Quick answer: For most large-dog owners, the covenants, the lease and Florida's dog-bite statute decide the answer. HOA breed limits come from the recorded documents, not from the state statute on association rentals, which does not address pets. Florida law generally makes an owner liable when a dog bites someone who is lawfully on the property or in a public place, regardless of the dog's past behavior. HUD changed its assistance-animal guidance in May 2026, and the breed and weight question for emotional support animals is unsettled. Read the governing documents and talk with an attorney before you commit.
Large dogs and moving day raise questions that are easy to underestimate. Can the neighborhood or the landlord exclude the breed? Who is responsible if the dog bites someone? Does a letter from a doctor change the rules? This article covers the state and federal rules I could confirm, what remains unsettled, and the documents to read before you sign a lease or contract. It is general information, not legal advice on any particular dog or household.
HOA covenants and breed limits
Florida's statute on association rentals limits how associations can restrict rentals. It bars restrictions on rentals for periods under six months and limits rentals to three a year in certain cases (s. 720.306). It does not address pets, breeds or accessory structures, and I did not find a Chapter 720 pet or breed rule. That means a breed or size limit, if one exists, is in the recorded covenants, the rules or the lease. Read the disclosure summary if the association is covered by s. 720.401, and read the full covenants, including any amendments, before you commit. If the terms are unclear, an attorney familiar with HOA covenants should review them.
What HUD has changed
HUD withdrew its 2020 and 2013 notices on assistance animals, effective September 17, 2025, according to a HUD notice published April 6, 2026, as described by a law firm's analysis. In May 2026, HUD issued new guidance on requests to use an animal as a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. Under that guidance, HUD will act where the animal is individually trained to perform work or tasks directly related to the person's disability. Waiving pet policies for untrained emotional support animals is no longer presumptively reasonable. That guidance is enforcement guidance, not a regulation, and it may change.
The breed and weight question is where the sources disagree in practice. The withdrawn 2020 guidance said landlords could not apply breed and weight restrictions to disability-related assistance animals, including emotional support animals. The May 2026 guidance does not directly address those points, according to secondary summaries I read. I have not read the full text of either document, so do not treat any breed or weight rule for assistance animals as settled. Ask a fair housing attorney or your local fair housing agency to review a specific situation.
Florida's assistance animal statute
Florida's assistance animal statute says an emotional support animal does not require training. A housing provider must allow such an animal as a reasonable accommodation on request and approval. The provider may deny a request that poses a direct threat, and it may require proof of compliance with state and local licensing and vaccination requirements. The owner is liable for any damage the animal causes. The statute does not address breed, size or weight (s. 760.27).
Dog-bite liability in Florida
Under s. 767.04, an owner is liable for damages suffered by a person bitten by the dog in a public place or while lawfully on private property, regardless of the dog's former viciousness or the owner's knowledge. A "Bad Dog" sign does not protect the owner against children under six or where the owner was negligent. A bitten person's own negligence reduces recovery. Liability questions belong with an attorney, and an owner should talk with an insurer about coverage before a problem arises.
Insurance
I did not find an Office of Insurance Regulation source on breed exclusions, dog-bite coverage or large-breed underwriting, so I do not say that any insurer covers or excludes a breed. Ask your insurer, in writing, whether the breed or size of your dog affects the quote, what liability coverage applies to a bite, and what documentation the insurer will require.
Leases and security deposits
Florida's security deposit statute does not mention pets or pet deposits, and it does not cap the amount of a deposit (s. 83.49). Section 760.27 bars requiring extra compensation for an assistance animal, but it does not say whether a deposit counts. Read the lease's pet terms carefully, and ask the landlord to state in writing what applies to your dog.
Local leash and animal control rules
I did not find local leash, dog-at-large, animal control or breed rules for Port St. Lucie or St. Lucie County. The city's and county's code libraries did not load in my research. Check both codes directly, or ask the local animal control office, before you move.
Housing choices
I did not find sourced data on lot size, fencing, or the availability of large-dog-friendly housing, so I do not compare neighborhoods on that basis. A practical checklist is to read the covenants for limits on breed, size and fencing, read the lease for pet and breed terms, and ask your insurer about the dog before you sign. Those three documents decide most of the housing question for a large dog.
Advertising and fair housing
Do not advertise a home or rental as "large dogs welcome" if the covenants or lease restrict breeds or weights. Florida's Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to publish an advertisement that indicates a preference based on protected characteristics, including disability (s. 760.23(3)), and the federal act has a similar rule (42 U.S.C. 3604(c)). Do not say that HUD requires any breed or weight exception, because the position is unsettled.
Questions owners ask about moving with a large dog
Can an HOA ban my large breed?
Florida's association rental statute does not address breeds. Any breed or size limit comes from the recorded covenants and the association's rules, so read them and any amendments before you buy. An attorney can review how they apply.
Must a landlord or HOA accept a large dog as an assistance animal?
Only as a reasonable accommodation, and HUD's May 2026 guidance focuses on animals that are individually trained for disability-related tasks. Florida's statute lets a provider deny a request that poses a direct threat. Breed and weight rules for emotional support animals are unsettled.
Am I liable if my dog bites someone in Florida?
Generally yes, under s. 767.04, regardless of the dog's former behavior, subject to the statute's exceptions and the bitten person's own negligence. Talk with an attorney and your insurer about coverage.
Can a landlord charge a pet deposit for an assistance animal?
Section 760.27 bars requiring extra compensation for an assistance animal, but it does not say whether a deposit counts. Section 83.49 does not address pet deposits. Ask the landlord for the terms in writing, and ask an attorney if the question matters.
Do Port St. Lucie or St. Lucie County require leashes?
I did not find the local code section. Check the city and county codes directly, or ask the local animal control office.
Talk with William. Moving to Florida with a large dog? Send me the covenants, the lease or the listing. I will help you list the breed, size, insurance and liability questions to answer in writing before you move in. Call or text (772) 800-2274 or send a message.
General information, not legal, insurance or fair housing advice. HUD guidance is enforcement guidance and may change; secondary summaries were used for parts of it. Breed, liability and assistance-animal questions are legal matters; refer them to an attorney, your insurer or your local fair housing agency. Statute references are as reviewed on October 20, 2026. William Merchant, REALTOR®, RE/MAX Gold. Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Sources
- Orrick: HUD withdraws eight fair housing guidance documents (April 10, 2026, law firm analysis)
- National Association of REALTORS: HUD issues new emotional support animal guidance (June 8, 2026)
- Mondaq: HUD issues new guidance on emotional support animals under the Fair Housing Act (secondary)
- National Law Review: HUD issues new guidance on emotional support animals (secondary)
- Florida Statutes 760.27, Assistance animals (2025)
- Florida Statutes 760.23, Discrimination in housing (2025)
- Florida Statutes 767.04, Injuries caused by dogs (2025)
- Florida Statutes 720.306, Rental restrictions in homeowners' associations (2025)
- Florida Statutes 720.401, Prospective purchaser disclosure summary (2026)
- Florida Statutes 83.49, Security deposits (2025)
- 42 U.S.C. 3604, Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing
- Florida Realtors: Realtor advertising rules in Florida (page updated July 11, 2022)
