DeSantis Signs Bill Reducing Florida Keys Moorings to 60 and Empowering Officers to Ticket Abandoned Boats

Late Monday, DeSantis signed HB 1103 together with three other bills in a private ceremony. The legislation passed both chambers unanimously during the 2026 Legislative Session. It aims to improve water safety and streamline rules for vessels in state waters.

- Beginning July 1, county or city code enforcement officers may issue citations for vessels deemed public nuisances because they are abandoned or in poor condition. - The law lowers the public‑mooring threshold near Key West Bight City Dock from 100 to at least 60 for a vessel to qualify as a domicile. - Municipalities can now establish boating‑restricted zones up to 1,000 feet around blind corners, setting speed limits that must be marked according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules. - Before any local ordinance on destroying, storing, or otherwise handling nuisance vessels takes effect, the FWC must review and approve it. - Monroe County’s anchoring limitation remains: a vessel may stay in one spot for no more than 90 days unless it is classified as a domicile, which now requires the reduced 60‑mooring standard.

The change reduces the barrier for live‑aboard boaters to establish legal domicile status in the Keys, potentially increasing the number of long‑term residents on the water. Local governments gain clearer authority to act against derelict craft, which could lessen hazards and environmental risks. The new speed‑restriction ability offers a tool to improve safety in congested or narrow channels, though its use will depend on local adoption and FWC approval.