These new Florida laws are now in effect. Here's how they will impact you.
MIAMI — A new year means new state laws and Florida is no exception. This time around, 2025 will bring several changes to Florida residents, including online restrictions to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and limited access to adult content websites, among other reforms.
During the 2024 legislative session and even in previous years, Florida lawmakers drafted and passed several new laws that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Beside the aforementioned changes, some of the most notable laws that went into effect on New Year's Day are aimed toward protecting first responders and streamlining bureaucratic processes like building permits.
Here are some of the new laws every Florida resident should be aware of in 2025.
No Facebook, Instagram or TikTok for some Florida kids
Kids under the age of 14 are prohibited from joining social media thanks to Florida House Bill 3 (HB 3). Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the bill in March 2024.
HB 3 requires social media platforms to prohibit Florida children ages 14 and under from creating social media accounts; it also requires said platforms — like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, among others — to "terminate certain accounts and provide additional options for termination of such accounts" and provide the conditions under which social media platforms must prohibit children from entering into contracts to become account holders.
The law also authorizes the Florida Department of Legal Affairs to bring actions under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act for "knowing or reckless violations," and authorizes the department to issue and enforce civil investigative demands under certain circumstances, according to the Florida Legislature's website.
The measure was enacted in hopes of protecting children from potential online harm in light of some developments over the last year or so, according to its proponents.
Florida House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) and other key supporters argued that social media companies created addictive platforms that harmed children's mental health and could lead sexual predators to communicate with minors.
Months after DeSantis signed the HB 3 into law, a New York Times opinion piece written by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stressed the mental health risks teenagers could face that are partly tied to social media use, going as far as arguing that those platforms should post warning labels similar to those used on cigarette packages.
Pornhub and other adult sites to require age verification
In addition to protecting minors on social media, HB 3 also requires adult content websites — like Pornhub and Youporn, among others — to "offer anonymous age verification and standard age verification" for access. Although "anonymous" age verification is not spelled out in the law, it states that a "nongovernmental, independent third party" offering the service cannot retain personal identifying information and must protect it from unauthorized access.
On Dec. 16, 2024, the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, and other parties filed a federal lawsuit against Florida, claiming that the law violates free speech rights and could put users' information at risk.
"As recent high-profile data leaks have revealed, no web users are safe, and hackers are often able to exploit the slightest cracks in a website's security," the lawsuit read.
The lawsuit also criticized the potential expense of such verification services.
In response to the law, Aylo, Pornhub's parent company, said it would block access to its site in Florida starting on Jan. 1, 2025, rather than comply with the new state law.
"Unfortunately, the way many jurisdictions worldwide, including Florida, have chosen to implement age verification is ineffective, haphazard and dangerous," an email statement from Aylo to the state news website Florida Politics read.
"Any regulations that require hundreds of thousands of adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information is putting user safety in jeopardy," it continued. "Moreover, as experience has demonstrated, unless properly enforced, users will simply access non-compliant sites or find other methods of evading these laws."
Like it's expected to happen in Florida, Pornhub has already blocked access its site in 12 other states that passed similar laws: Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Democrat or Republican? Enhanced voter registration
If Florida voters want to change their political party affiliation, they must designate and agree to the change in writing. Voters can thank Florida House Bill 135 (HB 135) for that new law.
HB 135 provides an exception to the requirement that certain voter registration applicants must be registered without party affiliation. It also requires the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) to provide applicants with a certain receipt and ensure that information technology processes and updates do not alter certain information without written consent.
In other words, the law prevents the FLHSMV from changing a person's party affiliation of a Florida voter unless the applicant confirms the change in writing.
A more efficient building permit process in Florida
Florida House Bill 267 (HB 267) amends the state's building code; specifically, it implements set time limits for local governments to either approve or deny permit applications.
Starting in 2025, the new law will implement the following timelines upon notifying permit applicants:
- Buildings less than 7,500 square feet: 30 business days
- Buildings greater than 7,500 square feet, signs and non-residential buildings less than 25,000 square feet, multi-family residential structures not exceeding 50 units, certain site-plan approvals, subdivision plats, lot grading and site alteration: 60 business days
- Master building permits for site-specific building permits: 12 business days
- Single-family dwellings utilizing the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program: 10 business days.
Additionally, the new law will require the following:
- Local governments must create auditing standards before auditing private providers.
- Residential building inspectors must complete an internship program as part of the pathway to obtaining a license.
- Sealed drawings will not be provided for replacing windows, doors or garage doors in certain homes as long as they meet standards placed by the state.
You'll be arrested if you interfere with first responders
As of Jan. 1, 2025, anyone who threatens or prevents a first responder from performing their duties could be charged with a misdemeanor thanks to Florida Senate Bill 184 (SB 184). The new law defines a "first responder" as any law enforcement officer, correctional probation officer, firefighter or emergency medical care provider.
The following actions can be considered violations of the law and result in a second-degree misdemeanor:
- Impeding or interfering with a first responder's ability to perform their duty
- Threatening a first responder with physical harm
- Harassing a first responder
According to Florida law, a second-degree misdemeanor can land you in jail for 60 days.
