Florida Statute 790.15 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLVI
CRIMES

Chapter 790
WEAPONS AND FIREARMS

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F.S. 790.15

790.15 Discharging firearm in public or on residential property.—

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) or subsection (3), any person who knowingly discharges a firearm in any public place or on the right-of-way of any paved public road, highway, or street, who knowingly discharges any firearm over the right-of-way of any paved public road, highway, or street or over any occupied premises, or who recklessly or negligently discharges a firearm outdoors on any property used primarily as the site of a dwelling as defined in s. 776.013 or zoned exclusively for residential use commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. This section does not apply to a person lawfully defending life or property or performing official duties requiring the discharge of a firearm or to a person discharging a firearm on public roads or properties expressly approved for hunting by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or Florida Forest Service.

(2) Any occupant of any vehicle who knowingly and willfully discharges any firearm from the vehicle within 1,000 feet of any person commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(3) Any driver or owner of any vehicle, whether or not the owner of the vehicle is occupying the vehicle, who knowingly directs any other person to discharge any firearm from the vehicle commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

(4) Any person who recreationally discharges a firearm outdoors, including target shooting, in an area that the person knows or reasonably should know is primarily residential in nature and that has a residential density of one or more dwelling units per acre, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. This subsection does not apply:

(a) To a person lawfully defending life or property or performing official duties requiring the discharge of a firearm;

(b) If, under the circumstances, the discharge does not pose a reasonably foreseeable risk to life, safety, or property; or

History.—s. 1, ch. 3289, 1881; RS 2683; GS 3626; RGS 5557; CGL 7743; s. 1, ch. 61-334; s. 745, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 78-17; s. 1, ch. 89-157; s. 229, ch. 99-245; s. 77, ch. 2012-7; s. 3, ch. 2012-108; s. 1, ch. 2016-12.

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Amendments to 790.15

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Arrestable Offenses / Crimes under Fla. Stat. 790.15

Level: Degree
Misdemeanor/Felony: First/Second/Third

S790.15 1 - FIRING WEAPON - IN PUBLIC OR ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY - M: F

S790.15 2 - FIRING WEAPON - DISCHARGE FIREARM FROM VEHICLE - F: S

S790.15 3 - FIRING WEAPON - DIRECT DISCHARGE OF FIREARM FROM VEHICLE - F: T

S790.15 4 - FIRING WEAPON - RECREATING DISCH FIREARM IN PUB OR RESID PROP - M: F

Cases Citing Statute 790.15

Total Results: 42

Valdes v. State

3 So. 3d 1067, 34 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 116, 2009 Fla. LEXIS 148, 2009 WL 217976

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jan 30, 2009 | Docket: 175046

Cited 130 times | Published

within 1000 feet of a person in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2003), and shooting into

In Re Stan. Jury Instr. in Criminal Cases

543 So. 2d 1205, 1989 WL 34342

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 30, 1989 | Docket: 1729777

Cited 112 times | Published

above. 7. Page 102 provides an instruction on Section 790.15, Florida Statutes. The committee recommends

United States v. Alexander

609 F.3d 1250, 2010 U.S. App. LEXIS 13085, 2010 WL 2541221

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Jun 25, 2010 | Docket: 1594346

Cited 66 times | Published

that his prior felony conviction under Fla. Stat. § 790.15(2) for discharging a firearm from a vehicle within

James Olson v. Superior Pontiac-Gmc, Inc.

765 F.2d 1570, 27 Wage & Hour Cas. (BNA) 393, 1985 U.S. App. LEXIS 20625

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Jul 23, 1985 | Docket: 1073446

Cited 48 times | Published

which ought to put him upon inquiry. 29 C.F.R. § 790.15 (1984). In this case, the president of a company

Partch v. State

43 So. 3d 758, 2010 Fla. App. LEXIS 10529, 2010 WL 2813567

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 20, 2010 | Docket: 2401035

Cited 31 times | Published

firearm while in a vehicle (third-degree felony). § 790.15, Fla. Stat. (2009). However, the statute expressly

Johnnie Mae Cole v. Farm Fresh Poultry, Inc.

824 F.2d 923, 28 Wage & Hour Cas. (BNA) 369, 1987 U.S. App. LEXIS 11062

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Filed: Aug 19, 1987 | Docket: 1150953

Cited 24 times | Published

circumstances. Olson, 765 F.2d at 1580; 29 C.F.R. § 790.15(a). The *931regulations at issue in this case

Lamb v. State

668 So. 2d 666, 1996 WL 72568

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 21, 1996 | Docket: 1686850

Cited 12 times | Published

discharging a firearm from a vehicle in violation of section 790.15, Florida Statutes (1993). Count I charged that

Lamb v. State

668 So. 2d 666, 1996 WL 72568

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 21, 1996 | Docket: 1686850

Cited 12 times | Published

discharging a firearm from a vehicle in violation of section 790.15, Florida Statutes (1993). Count I charged that

McKinney v. State

66 So. 3d 852, 36 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 270, 2011 Fla. LEXIS 1345, 2011 WL 2375217

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jun 16, 2011 | Docket: 1935

Cited 10 times | Published

within 1000 feet of a person in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2003), and shooting into

Gil v. State

118 So. 3d 787, 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 581, 2013 WL 3466806, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 1429

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 11, 2013 | Docket: 60233431

Cited 7 times | Published

within 1000 feet of a person, in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2003), and shooting into

Light v. State

796 So. 2d 610, 2001 WL 1104538

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Sep 21, 2001 | Docket: 1249425

Cited 6 times | Published

[2] See § 843.01, Fla. Stat. (1993). [3] See § 790.15, Fla. Stat. (1993). [4] Mr. Light's trial counsel

Lopez-Vazquez v. State

931 So. 2d 231, 2006 WL 1649020

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 16, 2006 | Docket: 1522222

Cited 5 times | Published

maliciously. Shooting from a vehicle in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2005), requires proof

Valdes v. State

970 So. 2d 414, 2007 WL 3355061

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 14, 2007 | Docket: 1695145

Cited 4 times | Published

discharging a firearm from a vehicle in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2003); and one count

Wilcher v. State

524 So. 2d 1105, 1988 WL 44488

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 10, 1988 | Docket: 1340485

Cited 4 times | Published

(Fla. 1987), discharging a firearm in public, section 790.15, Florida Statutes (1987), is the same offense

Rodriguez v. State

223 So. 3d 1053, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 4390, 2017 WL 1202378

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 31, 2017 | Docket: 4667147

Cited 3 times | Published

discharging a firearm from a vehicle under section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2013). Because the judgment

In re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases-Report No. 2012-05

131 So. 3d 755, 2013 WL 6305187

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 5, 2013 | Docket: 60238162

Cited 3 times | Published

FIREARM [IN PUBLIC] [ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY] § 790.15, Fla. Stat. To prove the crime of Discharging

State v. Parks

866 So. 2d 172, 2004 WL 314518

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 20, 2004 | Docket: 1274034

Cited 3 times | Published

feet of a person, a second-degree felony. See § 790.15(2), Fla. Stat. (1997). A capias was issued on

Bragg v. State

475 So. 2d 1255, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1972

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 15, 1985 | Docket: 1302010

Cited 3 times | Published

(1983). [2] § 790.07, Fla. Stat. (1983). [3] § 790.15, Fla. Stat. (1983).

WJW v. State

446 So. 2d 248

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 8, 1984 | Docket: 1780071

Cited 3 times | Published

DCA 1983). Discharge of a firearm in public, section 790.15, Florida Statutes (1981), is not a necessarily

Luciano v. State

983 So. 2d 759, 2008 WL 2386435

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 13, 2008 | Docket: 1756803

Cited 2 times | Published

same chapter is of no consequence in my view. Section 790.15(2) punishes the discharge of a firearm from

McLaughlin v. State

698 So. 2d 296, 1997 WL 408313

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 23, 1997 | Docket: 434720

Cited 2 times | Published

[1] §§ 784.021, 784.07, Fla. Stat. (1995). [2] § 790.15, Fla. Stat. (1995). It is clear that the listing

State v. Hall

652 So. 2d 484, 1995 WL 124680

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 24, 1995 | Docket: 1517998

Cited 2 times | Published

GRIFFIN, J., dissents without opinion. NOTES [1] Section 790.15(1), Florida Statutes (1993) provides: any

In Re: Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases-Report 2017-10.

253 So. 3d 1040

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Sep 27, 2018 | Docket: 7943252

Cited 1 times | Published

existing instruction for the offense defined in section 790.15(3), Florida Statutes (2017). The instruction

Luciano v. State

12 So. 3d 917, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 9504, 2009 WL 1971633

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 10, 2009 | Docket: 2578025

Cited 1 times | Published

TORPY, LAWSON and COHEN, JJ., concur. NOTES [1] § 790.15(2), Fla. Stat. (2006); § 790.19, Fla. Stat. (2006)

Thompson v. State

969 So. 2d 1223, 2007 WL 4372557

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 17, 2007 | Docket: 101691

Cited 1 times | Published

within 1000 feet of a person, in violation of section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2005). Appellant contends

McGee v. State

687 So. 2d 22, 1996 WL 728351

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Dec 20, 1996 | Docket: 1718484

Cited 1 times | Published

(1995). [2] § 790.07, Fla.Stat. (1995). [3] § 790.15, Fla.Stat. (1995). [4] § 843.02, Fla.Stat. (1995)

Newbold v. State

667 So. 2d 996, 1996 WL 60828

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Feb 14, 1996 | Docket: 2589856

Cited 1 times | Published

of unlawfully discharging a firearm in public [§ 790.15(1), Fla.Stat. (1993)]. We reverse in part and

Antosh v. State

510 So. 2d 1158, 12 Fla. L. Weekly 1954, 1987 Fla. App. LEXIS 9866

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 11, 1987 | Docket: 64628777

Cited 1 times | Published

misdemeanor of discharging a firearm in public [§ 790.15, Fla.Stat.(1985) ] and an order placing the defendant

Trevis Presha v. the State of Florida

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 15, 2025 | Docket: 69546353

Published

in public in violation of Florida Statute section 790.15(1), arising from events that took place on

Anthawn Ragan, Jr. v. the State of Florida

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 30, 2024 | Docket: 69324305

Published

discharging a firearm from a vehicle in violation of section 790.15(2) and shooting into an occupied vehicle in

Gangapersad Ramroop v. State of Florida

214 So. 3d 657, 42 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 381, 2017 WL 1177635, 2017 Fla. LEXIS 691

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Mar 30, 2017 | Docket: 4658700

Published

Firearm from a Vehicle Within 1000 Feet of a Person. § 790.15(2), Fla. Stat. (2013). 3 . Section

In Re STANDARD JURY INSTRUCTIONS IN CRIMINAL CASES-REPORT NO. 2015-04

190 So. 3d 614, 2016 WL 1460587

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Apr 14, 2016 | Docket: 3053709

Published

FIREARM [IN PUBLIC] [ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY] § 790.15, Fla. Stat. - To prove the crime of Discharging

Cito v. State

150 So. 3d 829, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 16960, 2014 WL 5304962

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Oct 17, 2014 | Docket: 1409456

Published

person, á second-degree felony. See § 790.15(2), Fla. Stat. (2006). The offense is punishable

In Re Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases-Report No. 2010-02

44 So. 3d 565, 35 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 401, 2010 Fla. LEXIS 1049, 2010 WL 2606239

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 1, 2010 | Docket: 2398649

Published

criminal jury instruction 10.6(a), derived from section 790.15(2), Florida Statutes (2009), instructs on the

Ago

Florida Attorney General Reports | Filed: Jul 12, 2005 | Docket: 3258786

Published

government.2 Relative to the discharge of firearms, section 790.15(1), Florida Statutes, states: "Except as provided

Allen v. State

876 So. 2d 737, 2004 Fla. App. LEXIS 10468, 2004 WL 1562533

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 14, 2004 | Docket: 64831400

Published

discharge of a firearm in public, pursuant to section 790.15(1), Florida Statutes (2002). Both offenses

C.C. v. State

701 So. 2d 423, 1997 Fla. App. LEXIS 12741, 1997 WL 699091

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 12, 1997 | Docket: 64776746

Published

constitute a public place within the meaning of section 790.15(1), Florida Statutes (1995). See Fla. Std.

Schlotterlein v. State

683 So. 2d 568, 1996 Fla. App. LEXIS 11378, 1996 WL 629801

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Nov 1, 1996 | Docket: 64769337

Published

new trial. . § 790.19, Fla.Stat. (1993). . § 790.15, Fla.Stat. (1993). . Section 776.012, Florida

Ammons v. State

623 So. 2d 807, 1993 Fla. App. LEXIS 8936, 1993 WL 328464

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Aug 30, 1993 | Docket: 64698531

Published

discharging a firearm in public, contrary to section 790.15, Florida Statutes.1 The jury found Ammons guilty

Reichman v. State

473 So. 2d 1324, 10 Fla. L. Weekly 1954, 1985 Fla. App. LEXIS 15351

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 13, 1985 | Docket: 64613593

Published

offenses actually included one misdemeanor (section 790.15), one second-degree felony (section 790.23)

W.J.W. v. State

446 So. 2d 248, 1984 Fla. App. LEXIS 12229

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 8, 1984 | Docket: 64603287

Published

discharging a firearm in public in violation of section 790.15, Florida Statutes, (1981), as a lesser included

Crawford v. Sheriff of Orange County

441 So. 2d 646, 1983 Fla. App. LEXIS 25463

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jul 14, 1983 | Docket: 64601129

Published

even if true, constitutes a misdemeanor under section 790.15, Florida Statutes (1981), and, not being a