Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 540.08 (2025)
Unauthorized publication of name or likeness.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
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540.08 Unauthorized publication of name or likeness.—
(1) No person shall publish, print, display or otherwise publicly use for purposes of trade or for any commercial or advertising purpose the name, portrait, photograph, or other likeness of any natural person without the express written or oral consent to such use given by:
(a) Such person; or
(b) Any other person, firm or corporation authorized in writing by such person to license the commercial use of her or his name or likeness; or
(c) If such person is deceased, any person, firm or corporation authorized in writing to license the commercial use of her or his name or likeness, or if no person, firm or corporation is so authorized, then by any one from among a class composed of her or his surviving spouse and surviving children.
(2) In the event the consent required in subsection (1) is not obtained, the person whose name, portrait, photograph, or other likeness is so used, or any person, firm, or corporation authorized by such person in writing to license the commercial use of her or his name or likeness, or, if the person whose likeness is used is deceased, any person, firm, or corporation having the right to give such consent, as provided hereinabove, may bring an action to enjoin such unauthorized publication, printing, display or other public use, and to recover damages for any loss or injury sustained by reason thereof, including an amount which would have been a reasonable royalty, and punitive or exemplary damages.
(3) If a person uses the name, portrait, photograph, or other likeness of a member of the armed forces without obtaining the consent required in subsection (1) and such use is not subject to any exception listed in this section, a court may impose a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation in addition to the civil remedies contained in subsection (2). Each commercial transaction constitutes a violation under this section. As used in this section, the term “member of the armed forces” means an officer or enlisted member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard of the United States, the Florida National Guard, and the United States Reserve Forces, including any officer or enlisted member who died as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty.
(4) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(a) The publication, printing, display, or use of the name or likeness of any person in any newspaper, magazine, book, news broadcast or telecast, or other news medium or publication as part of any bona fide news report or presentation having a current and legitimate public interest and where such name or likeness is not used for advertising purposes;
(b) The use of such name, portrait, photograph, or other likeness in connection with the resale or other distribution of literary, musical, or artistic productions or other articles of merchandise or property where such person has consented to the use of her or his name, portrait, photograph, or likeness on or in connection with the initial sale or distribution thereof; or
(c) Any photograph of a person solely as a member of the public and where such person is not named or otherwise identified in or in connection with the use of such photograph.
(5) No action shall be brought under this section by reason of any publication, printing, display, or other public use of the name or likeness of a person occurring after the expiration of 40 years from and after the death of such person.
(6) As used in this section, a person’s “surviving spouse” is the person’s surviving spouse under the law of her or his domicile at the time of her or his death, whether or not the spouse has later remarried; and a person’s “children” are her or his immediate offspring and any children legally adopted by the person. Any consent provided for in subsection (1) shall be given on behalf of a minor by the guardian of her or his person or by either parent.
(7) The remedies provided for in this section shall be in addition to and not in limitation of the remedies and rights of any person under the common law against the invasion of her or his privacy.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 83
cases (18 in the last 5 years), 1977–2025 · leading case: Lane v. Mra Holdings, LLC, 242 F. Supp. 2d 1205 (M.D. Fla. 2002).
Lane v. Mra Holdings, LLC, 242 F. Supp. 2d 1205 (M.D. Fla. 2002). “Lane’s eight count Amended Complaint alleges unauthorized publication in violation of Fla. Stat. § 540.08 against MRA (Count I); Mantra (Count IV); Ventura (Count V); Woodholly (Count VI); and AMX (Count VII), common law invasion of privacy for commercial misappropriation of…”
Weinstein Design Grp., Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004). “" § 540.08, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Weinstein did print the brochures for advertising purposes.”
Tyne v. Time Warner Ent. Co., 901 So. 2d 802 (Fla. 2005). “As a matter of law, this Court finds that Lane's image and likeness were not used to promote a product or service.”
Thais Cardoso Almeida v. Amazon.com, Inc., 456 F.3d 1316 (11th Cir. 2006). “Almeida asserted claims against Amazon pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 540.08 (West 2006), for civil theft pursuant to Fla.”
Emma Gayle Weaver, etc. v. Stephen C. Myers, M.D., 229 So. 3d 1118 (Fla. 2017). “§ 540.08, Fla. Stat. (2016); see, e.g., Cason v.”
Tyne Ex Rel. Tyne v. Time Warner Ent. Co., 204 F. Supp. 2d 1338 (M.D. Fla. 2002). “Murphy in The Perfect Storm without consent, Defendants violated Fla.Stat. § 540.08. In Counts Two, Three, Four, Nine, Ten, and Thirteen, Plaintiffs assert claims pursuant § 540.”
Coton v. Televised Visual X-Ography, Inc., 740 F. Supp. 2d 1299 (M.D. Fla. 2010). “Statutory Misappropriation of Image The plaintiff also claims that the defendants misappropriated her image, in violation of Fla. Stat. § 540.08 . That statute provides, in pertinent part: No person shall publish, print, display or otherwise publicly use for purposes of trade or…”
Putnam Berkley Grp., Inc. v. Dinin, 734 So. 2d 532 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999). “Because their statutory claim was based on section 540.08, [7] as distinguished from a claim based on the common law of defamation, plaintiffs argue, it did not accrue until they discovered the unauthorized 1988 publication many years later, in 1995.”
Comptech Intern., Inc. v. Milam Com. Park, Ltd., 753 So. 2d 1219 (Fla. 1999). “4th DCA 1999), the Fourth District reviewed the same issue in the context of an unauthorized publication action brought pursuant to section 540.08, Florida Statutes (1993). [5] In ruling that the plaintiff's cause *1223 of action under the statute was not barred by the economic…”
Ting Ji v. Bose Corp., 626 F.3d 116 (1st Cir. 2010). “” Fla. Stat. § 540.08 . The district court initially denied the motion.”
Epic Metals Corp. v. Condec, Inc., 867 F. Supp. 1009 (M.D. Fla. 1994). “Fla.Stat. § 540.08 (1993). The threshold inquiry is what statute of limitations applies and whether the counterclaims are barred by the applicable statute of limitations.”
Faulkner Press, L.L.C. v. Class Notes, L.L.C., 756 F. Supp. 2d 1352 (N.D. Fla. 2010). “Moulton’s name for commercial and advertising purposes in violation of section 540.08, Florida Statutes, by including the words “Professor Moulton” on the cover of its note packages.”
— 540.08(1) — 5 cases
Emma Gayle Weaver, etc. v. Stephen C. Myers, M.D., 229 So. 3d 1118 (Fla. 2017). “§ 540.08, Fla. Stat. (2016); see, e.g., Cason v.”
Tyne v. Time Warner Ent. Co., 901 So. 2d 802 (Fla. 2005). “As a matter of law, this Court finds that Lane's image and likeness were not used to promote a product or service.”
John Daly Enter., LLC v. Hippo Golf Co., Inc., 646 F. Supp. 2d 1347 (S.D. Fla. 2009).
Commodores Entm't Corp. v. McClary, 324 F. Supp. 3d 1245 (M.D. Fla. 2018).
Erica Tyne v. Time Warner Ent., 425 F.3d 1363 (11th Cir. 2005).
— 540.08(1)(b) — 1 case
Weinstein Design Grp., Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004). “" § 540.08, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Weinstein did print the brochures for advertising purposes.”
— 540.08(1)(c) — 1 case
Loft v. Fuller, 408 So. 2d 619 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981).
— 540.08(2) — 4 cases
Weinstein Design Grp., Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004). “" § 540.08, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Weinstein did print the brochures for advertising purposes.”
Putnam Berkley Grp., Inc. v. Dinin, 734 So. 2d 532 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999). “Because their statutory claim was based on section 540.08, [7] as distinguished from a claim based on the common law of defamation, plaintiffs argue, it did not accrue until they discovered the unauthorized 1988 publication many years later, in 1995.”
WFTV, Inc. v. Hinn, 705 So. 2d 1010 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998).
Chen v. Cayman Arts, Inc., 757 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
— 540.08(3) — 5 cases
Weinstein Design Grp., Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004). “" § 540.08, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Weinstein did print the brochures for advertising purposes.”
Tyne Ex Rel. Tyne v. Time Warner Ent. Co., 204 F. Supp. 2d 1338 (M.D. Fla. 2002). “Murphy in The Perfect Storm without consent, Defendants violated Fla.Stat. § 540.08. In Counts Two, Three, Four, Nine, Ten, and Thirteen, Plaintiffs assert claims pursuant § 540.”
Chen v. Cayman Arts, Inc., 757 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
Fuentes v. Mega Media Holdings, Inc., 721 F. Supp. 2d 1255 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
Nelson v. Globe Commc'ns Corp., 45 Fla. Supp. 48 (Fla. Cir. Ct. 1977).
— 540.08(3)(a) — 2 cases
Weinstein Design Grp., Inc. v. Fielder, 884 So. 2d 990 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004). “" § 540.08, Fla. Stat. (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Weinstein did print the brochures for advertising purposes.”
Tyne v. Time Warner Ent. Co., 901 So. 2d 802 (Fla. 2005). “As a matter of law, this Court finds that Lane's image and likeness were not used to promote a product or service.”
— 540.08(3)(c) — 2 cases
Epic Metals Corp. v. Condec, Inc., 867 F. Supp. 1009 (M.D. Fla. 1994). “Fla.Stat. § 540.08 (1993). The threshold inquiry is what statute of limitations applies and whether the counterclaims are barred by the applicable statute of limitations.”
Nottage v. Am. Exp. Co., 452 So. 2d 1066 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984).
— 540.08(4) — 1 case
Epic Metals Corp. v. Condec, Inc., 867 F. Supp. 1009 (M.D. Fla. 1994). “Fla.Stat. § 540.08 (1993). The threshold inquiry is what statute of limitations applies and whether the counterclaims are barred by the applicable statute of limitations.”
— 540.08(4)(b) — 1 case
Chen v. Cayman Arts, Inc., 757 F. Supp. 2d 1294 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
— 540.08(6) — 1 case
Comptech Intern., Inc. v. Milam Com. Park, Ltd., 753 So. 2d 1219 (Fla. 1999). “4th DCA 1999), the Fourth District reviewed the same issue in the context of an unauthorized publication action brought pursuant to section 540.08, Florida Statutes (1993). [5] In ruling that the plaintiff's cause *1223 of action under the statute was not barred by the economic…”
— 540.08(7) — 1 case
Fuentes v. Mega Media Holdings, Inc., 721 F. Supp. 2d 1255 (S.D. Fla. 2010).
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