Tampa, FL Public Conduct: Public Marijuana Use (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Tampa Code § 14-62
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 2016-44 (3-17-2016)
- Possession threshold
- 20 grams or less
- Fine schedule
- $75 to $450 (Class I)
- Payment deadline
- 30 days from citation
Summary
Tampa Code § 14-62 lets police issue a civil citation instead of a criminal charge for possessing 20 grams or less of cannabis or related paraphernalia. It's a Class I civil offense starting at $75, but missing the 30-day payment deadline permanently disqualifies a person from this civil alternative.
(b)Any person who possesses twenty (20) grams or less of cannabis as defined herein except as otherwise authorized by law commits a violation of this subsection.(c)Any person who possesses paraphernalia as defined herein except as otherwise authorized by law commits a violation of this subsection.(d)A person charged with possession of cannabis under subsection (b) may not be charged with possession of paraphernalia under subsection (c) arising out of the same incident.(e)Penalties and procedure.(1)The provisions of Tampa Code Chapter 23.5 shall apply to all violations charged pursuant to this section.(2)Violation of this section is deemed to be an irreparable or irreversible violation punishable by civil penalty as a Class I offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 148).
Full Breakdown
Tampa Code § 14-62, adopted by Ordinance No. 2016-44 on March 17, 2016, gives Tampa police officers a civil citation option instead of a criminal charge for small-scale marijuana possession. 986. Possessing cannabis paraphernalia, any object used or intended for use in ingesting, inhaling, smoking, or otherwise introducing cannabis into the body, is a separate violation, but subsection (d) prevents someone from being hit with both a possession charge and a paraphernalia charge out of the same single incident. 5 of the Tampa Code governs the mechanics: a violation of § 14-62 is classified as an 'irreparable or irreversible' Class I civil offense, meaning an officer can issue the citation on the spot without a prior warning, and the fine schedule escalates from $75 for a first offense to $150, $300, and $450 for a fourth or subsequent offense. 5 otherwise allows for nonpayment. 13, which still governs amounts and conduct the city ordinance does not reach.
Violations & Fines
A § 14-62 citation is a Class I civil offense: $75 for a first offense, $150 for a second, $300 for a third, and $450 for a fourth or subsequent offense, issued immediately without a prior warning. Miss the 30-day payment deadline and § 14-62(e)(3) permanently disqualifies that person from the civil citation option for future offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tampa police give a ticket instead of arresting for marijuana?
Can I be cited for both cannabis and a pipe in Tampa?
What if I don't pay my Tampa cannabis citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tampa
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