PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THOSE WITH SERVICE ANIMALS

Jacksonville Ordinance Code tit. XI, ch. 406, pt. 5

in effect

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.501 Definitions as to Public Accommodations for those with Service Animals.

Sec. 406.501. - Definitions as to Public Accommodations for those with Service Animals. (a) Individual with a disability means a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of the individual. (b) Major life activity means a function such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. (c) Physical or mental impairment means: (1) A physiological disorder or condition, disfigurement, or anatomical loss that affects one or more bodily functions; or (2) A mental or psychological disorder that meets one of the diagnostic categories specified in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, such as an intellectual or developmental disability, organic brain syndrome, traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, military sexual trauma and/or an emotional or mental illness. (d) Service animal means an animal that is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work done or tasks performed must be directly related to the individual's disability and may include, but are not limited to, guiding an individual who is visually impaired or blind, alerting an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, assisting with mobility or balance, alerting and protecting an individual who is having a seizure, retrieving objects, alerting an individual to the presence of allergens, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to an individual with a mobility disability, helping an individual with a psychiatric or neurological disability by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors, reminding an individual with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming an individual with posttraumatic stress disorder during an anxiety attack, or doing other specific work or performing other special tasks. The term service animal is limited to a dog or miniature horse. The crime-deterrent effect of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for purposes of this definition. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.502 Reasonable Accommodation for individuals with service animals.

Sec. 406.502. - Reasonable Accommodation for individuals with service animals. An individual with a disability is entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges in all public accommodations. A public accommodation must modify its policies, practices, and procedures to permit use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. This Section does not require any person, firm, business, or corporation, or any agent thereof, to modify or provide any vehicle, premises, facility, or service to a higher degree of accommodation than is required for a person not disabled. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.503 Right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas of a public accommodation that the public or customers are normally permitted to occupy.

Sec. 406.503. - Right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas of a public accommodation that the public or customers are normally permitted to occupy. (a) The service animal must be under the control of its handler and must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler's control by means of voice control, signals, or other effective means. (b) Documentation that the service animal is trained is not a precondition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. A public accommodation may not ask about the nature or extent of an individual's disability. To determine the difference between a service animal and a pet, a public accommodation may ask if an animal is a service animal required because of a disability and what work or tasks the animal has been trained to perform. (c) A public accommodation may not impose a deposit or surcharge on an individual with a disability as a precondition to permitting a service animal to accompany the individual with a disability, even if a deposit is routinely required for pets. (d) An individual with a disability is liable for damage caused by a service animal if it is the regular policy and practice of the public accommodation to charge nondisabled persons for damages caused by their pets. (e) The care or supervision of a service animal is the responsibility of the individual owner. A public accommodation in the City of Jacksonville will not be required to provide care or food or a special location for the service animal or assistance with removing animal excrement. (f) A public accommodation may exclude or remove any animal from the premises, including a service animal, if the animal is out of control and the animal's handler does not take effective action to control it, the animal is not housebroken, or the animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others. Allergies and fear of animals are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to an individual with a service animal. If a service animal is excluded or removed for being a direct threat to others, the public accommodation must provide the individual with a disability the option of continuing access to the public accommodation without having the service animal on the premises. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.504 Trainers of service animals.

Sec. 406.504. - Trainers of service animals. Any trainer of a service animal, while engaged in the training of such an animal, has the same rights and privileges with respect to access to public facilities and the same liability for damage as is provided for those persons described in Section 406.501 accompanied by service animals. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.505 Unlawful practices and penalties.

Sec. 406.505. - Unlawful practices and penalties. (a) Any person, firm, or corporation, or the agent of any person, firm, or corporation, who denies or interferes with admittance to, or enjoyment of, a public accommodation or, with regard to a public accommodation, otherwise interferes with the rights of an individual with a disability or the trainer of a service animal while engaged in the training of such an animal commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or F.S. § 775.083, and must perform 30 hours of community service for an organization that serves persons with disabilities or for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court, to be completed in not more than six months. (b) A person who knowingly and willfully misrepresents herself or himself, through conduct or verbal or written notice, as using a service animal and being qualified to use a service animal or as a trainer of a service animal commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or F.S. § 775.083, and must perform 30 hours of community service for an organization that serves persons with disabilities or for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court, to be completed in not more than six months. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.506 Interference with or injury to a service animal; penalties; restitution.

Sec. 406.506. - Interference with or injury to a service animal; penalties; restitution. (a) A person who, with reckless disregard, interferes with, or permits a dog that he or she owns or is in the immediate control of to interfere with, the use of a service animal by obstructing, intimidating, or otherwise jeopardizing the safety of the service animal or its user commits a misdemeanor of the second degree for the first offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree for each subsequent offense, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or F.S. § 775.083. (b) A person who, with reckless disregard, injures or kills, or permits a dog that he or she owns or is in the immediate control of to injure or kill, a service animal commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, or F.S. § 775.083. (c) A person who intentionally injures or kills, or permits a dog that he or she owns or is in the immediate control of to injure or kill, a service animal commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in F.S. § 775.082, F.S. § 775.083, or F.S. § 775.084. (d) (1) A person who is convicted of a violation of this Section, in addition to any other penalty, must make full restitution for all damages that arise out of or are related to the offense, including incidental and consequential damages incurred by the service animal's user. (2) Restitution includes the value of the service animal; replacement and training or retraining expenses for the service animal and the user; veterinary and other medical and boarding expenses for the service animal; medical expenses for the user; and lost wages or income incurred by the user during any period that the user is without the services of the service animal. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Jacksonville Ordinance Code § 406.507 Compliance with Chapter 462, Ordinance Code.

Sec. 406.507. - Compliance with Chapter 462, Ordinance Code. Except as specifically provided for herein, the requirements of Chapter 462, Ordinance Code, as to licensing, vaccination, nuisance and other public health and regulatory requirements shall apply to service animals within the City of Jacksonville. (Ord. 2020-614-E, § 1)

Source: City of Jacksonville, Ordinance Code and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/jacksonville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITXIEQOP_CH406PUAC_PT5PUACTHSEANFetched: 10/27/2026