Miami Code Sec. 37 prohibits aggressive panhandling — soliciting with threatening conduct, blocking pedestrians, or repeating requests after refusal. Florida Statute Sec. 856.022 also restricts loitering. Passive sign-holding remains First Amendment-protected speech.
Miami Code Sec. 37 (Offenses-Miscellaneous) prohibits aggressive panhandling, defined as soliciting money in a manner that involves intimidation, blocking the path of a pedestrian or vehicle, touching the solicited person, repeating a request after refusal, or panhandling at ATMs, bus stops, outdoor cafes, or after dark. Passive begging with a sign in a public forum is protected by the First Amendment after Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015) and Norton v. Springfield (7th Cir. 2015), so Miami enforces only conduct-based, content-neutral restrictions. Florida Statute Sec. 856.022 layers a state loitering-and-prowling offense for threatening conduct. Miami also applies median-safety rules barring solicitation in roadways.
Aggressive panhandling is a civil infraction or misdemeanor under Sec. 37, fined up to 500 dollars or 60 days jail. Repeat violations may trigger park trespass warnings. Roadway median solicitation is a separate traffic offense.
See how Miami's aggressive panhandling rules stack up against other locations.
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