Fla. Stat. § 327.56
Safety and marine sanitation equipment inspections; probable cause; secondary offense
Redline — January 1, 2011 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2025
As of January 1, 2011
(1) No officer shall board any vessel to make a safety or marine sanitation equipment inspection if the owner or operator is not aboard. When the owner or operator is aboard, an officer may board a vessel with consent or when the officer has probable cause or knowledge to believe that a violation of a provision of this chapter has occurred or is occurring. An officer may board a vessel when the operator refuses or is unable to display the safety or marine sanitation equipment required by law, if requested to do so by a law enforcement officer, or when the safety or marine sanitation equipment to be inspected is permanently installed and is not visible for inspection unless the officer boards the vessel.
(1) An officer may not board any vessel or perform a vessel stop in this state unless the officer has probable cause to believe that a violation of this chapter has occurred or is occurring.
(2) Inspection of floating structures for compliance with this section shall be as provided in s. 403.091.
(2) An officer may not perform a vessel stop or board a vessel for the sole purpose of performing a safety or marine sanitation equipment inspection. A violation of safety or marine sanitation equipment requirements is a secondary offense, rather than a primary offense.
Official source: Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature). Reproduced from public-domain Florida statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.