Price Gouging

Skip to main content Home Meet the Attorney General Attorney General James Uthmeier Official Photo About the Office Departments AG Opinions Antitrust Civil Legal Services Civil Litigation Consumer Protection Criminal Appeals Litigation Services Medicaid Fraud Parental Rights Solicitor General Statewide Prosecution Programs Back the Blue Be a Florida Hero Consumer Alerts Criminal Justice Programs Military and Veterans Assistance Program Seniors vs. Crime Cold Case Investigations Unit Services Civil Rights Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Identity Theft Lemon Law Office of Inspector General Open Government Victims Services Contact Us Addresses & Phone Numbers File A Complaint General Inquiries Media Contact × Home Meet the Attorney General Attorney General James Uthmeier Official Photo About the Office Departments AG Opinions Antitrust Civil Legal Services Civil Litigation Consumer Protection Criminal Appeals Litigation Services Medicaid Fraud Parental Rights Solicitor General Statewide Prosecution Programs Back the Blue Be a Florida Hero Consumer Alerts Criminal Justice Programs Military and Veterans Assistance Program Seniors vs. Crime Cold Case Investigations Unit Services Civil Rights Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Identity Theft Lemon Law Office of Inspector General Open Government Victims Services Contact Us Addresses & Phone Numbers File A Complaint General Inquiries Media Contact Breadcrumb Home Consumer Protection Price Gouging Skip to main content Price Gouging How to Protect Yourself: Price Gouging After a Natural Disaster Those experiencing a state of emergency, whether it be a hurricane, flood, or other natural disaster, can sometimes be targeted by bad actors looking to take advantage. One way that scammers attempt to victimize those who are in the path of the natural disaster is by price gouging. Learn more about what price gouging is, how to prevent yourself from being a victim of price gouging, and how to report price gouging that you may witness during a state of emergency by reviewing the information and links below. Following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the State of Florida enacted a law that prohibits "price gouging" after a declared state of emergency. During a declared state of emergency, the law bans unconscionable increases in prices in the rental or sale of essential commodities, which would include lumber, ice, water, chemicals, generators, shelter and other necessary goods and services once a state of emergency has been declared by the governor. It is also unlawful to raise hotel rental rates or housing lease rates under Florida’s price gouging laws. The Florida Office of the Attorney General investigates every allegation of price gouging. Pursuant to Florida’s price gouging laws, the Office of the Attorney General compares the reported price of the commodity or service during the declared state of emergency to the average price charged over the 30-day period prior to the state of emergency. If there is a “gross disparity” between the prior price and the current charge, it is considered price gouging. It is not considered price gouging if the seller can justify the current price by showing an increase in the price of their supplies or market trends. Additionally, the price gouging statute does not apply to non-essential luxury goods like alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. Violators of the price gouging statute are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation and up to a total of $25,000 for multiple violations committed in a single 24-hour period. In addition to the civil penalties for price gouging, state law criminalizes the sale of goods and services to the public without possession of an occupational license. Violators of the law can be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor. File a Price Gouging Complaint Tips for Gathering Gouging Evidence Price Gouging Hotline 1(866) 9NO-SCAM Frequently Asked Questions NO SCAM Mobile App Hurricane Preparedness Brochures & Guides Resources AG Opinions Annual Regulatory Plan Consumer Protection Doing Business with the Office FAQ Florida Digital Bill of Rights Annual Enforcement Report Opioid Settlements Statement of Agency Organization and Operation Quick Links Consumer Alerts Military and Veterans Assistance Program Open Government Dose of Reality Florida Crime Prevention Summit Programs Employment File a Complaint Human Trafficking Summit Victim Services Dozier Claims Nicotine Dispensing Device Directory Attorney General's Policy Memorandum Regarding Outside Counsel for the State of Florida AG’s Guidance Regarding Open Carry Laws Following McDaniels Office of the Attorney General State of Florida PL-01, The Capitol Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 Privacy Policy | © 2026 State of Florida. All rights reserved. (function(d){var s = d.createElement("script");s.setAttribute("data-account", "NZ8GoxRrml");s.setAttribute("src", "https://cdn.userway.org/widget.js");(d.body || d.head).appendChild(s);})(document)Please ensure Ja