Can businesses in South Florida refuse to take cash? What to know when you pay

Business admin July 28, 2026 0 Comments

Can businesses in South Florida refuse to take cash? What to know when you pay

It’s so easy to pay for everything with and a card. Just tap, swipe or insert — and you’re all set.

And going cashless during and after the pandemic prevented making hand contact with employees.

But what if you’re maxed out on your credit card or your debit card account is running low? Do businesses even accept cash these days — you know, those few wrinkly and soggy dollars in your wallet that may buy you a cup of coffee and bag of chips?

Good question. Here are some answers:

Is there a law on accepting cash?

There is no Florida law that requires a business to accept cash. But Miami-Dade County has regulations.

Cash is considered “legal tender” by the U.S. Federal Reserve, but federal law also doesn’t mandate private businesses, individuals or organizations to accept bills or coins for payment.

“Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise,” the Federal Reserve website says. Some states, such as New Jersey and Massachusetts, have enacted legislation requiring businesses to accept cash payments in at least some circumstances, and some local governments have similar regulations.

Americans with lower incomes are more reliant on cash than wealthier residents, according to a 2022 report from the Pew Research Center, and obtaining a debit or credit card may require identification, proof of address and other requirements that aren’t accessible to everyone.

What does Miami-Dade law say about a cashless business?

Miami-Dade has a law on the books that requires businesses to accept cash.

“Miami-Dade County prohibits businesses or entities offering retail goods and services to refuse cash as a form of payment for sales,” the county posted on its website.

Customers who encounter a business that doesn’t accept cash can file a complaint to the county’s Consumer Protection Division.

The ordinance, approved in 2022, imposes fines of up to $1,000 for stores that don’t accept cash from customers paying with bills of $20 or less. First offenses would get a warning.

“I want to make sure that our residents have an option to use the legal tender of our country,” Commissioner René Garcia, the ordinance’s sponsor, said after the vote. “Also it ensures that everyone — elderly, low-income, disabled — continue to have access to events and parks.”

But while the county has strict guidelines about cashless businesses, there are exceptions. Among them: Sales not conducted in person, such as electronic transactions, can be done without cash. Transactions at wholesale clubs that sell consumer goods and services through a membership model can also be done without cash. And services provided by accountants, architects, attorneys, engineers, financial advisers, insurance agents, interior designers and software developers are also exempt under the county law.

Florida’s attempt to crack down on cashless businesses

During the pandemic, many businesses turned to contactless payment — meaning electronic payment through a device. Even when COVID eased, a coffeehouse in Hollywood refused to take cash for a cafe con leche. There is no law in Broward County that restricts no-cash purchases.

In October 2023, Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, sponsored a bill to require certain businesses to accept cash for transactions. Jones noticed that while many people use mobile applications like Cash App for money transactions, those without them were at a disadvantage

“We have to understand that there are also people who are not able to participate in the economy if we are saying now that cash is not accepted,” he told the Tampa Bay Times.

The bill didn’t pass during the 2024 legislative session.