Pinellas County, FL Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Covered roads
- county roads per F.S. § 334.03(8)
- Scope
- municipal AND unincorporated county roads
- Prohibited use
- any non-bicycle use of the lane
- Required direction
- same direction as motor vehicle traffic
- Exception
- crossing to reach a driveway, with care
- Penalty
- up to $500 fine, § 1-8
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 01-49, July 17, 2001
Summary
Pinellas County bans using a designated bicycle lane for anything except riding a bicycle in the same direction as traffic, on any county road whether it runs through a municipality or the unincorporated area. Drivers may still cross a bike lane briefly to reach a driveway if they use reasonable care, and violations carry the Code's general penalty of up to $500 per offense.
Bicycle means non-motorized two-wheeled cycles, having a seat, propelled solely by human power. Designated bicycle lanes means those areas within the paved portion of the roadway set apart for exclusive bicycle use by striping, symbols, and signage. ... This section shall be applicable to any designated bicycle lanes previously established as of the effective date of the ordinance from which this section derives or added in the future to any county roads, as defined by F.S. § 334.03(8), whether in municipalities or in the unincorporated areas of the county. ... It shall be unlawful for any persons to use designated bicycle lanes for any activity other than the operation of bicycles in the direction provided by F.S. ch. 316, which is in the same direction as motor vehicles. It is not prohibited for motor vehicles or pedestrians to cross bicycle lanes when necessary to ingress or egress adjacent properties or driveways, as long as reasonable care is taken not to interfere with cycling traffic.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124).
Full Breakdown
Section 122-2 defines a "bicycle" as a non-motorized, two-wheeled, human-powered cycle with a seat, and a "designated bicycle lane" as the striped, symbol- and signage-marked portion of the paved roadway set aside for exclusive bicycle use. 03(8), and it is written to cover those roads "whether in municipalities or in the unincorporated areas of the county," so a county-maintained road through St. Petersburg, Clearwater or another city is covered the same as one in the unincorporated area; a city's own streets and any bike lanes it stripes on them fall under that city's separate ordinances, not this county section.
ch. 316, the same direction as adjacent motor vehicle traffic; using the lane for parking, driving, or riding against traffic is unlawful. The Code carves out one exception: a motor vehicle or pedestrian may cross a bike lane when necessary to enter or exit a driveway or adjacent property, provided reasonable care is taken not to interfere with cyclists. The section was adopted by Ordinance No. 01-49 on July 17, 2001, and has not been amended since.
Violations & Fines
Section 122-2 carries no penalty clause of its own, so a violation is enforced as a general Code violation under § 1-8: a fine of up to $500.00, with each day a continuing violation persists treated as a separate offense. Because the section does not name a specific enforcing agency, citations are issued through ordinary county code enforcement and law enforcement channels covering the road on which the violation occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive or park in a designated bike lane in Pinellas County?
Am I allowed to cross a bike lane to reach my driveway?
Does the county bike lane rule apply on streets inside St. Petersburg or Clearwater?
What is the penalty for violating Pinellas County's bike lane rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinellas County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pinellas County to another location·View the Florida mobility & curb rules overview
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