Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 559.55 (2025)

Definitions.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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559.55 Definitions.—The following terms shall, unless the context otherwise indicates, have the following meanings for the purpose of this part:

(1) “Commission” means the Financial Services Commission.

(2) “Communication” means the conveying of information regarding a debt directly or indirectly to any person through any medium.

(3) “Consumer collection agency” means any debt collector or business entity engaged in the business of soliciting consumer debts for collection or of collecting consumer debts, which debt collector or business is not expressly exempted as set forth in s. 559.553(3).

(4) “Control person” means an individual, partnership, corporation, trust, or other organization that possesses the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of a company, whether through ownership of securities, by contract, or otherwise. The term includes, but is not limited to:

(a) A company’s executive officers, including the president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief operations officer, chief legal officer, chief compliance officer, director, and other individuals having similar status or functions.

(b) For a corporation, a shareholder who, directly or indirectly, owns 10 percent or more or that has the power to vote 10 percent or more, of a class of voting securities unless the applicant is a publicly traded company.

(c) For a partnership, all general partners and limited or special partners who have contributed 10 percent or more or that have the right to receive, upon dissolution, 10 percent or more of the partnership’s capital.

(d) For a trust, each trustee.

(e) For a limited liability company, all elected managers and those members who have contributed 10 percent or more or that have the right to receive, upon dissolution, 10 percent or more of the partnership’s capital.

(5) “Creditor” means any person who offers or extends credit creating a debt or to whom a debt is owed, but does not include any person to the extent that they receive an assignment or transfer of a debt in default solely for the purpose of facilitating collection of such debt for another.

(6) “Debt” or “consumer debt” means any obligation or alleged obligation of a consumer to pay money arising out of a transaction in which the money, property, insurance, or services which are the subject of the transaction are primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, whether or not such obligation has been reduced to judgment.

(7) “Debt collector” means any person who uses any instrumentality of commerce within this state, whether initiated from within or outside this state, in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of debts, or who regularly collects or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly, debts owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another. The term “debt collector” includes any creditor who, in the process of collecting her or his own debts, uses any name other than her or his own which would indicate that a third person is collecting or attempting to collect such debts. The term does not include:

(a) Any officer or employee of a creditor while, in the name of the creditor, collecting debts for such creditor;

(b) Any person while acting as a debt collector for another person, both of whom are related by common ownership or affiliated by corporate control, if the person is acting as a debt collector for persons to whom it is so related or affiliated and if the principal business of such persons is not the collection of debts;

(c) Any officer or employee of any federal, state, or local governmental body to the extent that collecting or attempting to collect any debt is in the performance of her or his official duties;

(d) Any person while serving or attempting to serve legal process on any other person in connection with the judicial enforcement of any debt;

(e) Any not-for-profit organization which, at the request of consumers, performs bona fide consumer credit counseling and assists consumers in the liquidation of their debts by receiving payments from such consumers and distributing such amounts to creditors; or

(f) Any person collecting or attempting to collect any debt owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another to the extent that such activity is incidental to a bona fide fiduciary obligation or a bona fide escrow arrangement; concerns a debt which was originated by such person; concerns a debt which was not in default at the time it was obtained by such person; or concerns a debt obtained by such person as a secured party in a commercial credit transaction involving the creditor.

(8) “Debtor” or “consumer” means any natural person obligated or allegedly obligated to pay any debt.

(9) “Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act” or “Federal Act” means the federal legislation regulating fair debt collection practices, as set forth in Pub. L. No. 95-109, as amended and published in 15 U.S.C. ss. 1692 et seq.

(10) “Office” means the Office of Financial Regulation of the commission.

(11) “Out-of-state consumer debt collector” means any person whose business activities in this state involve both collecting or attempting to collect consumer debt from debtors located in this state by means of interstate communication originating from outside this state and soliciting consumer debt accounts for collection from creditors who have a business presence in this state. For purposes of this subsection, a creditor has a business presence in this state if either the creditor or an affiliate or subsidiary of the creditor has an office in this state.

History.—s. 1, ch. 72-81; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 3, 6, ch. 81-314; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 1, 3, ch. 83-265; ss. 4, 13, ch. 93-275; s. 817, ch. 97-103; s. 677, ch. 2003-261; s. 1, ch. 2014-116; s. 68, ch. 2016-10.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 182 cases (33 in the last 5 years), 1976–2026 · leading case: LeBlanc v. Unifund CCR Partners, 601 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2010).

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LeBlanc v. Unifund CCR Partners, 601 F.3d 1185 (11th Cir. 2010). · cites it 5× “Fla. Stat. § 559.55 (8). Thus, pursuant to the statutory definition, the business activities of an “out-of-state consumer debt collector” must involve both “collecting or attempting to collect consumer debt .”

Bacelli v. MFP, INC., 729 F. Supp. 2d 1328 (M.D. Fla. 2010). · cites it 10× “, and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (“FCCPA”), Fla. Stat. §§ 559.55 et seq., by demanding immediate payment on a debt while she was in bankruptcy, after the debt’s discharge, and while she was represented by an attorney with respect to the debt.”

McCorriston v. L.W.T., Inc., 536 F. Supp. 2d 1268 (M.D. Fla. 2008). · cites it 8× “, (Count I), and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA), Fla. Stat. §§ 559.55 et seq., (Count II), based on Defendants’ efforts to collect on a time-barred debt.”

Brindise v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n, 183 So. 3d 1215 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016). · cites it 6× “3 As amended in 2014, which renumbered the definition provision, without change, from section 559.55(1) to 559.55(6). Ch. 2014-116, Laws of Fla.”

Bentley v. Bank of Am., N.A., 773 F. Supp. 2d 1367 (S.D. Fla. 2011). · cites it 7× “§ 1692 (“FDCPA”), the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, Fla. Stat. § 559.55-559.785 (“FCCPA”), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.”

Trent v. Mortg. Elec. Reg. Sys., Inc., 618 F. Supp. 2d 1356 (M.D. Fla. 2007). · cites it 7× “55 (6) provides, " 'Debt collector' means any person who uses any instrumentality of commerce within this state, whether initiated from within or outside this state, in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of debts, or who regularly collects or attempts…”

Agrelo v. Affinity Mgmt. Servs., LLC, 841 F.3d 944 (11th Cir. 2016). · cites it 4× “JILL PRYOR, Circuit Judge: The main issue presented in this appeal is whether a fine imposed by a homeowners’ association (“HOA”) for violating the HOA’s governing documents is a debt for purposes of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (“FCCPA”), Fla. Stat. § 559.55 et…”

Rojas v. Law Offices of Daniel C. Consuegra, P.L., 142 F. Supp. 3d 1206 (M.D. Fla. 2015). · cites it 18× “§ 1692a(5); Fla. Stat. § 559.55 (6). Thus, Dyck-O’Neal argues, the lawsuit does not meet the statutory definition of a “debt.”

Castellanos v. Portfolio Recovery Assocs., LLC, 297 F. Supp. 3d 1301 (S.D. Fla. 2017). · cites it 6× “(the "FDCPA") and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, Fla. Stat. § 559.55 , et seq. (the "FCCPA"), by: (1) improperly sending the Accounting directly to Mr.”

Reese v. JPMorgan Chase & Co., 686 F. Supp. 2d 1291 (S.D. Fla. 2009). · cites it 4× “Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (Counts VIII and XIV) In Counts VIII and XIV, Plaintiffs Amended Complaint asserts that she is entitled to relief against Chase and Chase Home Finance respectively under the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (“FCCPA”), Fla. Stat.…”

Morgan v. Wilkins, 74 So. 3d 179 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011). · cites it 10× “” The term “claim or consumer claim” was defined as follows: (1) “Claim” or “consumer claim” means any obligation for the payment of money or its equivalent arising out of a transaction wherein credit has been offered or extended to a natural person, and the money, property, or…”

Kaplan v. Assetcare, Inc., 88 F. Supp. 2d 1355 (S.D. Fla. 2000). · cites it 4× “Count II, also brought against Asset-care, Equifax, and Does 1 through N, alleges violation of the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, Fla. Stat. §§ 559.55 to 559.785 (“FCCPA”).”

Show all 182 citing cases →

— 559.55(1) — 10 cases

Morgan v. Wilkins, 74 So. 3d 179 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011). “” The term “claim or consumer claim” was defined as follows: (1) “Claim” or “consumer claim” means any obligation for the payment of money or its equivalent arising out of a transaction wherein credit has been offered or extended to a natural person, and the money, property, or…”

Brindise v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Ass'n, 183 So. 3d 1215 (Fla. 2d DCA 2016). “3 As amended in 2014, which renumbered the definition provision, without change, from section 559.55(1) to 559.55(6). Ch. 2014-116, Laws of Fla.”

Bank of Am., N.A. v. Siefker, 201 So. 3d 811 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016).

Sandlin v. Shapiro & Fishman, 168 F.R.D. 662 (M.D. Fla. 1996).

Heard v. Mathis, 344 So. 2d 651 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977).

— 559.55(2) — 6 cases

Fini v. Dish Network L.L.C., 955 F. Supp. 2d 1288 (M.D. Fla. 2013).

Verizon Wireless Pers. Commc'ns, Lp v. Christopher Bateman, 264 So. 3d 345 (Fla. 2d DCA 2019).

Desmond v. Accounts Receivable Mgmt., Inc., 72 So. 3d 179 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011).

McGinity v. Tracfone Wireless, Inc., 5 F. Supp. 3d 1337 (M.D. Fla. 2014).

Rojas v. Law Offices of Daniel C. Consuegra, P.L., 142 F. Supp. 3d 1217 (M.D. Fla. 2015).

— 559.55(3) — 4 cases

Trent v. Mortg. Elec. Reg. Sys., Inc., 618 F. Supp. 2d 1356 (M.D. Fla. 2007). “55 (6) provides, " 'Debt collector' means any person who uses any instrumentality of commerce within this state, whether initiated from within or outside this state, in any business the principal purpose of which is the collection of debts, or who regularly collects or attempts…”

Schauer v. Gen. Motors Acceptance Corp., 819 So. 2d 809 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002).

Heard v. Mathis, 344 So. 2d 651 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977).

— 559.55(4)(a) — 1 case

Cook v. Blazer Fin. Servs., 332 So. 2d 677 (Fla. 1st DCA 1976).

— 559.55(5) — 1 case

— 559.55(6) — 17 cases

Schauer v. Gen. Motors Acceptance Corp., 819 So. 2d 809 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002).

Bentley v. Bank of Am., N.A., 773 F. Supp. 2d 1367 (S.D. Fla. 2011). “§ 1692 (“FDCPA”), the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act, Fla. Stat. § 559.55-559.785 (“FCCPA”), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.”

Seibel v. Soc'y Lease, Inc., 969 F. Supp. 713 (M.D. Fla. 1997).

Bank of Am., N.A. v. Siefker, 201 So. 3d 811 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016).

— 559.55(6)(a) — 1 case

Schauer v. Gen. Motors Acceptance Corp., 819 So. 2d 809 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002).

— 559.55(7) — 4 cases

Sanz v. Fernandez, 633 F. Supp. 2d 1356 (S.D. Fla. 2009).

Welch v. Green Tree Servicing LLC (In re Runyan), 530 B.R. 801 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2015).

Collins v. Erin Capital Mgmt., LLC, 991 F. Supp. 2d 1195 (S.D. Fla. 2013).

Kac 2021-1, LLC. as Assignee for Jenka Hill v. Hudson Sfr Prop. Holdings, LLC (Fla. 2d DCA 2025).

— 559.55(8) — 7 cases

Strauss v. CBE Grp., Inc., 173 F. Supp. 3d 1302 (S.D. Fla. 2016).

Collins v. Erin Capital Mgmt., LLC, 991 F. Supp. 2d 1195 (S.D. Fla. 2013).

Miller v. Ginny's Inc., 287 F. Supp. 3d 1324 (M.D. Fla. 2017).

LeBlanc v. Unifund CCR Partners, G.P., 552 F. Supp. 2d 1327 (M.D. Fla. 2008).

KAC 2021-1 LLC A/A/O Theresa Previte v. Mary T. Matuszak Irrevocable Trust & Lorrain B. Terrazas, Tr. (Fla. 4th DCA 2025).

— 559.55(8)(a) — 1 case

White v. Fed. Fin. Corp., 379 So. 2d 136 (Fla. 1st DCA 1980).

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