A plain-English guide to Florida’s bullying and cyberbullying law, written for school counselors and other school staff. Start with the summary, then open any section below for the legal details.
Bottom line for counselors: Florida requires every school district to have a written bullying policy. The law covers cyberbullying, including off-campus behavior that affects school. Follow your district's reporting and investigation steps and keep careful notes.
Florida's bullying law includes 13 of 14 key elements, which Lantern rates comprehensive. Cyberbullying can also be a crime under Florida law. State law lets schools discipline students for cyberbullying. School phones: statewide ban (House Bill 379, May 9, 2023). Florida also has 4 online-safety laws for minors, including Protection of Children in Online Spaces, S.B. 262, Fla Statutes Section 501.1735.
Sources last checked: StopBullying.gov summary reviewed April 28, 2026 · school phone rules checked November 11, 2026 · online-safety tracker updated October 14, 2026.
Lantern · State profile
Comprehensive state protections · 13 of 14 key elements
- Covers cyberbullying Yes
- Reaches off-campus behavior Yes
- District policy required Yes
- Reporting & investigation rules Yes
- Staff training Yes
- Support for students involved Yes
- School phone rules Statewide phone restriction
- Online safety laws for minors 4 on the books
What this means for counselors
- Your district is required to have a written bullying policy. Find it, and learn who in your building receives reports.
- State law sets expectations for reporting and investigating bullying. Follow your district's steps and timelines, and keep careful notes.
- Cyberbullying that happens off campus can be addressed when it affects school. Record how the online behavior reached or disrupted school.
- The law calls for support for students who are involved. That is core counseling work, for the student targeted and for the student who bullied.
- Staff training is part of state law. Ask when training happens and make sure it covers cyberbullying and social media.
- Prevention education is expected. Classroom lessons on digital citizenship and online empathy fit here.
- Your state limits student phone use at school. Know your school's phone rules so responses to online incidents are consistent.
- Your state has laws on minors' online safety. They mostly regulate tech companies, but they are useful context when you talk with families.
What Florida’s bullying law includes
- Bans bullying outright: included
The law clearly states that bullying is not allowed. - Defines bullying: included
The law spells out what counts as bullying. - Says where the rules apply: included
The law describes where the rules apply, such as school grounds, buses, events, or online. - Names protected groups: not included
The law lists characteristics, such as race or disability, that bullying often targets. - Districts must have a policy: included
Every school district has to adopt a written bullying policy. - Reporting and investigation rules: included
The law sets out how bullying is reported and investigated. - Consequences for bullying: included
The law describes consequences for students who bully. - Policy shared with families: included
Districts have to tell students, staff, and families about the policy. - Support for students involved: included
The law calls for protection or support, such as counseling, for students who are involved. - Policies reviewed and updated: included
District policies have to be reviewed and kept up to date. - Prevention education: included
The law requires or encourages bullying prevention lessons or programs. - Staff training: included
The law requires or encourages training for teachers and other staff. - Parent involvement: included
The law involves parents in preventing or responding to bullying.
Questions and answers about the law
How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations?
Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations include the following definitions of bullying, cyberbullying, and harassment:
"Bullying" includes cyberbullying and means systematically and chronically inflicting physical hurt or psychological distress on one or more students and may involve:
- Teasing;
- Social exclusion;
- Threat;
- Intimidation;
- Stalking;
- Physical violence;
- Theft;
- Sexual, religious, or racial harassment;
- Public or private humiliation; or
- Destruction of property.
"Cyberbullying" means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which includes, but is not limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photoelectronic system, or photooptical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, Internet communications, instant messages, or facsimile communications. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person, or the knowing impersonation of another person as the author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying. Cyberbullying also includes the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons, if the distribution or posting creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying.
"Harassment" means any threatening, insulting, or dehumanizing gesture, use of data or computer software, or written, verbal, or physical conduct directed against a student or school employee that:
- Places a student or school employee in reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property;
- Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student's educational performance, opportunities, or benefits; or
- Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of a school.
Fla. Stat. § 1006.147 (2019)
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?
Yes. Florida anti-bullying laws cover off-campus conduct if bullying substantially interferes with or limits the victim's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by a school or substantially disrupts the education process or orderly operation of a school.
What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?
Florida school districts must adopt a policy prohibiting bullying and harassment of a student or employee of a public K-12 institution. District policies must be in substantial conformity with the Department of Education's model policy and must contain key policy and procedural elements, including, but not limited to:
- Statements prohibiting bullying and harassment;
- Definitions of prohibited behavior;
- Descriptions of the type of behavior expected from students and employees;
- Disciplinary consequences for a student or employee who commits an act of bullying or harassment;
- Procedures for reporting and investigations;
- Procedures for parent notification and notification to all local agencies where criminal charges may be pursued;
- Procedures for referring victims and perpetrators for counseling and regularly reporting to a victim's parents any actions taken to protect the victim; and
- Statements of how the policy will be publicized within the district.
Florida state law requires districts to review the policy at least once every three years. Districts must also establish a procedure for including incidents of bullying and harassment in school safety and discipline reporting.
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?
No. There are no specific groups listed under Florida anti-bullying laws or regulations. The law states that the school district's bullying and harassment policy shall afford all students the same protection regardless of their status under the law. Districts may establish separate discrimination policies that include categories of students.
Florida schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. Find out when bullying may be a civil rights violation.
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?
Yes. Florida school district policies must include a list of programs authorized by the school district that provide instruction to students, parents, teachers, school administrators, counseling staff, and school volunteers on identifying, preventing, and responding to bullying or harassment, including instruction on recognizing behaviors that lead to bullying and harassment and taking appropriate preventive action based on those observations.
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to respond to bullying incidents?
Yes. Florida school districts policies must include a list of programs authorized by the school district that provide instruction to students, parents, teachers, school administrators, counseling staff, and school volunteers on identifying, preventing, and responding to bullying or harassment, including instruction on recognizing behaviors that lead to bullying and harassment and taking appropriate preventive action based on those observations.
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?
Yes. Florida school district policies must include a procedure to refer victims and perpetrators of bullying or harassment for counseling and a procedure for regularly reporting to a victim's parents the actions taken to protect the victim.
Do Florida anti-bullying laws and regulations involve parents in efforts to address bullying behavior?
Yes. Florida school districts must involve students, parents, teachers, administrators, school staff, school volunteers, community representatives, and local law enforcement agencies in the process of adopting and reviewing the policy.
Florida school district policies must include a procedure for providing immediate notification to the parents of a victim of bullying or harassment and the parents of the perpetrator of an act of bullying or harassment, as well as notification to all local agencies where criminal charges may be pursued against the perpetrator.
Answers from StopBullying.gov, last reviewed April 28, 2026.
School phone and device rules
Statewide ban. Most recent statewide action: House Bill 379, May 9, 2023.
Source: Ballotpedia, checked November 11, 2026.
Online safety and social media laws for minors
These laws mostly place duties on apps, platforms, and websites, such as age checks, parental consent, or limits on addictive feeds. Several have been challenged in court.
- Protection of Children in Online Spaces, S.B. 262, Fla Statutes Section 501.1735
In effect: July 1, 2024 - Online Protections for Minors, HB 3, Fla Statutes Section 501.1736
In effect: January 1, 2025 · Status: blocked in court (in part or whole) - Florida Digital Bill of Rights, Florida Statutes Section 501.701
In effect: July 1, 2024 - Online Protection for Minors, HB 3, Florida Statutes Section 501.1737
In effect: January 1, 2025
Source: Orrick Online Safety Law Tracker, updated October 14, 2026.
Legal citations, explained (6)
Each entry shows what the law or rule is about first, then its official name with abbreviations spelled out.
- The Hope Scholarship Program Law passed by the legislature Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1002.40 Read the text of Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1002.40
- Disability history and awareness instruction Law passed by the legislature Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1003.4205 Read the text of Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1003.4205
- Hazing prohibited at schools with any of grades 6-12 Law passed by the legislature Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1006.135 Read the text of Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1006.135
- Bullying and harassment prohibited Law passed by the legislature Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1006.147 Read the text of Florida Statutes Annotated Section 1006.147
- Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-1.0017, Florida Administrative Code School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) Rule from a state agency Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-1.0017, Florida Administrative Code School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) Read the text of Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-1.0017, Florida Administrative Code School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR)
- Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-19.008, Florida Administrative Code Educational and Work Environment Rule from a state agency Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-19.008, Florida Administrative Code Educational and Work Environment Read the text of Florida Administrative Code Annotated 6A-19.008, Florida Administrative Code Educational and Work Environment
Official Florida resources
Educational information, not legal advice. Laws change, so confirm with your district and state education department.
Find a school district in Florida
Search by ZIP code, select a district on the map, or look one up by name. Each district links to a search for its own bullying policy, since district rules can go further than state law.
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