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Florida Statute 934.31 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 934.31 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 934.31 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
934.31 General prohibition on pen register and trap and trace device use; exception.
(1) Except as provided in this section, no person may install or use a pen register or a trap and trace device without first obtaining a court order under s. 934.33.
(2) The prohibition of subsection (1) does not apply with respect to the use of a pen register or a trap and trace device by a provider of electronic or wire communication service:
(a) Which relates to the operation, maintenance, and testing of a wire or electronic communication service or to the protection of the rights or property of the provider or to the protection of users of that service from abuse of service or unlawful use of service;
(b) To record the fact that a wire or electronic communication was initiated or completed in order to protect the provider thereof, another provider furnishing service toward the completion of the wire communication, or a user of the service, from fraudulent, unlawful, or abusive use of service; or
(c) Where the consent of the user of the service has been obtained.
(3) An investigative or law enforcement officer authorized to install and use a pen register or trap and trace device under this section and ss. 934.32-934.34 shall use technology reasonably available to him or her which restricts the recording or decoding of electronic or other impulses to the dialing, routing, addressing, and signaling information used in processing and transmitting wire or electronic communications so that the contents of any wire or electronic communications are not recorded or decoded.
(4)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any investigative or law enforcement officer specially designated by the Governor, the Attorney General, the statewide prosecutor, or a state attorney acting pursuant to this chapter, who reasonably determines that:
1. An emergency exists which:
a. Involves immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person or the danger of escape of a prisoner; and
b. Requires the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device before an order authorizing such installation and use can, with due diligence, be obtained; and
2. There are grounds upon which an order could be entered under this chapter to authorize such installation and use,

may have installed and use a pen register or trap and trace device if, within 48 hours after the installation has occurred or begins to occur, an order approving the installation or use is issued in accordance with s. 934.33.

(b) In the absence of an authorizing order, such use shall immediately terminate when the information sought is obtained, when the application for the order is denied, or when 48 hours have lapsed since the installation of the pen register or trap and trace device, whichever is earlier.
(c) The knowing installation or use by any investigative or law enforcement officer of a pen register or trap and trace device pursuant to paragraph (a) without application for the authorizing order within 48 hours after the installation constitutes a violation of this section.
(d) A provider of wire or electronic service, landlord, custodian, or other person who has furnished facilities or technical assistance pursuant to this subsection shall be held harmless from any claims and civil liability resulting from the disclosure of information pursuant to this subsection and shall be reasonably compensated for reasonable expenses incurred in providing such facilities and assistance.
(5) Whoever knowingly violates subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 934.41.
History.s. 10, ch. 88-184; s. 12, ch. 89-269; s. 15, ch. 2000-369; s. 10, ch. 2002-72.

Arrestable Offenses under F.S. 934.31

M = misdemeanor · F = felony · degree: F=1st S=2nd T=3rd
§934.31(1)EAVESDROPPINGINSTLL USE PEN REG TRAP TRAC DVC W/O COURT ORDM · 1st

Cases Citing F.S. 934.31

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·Shawn Alvin Tracey v. State of Florida, 152 So. 3d 504 (Fla. 2014).

Cited 4 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 92 A.L.R. Fed. 2d 587, 39 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 617, 2014 Fla. LEXIS 3072, 2014 WL 5285929

... Florida’s counterpart to this federal scheme is contained in chapter 934, Florida Statutes, titled “Security of Communications.” In 2007 when the order in this case was entered for installation of the pen register and trap and trace device as to Tracey’s cell phone, section 934.31, Florida Statutes (2007), similar to federal law, required a court order to “install or use a pen register or a trap and trace device.”6 § 934.31(1), Fla....
0 red1 yellow29 green0 procedural
Cited "but see"Drayton (2015)
phrase: "but see"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2023)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2023)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Tracey v. State, 69 So. 3d 992 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011).

Cited 3 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2011 Fla. App. LEXIS 14054, 2011 WL 3903075

...lable facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe ... the records of other information sought are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation." §§ 934.23(4)(a)2. & (5), Fla. Stat. (2009). Mirroring Title III, sections 934.31-934.34 require a court order under section 934.33 "to install or use a pen register or a trap and trace device." § 934.31, Fla....
0 red0 yellow2 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2014)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2013)
phrase: "rule_authority"

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham W. Syfert, Esq., a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney (Florida Bar No. 39104). For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.