Florida's long-term anchoring permit, explained

October 1, 2026

Florida now asks boaters who stay anchored in one area for two weeks or more to register with the state. The permit is free and the application is online, but it is a legal requirement and it can be enforced. Here is what the law actually says.

The rule

Since January 1, 2026, anyone who engages in "long-term anchoring" in Florida waters needs a long-term anchoring permit from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

The statute (section 327.4111, Florida Statutes) defines long-term anchoring as anchoring a vessel within one nautical mile of a documented anchorage point for 14 days or more within a 30-day period.

That is not 14 days in a row. Two weeks of nights in the same anchorage spread across a month counts.

What the permit involves

Cost: none.
Application: online at myfwc.com/boating/lt-anchoring-permit. You give owner details, vessel details (make, model, year, hull ID, registration or documentation number) and where you will anchor.
One boat per permit. You can hold more than one, but each covers a single vessel.
Valid one year from issue, and tied to a location. If you move to a new long-term spot, the permit must be updated.
It can be revoked if the boat is derelict, at risk of becoming derelict, or in breach of marine sanitation law.

Who doesn't need one

The statute exempts:

boats docked at a public or private dock
boats on a permitted mooring buoy
government vessels used for law enforcement, firefighting, military or rescue
construction or dredging vessels on an active job site
boats actively engaged in commercial fishing
recreational fishing boats while the people aboard are actively tending hook-and-line gear or nets

If you keep your boat at a marina or a mooring field, this does not touch you. It matters if you cruise Florida in winter and sit on the hook for weeks, or if you leave a boat anchored off a waterfront property.

What changed on July 1, 2026

A second law, HB 1103, took effect July 1, 2026. It did not create the permit. It widened who can enforce it:

A county or city can pass an ordinance that lets its code enforcement officers enforce the permit requirement and write citations. The ordinance does not take effect until FWC approves it, and FWC has to write rules for the process.
In Monroe County, boats used as a legal domicile were exempt from the Keys' 90-day move-your-anchor rule until 100 new public moorings exist within a mile of the Key West Bight City Dock. The law cut that number to 60.

Penalties

Anchoring long-term without a permit is a noncriminal infraction. FWC says owners who collect three or more citations within 24 months may have their vessel removed and disposed of.

Other anchoring limits still apply

The permit doesn't override other anchoring rules. Several urban stretches in Broward and Miami-Dade ban overnight anchoring altogether. Counties may create small anchoring limitation areas that cap stays at 45 consecutive days in any six months. In Monroe County, boats within 10 nautical miles of a public mooring field or designated anchoring area must move at least every 90 days.

What to do

If you plan to spend part of the winter anchored in Florida, apply before you drop the hook. It costs nothing, and having a valid permit is the whole of the requirement. Questions go to LTAP@MyFWC.com.

Sources

myfwc.com — permit required as of Jan. 1, 2026; 14 days in 30; free; online; 3 citations in 24 months can mean removal
flsenate.gov — statute text: definition, one-year permit, per-vessel, exemptions, noncriminal infraction, code enforcement subsection, history including ch. 2026-36
laws.flrules.org — Laws of Florida ch. 2025-147, s. 3: "Effective January 1, 2026, section 327.4111 ... is created"
flsenate.gov — SB 164 analysis: permit required beginning Jan. 1, 2026; fines $100/$250/$500 structure for at-risk vessels
flsenate.gov — HB 1103 final analysis: approved April 20, 2026, effective July 1, 2026; code enforcement; Monroe 60 moorings
flsenate.gov — anchoring limitation areas, Monroe County 90-day move rule, 45 days in 6 months in county-created areas
myfwc.com — FWC release of June 27, 2025 (states July 1, 2026 for the permit; superseded, see verdict_note)