
Parts of the code read
- Florida Statutes Chapter 877 (miscellaneous crimes, including breach of the peace and disorderly conduct)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 800 (lewdness and indecent exposure)
No town code was checked for this claim.
Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.
The claim: Elephants must be tied to parking meters with fee paid.
What the law says: No Florida state law found requiring elephants to be tied to parking meters. State law on parking meters (877.08) concerns coin-operated machine tampering, not animals.
No state law found in the Florida code as of October 21, 2026.
How we searched
We searched the full text of the Florida Statutes for any rule on elephants or on tying animals to parking meters, and read the miscellaneous-crimes and animal chapters.
Parts of the code read
- Florida Statutes Chapter 877 (miscellaneous crimes, including the parking meter and vending machine offense)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 828 (animals: cruelty and related offenses)
No town code was checked for this claim.
Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.
The claim: Kissing is limited to six minutes (1927).
What the law says: No Florida state law found limiting kissing to six minutes. Florida's lewdness and indecent exposure chapter (chapter 800) covers exposure of sexual organs and lewd or lascivious offenses and says nothing about how long a kiss may last.
No state law found in the Florida code as of October 21, 2026.
How we searched
We searched the full text of the Florida Statutes for any rule on kissing or a six-minute limit, and read the lewdness and miscellaneous-crimes chapters.
Parts of the code read
- Florida Statutes Chapter 800 (lewdness and indecent exposure)
- Florida Statutes Chapter 877 (miscellaneous crimes, including breach of the peace and disorderly conduct)
No town code was checked for this claim.
Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.
The claim: Horse theft is punishable by hanging.
What the law says: Florida has no hanging penalty for horse theft. Stealing a commercially farmed animal, which the statute says includes any animal of the equine class, is at least grand theft of the third degree, a third-degree felony, with a mandatory $10,000 fine; a higher-value horse can make it a more serious grade of theft. Killing or maiming a horse is a separate second-degree felony.
“It is grand theft of the third degree and a felony of the third degree ... if the property stolen is: ... 7. Any commercially farmed animal, including any animal of the equine, avian, bovine, or swine class or other grazing animal”
Penalty: Third-degree felony (punishable under ss. 775.082-775.084). § 812.014(2)(c)7: 'If the property stolen is a commercially farmed animal, including an animal of the equine, avian, bovine, or swine class or other grazing animal ... a $10,000 fine shall be imposed.' Value of $20,000 or more makes it second-degree grand theft ((2)(b)1); $100,000 or more, first-degree ((2)(a)1).
Last cited by a court: Lane (2026)
Primary source · Checked October 21, 2026.
Checked October 21, 2026. This is legal history and information, not legal advice. Laws change; the linked official text is the authority.
Horse theft: a felony and a fine, not a hanging
Florida has no hanging penalty for stealing a horse. The real rule sits in the theft statute, which treats a horse as a commercially farmed animal. Section 812.014(2)(c)7 provides:
It is grand theft of the third degree and a felony of the third degree ... if the property stolen is: ... 7. Any commercially farmed animal, including any animal of the equine, avian, bovine, or swine class or other grazing animal
The same provision adds that when the property stolen is a commercially farmed animal, a $10,000 fine shall be imposed. The theft grade can rise with value: a horse worth $20,000 or more makes it second-degree grand theft under (2)(b)1, and $100,000 or more makes it first-degree under (2)(a)1.
Killing or maiming a horse is a separate offense, a second-degree felony. So the claim keeps the horse and the seriousness, and swaps in a punishment the statutes do not contain.
Four claims with no state law found
Parachuting on Sunday
No Florida state law was found as of October 21, 2026 barring unmarried women from parachuting on Sundays. We searched the statutes for parachuting, unmarried women and Sunday activities, and read the section lists of the aviation chapter (330), the aircraft and vehicle offenses chapter (860), the miscellaneous crimes chapter (877) and the chapter on disturbing religious and other assemblies (871). Parachuting is not addressed in any of them.
Singing in a swimsuit
No Florida state law was found banning singing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit. The search covered swimsuits, bathing suits and bathing attire. The nearest real rules are disorderly conduct (section 877.03) and exposure of sexual organs (section 800.03), and neither says anything about singing or swimwear.
Elephants and parking meters
No Florida state law was found requiring an elephant to be tied to a parking meter with the fee paid. Florida does have a parking meter statute, section 877.08, but it concerns tampering with coin-operated machines. We also read the animal cruelty chapter (828) and found nothing about elephants or meters.
The six-minute kiss
No Florida state law was found limiting a kiss to six minutes. Chapter 800, on lewdness and indecent exposure, covers exposure of sexual organs and lewd or lascivious offenses and says nothing about how long a kiss may last. The breach of the peace and disorderly conduct provisions in chapter 877 contain no rule on kissing either.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is horse theft punishable by hanging in Florida?
No. Under Fla. Stat. § 812.014(2)(c)7, stealing a commercially farmed animal, including any animal of the equine class, is at least grand theft of the third degree, a third-degree felony, with a $10,000 fine. A horse valued at $20,000 or more raises it to second-degree grand theft, and $100,000 or more to first-degree.
Is it illegal for unmarried women to parachute on Sunday in Florida?
No Florida state law was found as of October 21, 2026 barring unmarried women from parachuting on Sundays. Parachuting is not addressed in the aviation, aircraft-offense, miscellaneous-crimes or assembly chapters of the Florida Statutes.
Is it illegal to sing in a swimsuit in Florida?
No Florida state law was found banning singing in a public place while wearing a swimsuit. The nearest state rules are disorderly conduct in section 877.03 and exposure of sexual organs in section 800.03.
Do you have to feed the parking meter if you tie an elephant to it in Florida?
No Florida state law was found about tying elephants to parking meters. The state parking meter statute, section 877.08, concerns tampering with coin-operated machines, not animals.
What are some weird laws in Florida?
The claims we checked are hanging for horse theft, no Sunday parachuting for unmarried women, no singing in a swimsuit, elephants at parking meters and a six-minute kissing limit. Only horse theft has a real law behind it, and the actual penalty is a felony and a $10,000 fine.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- Fla. Stat. § 812.014, Theft (Florida Legislature)(www.leg.state.fl.us).gov
- Florida Statutes chapter 877, Miscellaneous Crimes, including §§ 877.03 and 877.08 (Florida Legislature)(www.leg.state.fl.us).gov
- Lane (2026)(courtlistener.com)