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Florida Dog Bite Claims

Florida imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites: the owner is liable regardless of the dog's prior viciousness or the owner's knowledge of it (Fla. Stat. § 767.04). The victim's own negligence reduces recovery, and a prominently displayed 'Bad Dog' sign can limit liability — but not against children under 6 or where the owner was negligent.

By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 25, 2026

Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.

This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to a Florida attorney promptly — the two-year deadline applies.

Florida is a strict-liability state for dog bites — which makes these claims different from many other states’ “one-bite” rules.

Strict liability

Under Fla. Stat. § 767.04, a dog owner is liable for a bite regardless of the dog’s former viciousness or the owner’s knowledge of it, as long as the victim was lawfully on public property or private property (including the owner’s). You don’t have to prove the dog had bitten before or that the owner was careless.

The limits

  • Comparative fault. The bitten person’s own negligence reduces the owner’s liability by the victim’s percentage of fault.
  • The “Bad Dog” sign. An owner who prominently displays an easily readable “Bad Dog” sign can limit liability — except when the victim is a child under 6, or when the owner’s own negligent act caused the injury.

Deadline

A dog-bite claim is generally subject to the two-year deadline (Fla. Stat. § 95.11) for claims accruing on or after March 24, 2023. To get matched with a local Florida dog-bite attorney, connect with a lawyer.

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Frequently asked questions

Does it matter if the dog never bit anyone before?
No. Florida owners are strictly liable for dog bites regardless of the dog's history or whether the owner knew it might bite (Fla. Stat. § 767.04).
Does a 'Beware of Dog' sign protect the owner?
A prominently displayed 'Bad Dog' sign can limit an owner's liability — but not against a child under 6, and not where the owner's own negligence caused the bite (Fla. Stat. § 767.04).
What if I was partly to blame?
The victim's own negligence reduces the owner's liability proportionally under Florida's comparative-fault rules.

Sources

Related guides

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