St. Petersburg, FL Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- At-large ban
- No entering another's property loose
- Park leash length
- Max 6 feet
- Public-area walking
- Allowed on-leash under control
- Off-leash exception
- Fenced dog parks or Council-approved events
- Max penalty
- $500 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
St. Petersburg bars dogs from running loose on another person's property without permission and caps park leashes at six feet under Sec. 4-55, while still allowing off-leash walking in public areas under voice control and designated dog parks.
(a)Prohibited. No dog shall be allowed to run at large or upon the premises of one other than the owner without the permission of the property owner or occupant.(b)Limitation on prohibition. Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prevent the walking of a dog under leash control in areas open to the public or to prevent dogs running loose within fenced areas on or off the premises of the owner.(c)Dogs in parks. Any dog in a City park shall be restricted by leash under the control of the owner or agent; such leash shall not exceed the length of six feet. Nothing in this subsection shall prevent dogs from running at large in parks, or portions thereof, which are fenced and designated as dog parks.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 4-55(a) makes it unlawful for a dog to run at large or upon the premises of anyone other than the owner without the property owner's or occupant's permission. Subsection (b) clarifies the limits of that prohibition: it does not stop an owner from walking a dog under leash control in areas open to the public, and it does not stop dogs from running loose within fenced areas on or off the owner's premises. Subsection (c) governs City parks specifically, any dog in a City park must be restrained by a leash under the owner's or agent's control, and that leash cannot exceed six feet in length.
The park leash rule has two carve-outs: dogs may run at large in parks or portions of parks that are fenced and designated as dog parks, and dogs may go unleashed in parks or portions exempted by City Council resolution for a limited-duration event, provided Council finds the dogs will be under the voice control of their owners or agents and confined to an enclosed or limited area. The section derives from Code 1973 Sec. 8-3 and Code 1992 Sec. 4-51, and was last amended by Ord.
No. 977-g Sec. 2 on April 15, 2010. A related provision, Sec. 4-56, separately requires every dog owner to retrieve and sanitarily dispose of the dog's excrement from public or private property, with a health-hazard/nuisance exception carved out for waste left on the owner's own land.
Violations & Fines
Violating the at-large or park-leash requirement is a Code violation subject to the City's general penalty under Sec. 1-7: a fine up to $500.00, imprisonment up to 60 days, or both, with each day a continuing violation persists treated as a separate offense. The City may enforce through citation, the code enforcement board under Chapter 9 and F.S. ch. 162, or other lawful means.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a dog's leash be in a St. Petersburg park?
Can my dog run loose in my own fenced yard?
Are there dog parks in St. Petersburg where leashes aren't required?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Petersburg
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