Brevard County, FL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- 1st offense fine
- $55.00
- 4th+ offense fine
- $415.00
- Governing section
- Brevard County Code § 14-56
- Scope
- Unincorporated Brevard only
- Underground fencing
- Not sufficient restraint alone
Summary
Brevard County requires owners to keep dogs under leash, fence, or tether at all times; letting a dog run at large in unincorporated areas draws civil fines starting at $55.
No animal shall be permitted or allowed to be at large. It is a violation of this article for the owner of an animal to permit or allow the animal to be at large, whether willfully, negligently, or as a result of the failure to exercise reasonable care in restraining the animal as defined in section 14-55.
(Ord. No. 93-05, § 1(4-12(1)), 4-13-93; Ord. No. 93-11, § 1(4-12(1)), 6-8-93; Ord. No. 94-24, § 1, 11-15-94; Ord. No. 98-01, § 13, 1-20-98; Ord. No. 2014-27, § 1, 9-16-14; Ord. No. 2018-02, § 1, 1-23-18)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-56 bars letting any animal be at large in unincorporated Brevard County, and Sec. 14-36 defines 'at large' as off the owner's property and not under direct control, custody, charge, or possession of the owner or another responsible person. Sec. 14-55 spells out reasonable care: a securely enclosed fence or pen, a chain, cable, or trolley tether, or a leash with a person capable of controlling the animal. An underground electronic containment system alone does not satisfy this standard. Animal control enforces both sections; the code applies only outside Brevard's cities.
Violations & Fines
Civil infraction: $55 first offense, $165 second, $265 third, and $415 fourth and subsequent, per Sec. 14-79's fee schedule for Sec. 14-56 violations, plus a $10 court cost and $5 training surcharge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an invisible or underground fence meet Brevard's leash law?
What counts as a dog being 'at large' in Brevard County?
Does this leash law apply in Melbourne or Palm Bay?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Brevard County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Brevard County to another location·View the Florida animal ordinances overview
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