Florida Statute 509.214, as amended by Chapter 2025-113, is effective as of July 1, 2026 and now governs how hospitality operators disclose operations charges.
The statute covers non-tax add-ons such as service charges, automatic gratuities, credit-card surcharges and delivery-related charges, and requires disclosure where guests make purchase decisions.
It also requires receipt-level separation of gratuity, operations charge and tax, with DBPR enforcement authority and no new private right of action created by this section.
The reading
1. Treat disclosure as a commercial design decision, not a legal footnote. If menu language, checkout screens and event contracts are not aligned, your guest will read inconsistency as opacity.
2. Build one charge taxonomy across all revenue channels. Leadership should define a single naming standard for each non-tax fee so floor teams, finance and sales stop improvising under pressure.
3. Rework private-event contracts before peak booking windows. Banquet and buyout sales are where ambiguous wording creates the largest disputes, so contract clauses now deserve executive review.
4. Audit receipts as a trust signal, not just a compliance artifact. Separating gratuity, operations charge and tax clearly protects guest confidence and reduces costly post-service escalation.
5. Assign one accountable owner for ongoing control. Monthly checks on menus, websites, apps and POS output keep compliance alive after launch and prevent silent drift between teams.
— Maison Pompon
Sources & image credits
Editorial sources