OFFENSES RELATED TO PUBLIC ROADS, TRANSPORT, AND WATERS

F.S. Ch. 861

in effect

F.S. 861.01 Obstructing highway.

Whoever obstructs any public road or established highway by fencing across or into the same or by willfully causing any other obstruction in or to such road or highway, or any part thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and the judgment of the court shall also be that the obstruction be removed.

F.S. 861.02 Obstructing watercourse.

Whoever erects or fixes on any navigable watercourse any dam, bridge, hedge, seine, drag, or other obstruction, whereby the navigation of boats drawing 3 feet of water or the passage of fish may be obstructed, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083.

F.S. 861.03 Injuries to dams.

Whoever willfully, maliciously, and unlawfully injures, removes or destroys any dam lawfully placed in or on any stream in this state for the purpose of propelling any kind of machinery, or willfully and maliciously makes any aperture or breach in such dam with intent to destroy or injure the same, shall be guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

F.S. 861.04 Placing water hyacinths in any of the streams or waters of the state.

Whoever willfully places or causes to be placed any water hyacinths in any of the territorial waters of the state whether navigable or nonnavigable shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

F.S. 861.05 Obstruction to navigation by bridges.

Any railway company, other corporation, or person which has heretofore constructed, and which shall hereafter construct, any bridge or other causeway across any of the navigable waters of the state, is required to build and maintain a suitable draw or other proper and necessary appliances so as to be able to remove such obstruction or to turn a sufficient section thereof as to allow boats or other watercraft to pass such bridge or other causeway without delay or hindrance, and any such company, corporation, or person failing to comply with such requirements shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.083.

F.S. 861.06 Obstructing harbors.

The master or other person in charge of any steamer, vessel, barge, or lighter, or any other person who violates the provisions of law relative to the protection of harbors, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

F.S. 861.07 Obstructing roads.

Whenever any tie cutter or log cutter cutting ties for a railroad or logs for milling purposes shall cut or fell any tree into or across any traveled road, whether it be a county road, a road regularly used by the public, or a neighborhood road, and shall fail to remove the same within 2 hours thereafter so as to free the road from all obstruction therefrom, such tie cutter or log cutter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083; and such person and the person’s employer shall be liable or responsible for any and all damages resulting from so obstructing a traveled road.

F.S. 861.08 Obstructing county and settlement roads.

(1) Whoever shall fell, drag, or by any means place a tree, or other obstruction, in or across any county settlement or neighborhood road regularly used, or whoever causes such obstruction to be placed therein, shall remove the same from such road within 6 hours thereafter. (2) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083; provided, that this law shall not apply to pasture fences, gates, nor the improvement of private property.

F.S. 861.09 Certain vehicles prohibited from using hard-surfaced roads.

(1) It is unlawful for any person to drive, propel, or operate, or to have driven, propelled or operated, over the hard-surfaced public roads or parts of roads of this state any vehicle or implement having wheels that will carry more than 200 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 1 inch in width, or 500 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 2 inches in width, or 800 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 3 inches in width, or 1200 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires of 4 inches in width, or 1500 pounds per wheel for every vehicle having tires 5 inches in width, or that will carry any load greater than 6,000 pounds without first providing 1 inch of tire width per wheel for each additional 2,000 pounds, or fraction thereof, or to permit any vehicle or implement or any load or portion of load thereof to drag upon the surface of any hard-surfaced public road or parts of roads; provided, that nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of roughened surfaces on rubber tires or on the wheels of farm implements weighing less than 1,000 pounds. (2) “Hard-surfaced public roads or parts of roads” as used in this section shall be construed to be brick, concrete, asphaltic, sand clay, sand, or bituminous surfaced roads which are maintained by county or state funds. (3) Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

F.S. 861.11 Penalty for cutting or destroying shade trees along public roads.

(1) The county commissioners of each county may prescribe that the public roads in their county shall not be less than 30 feet wide, and it shall be unlawful for any person to belt, cut, or destroy any shade trees on any public road or right-of-way without authority from the superintendent of public roads, supervisor, or overseer of the district in which said trees are situated. (2) Each supervisor or overseer of each district in such counties shall enforce the provisions of this section by reporting the offenders to the nearest county court judge, and each offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

F.S. 861.011 Obstructing transportation facility.

Any person who obstructs any public transportation facility by fencing across or into it or by willfully causing any other obstruction in or to such transportation facility, or any part thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and the judgment of the court shall also be that the obstruction be removed.

F.S. 861.12 Penalty for road official or overseer neglecting duty.

Any superintendent of public roads, supervisor, or overseer who willfully neglects to perform the duties prescribed in s. 861.11 shall be deemed guilty of, and made a party to, the offense and proceeded against as the original offender by any person.

F.S. 861.021 Obstructing channels; misdemeanor.

(1) It is unlawful for any person to place any spiny lobster, crab, or fish trap or set net or other similar device with a buoy or marker attached so that said buoy or marker obstructs the navigation of boats in channels of the waters of the state which are marked by, and which markers are continuously maintained by, the Coast Guard of the United States. (2) Any person willfully violating the provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter861/AllFetched: 7/8/2026