Drug Possession in Florida

83,303 cases (2025) · 66 counties · All charges

Based on 83,303 Drug Possession cases across Florida (2025), the statewide guilty rate is 72.7% with a 1.6% dismissal rate. Adjudication was withheld in 18.6% of cases. The average sentence for convicted defendants is 11.4 months, with an average fine of $3,290.

83,303
Total Cases (2025)
72.7%
Guilty Rate
1.6%
Dismissal Rate
vs 4.3% all charges statewide
18.6%
Withheld Rate
11.4 months
Avg Sentence

1.6% of Drug Possession cases in Florida are dismissed — but outcomes vary widely by county. A defense attorney can review your situation — free, no obligation.

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Pinellas 1.5% dismissed · 6,868 cases Polk 0.1% dismissed · 5,912 cases Hillsborough 1.9% dismissed · 6,254 cases Duval 0.1% dismissed · 4,899 cases Volusia 1.1% dismissed · 5,517 cases Palm Beach 0.3% dismissed · 3,574 cases Bay 1.2% dismissed · 2,900 cases Orange 1.0% dismissed · 3,290 cases Marion 2.6% dismissed · 2,736 cases Pasco 0.4% dismissed · 2,788 cases Sarasota 1.2% dismissed · 2,404 cases Miami-Dade 0.6% dismissed · 2,848 cases Escambia 6.8% dismissed · 2,265 cases Lee 0.1% dismissed · 2,117 cases Broward 12.2% dismissed · 2,012 cases Manatee 0.9% dismissed · 1,870 cases Okaloosa 0.4% dismissed · 1,396 cases St. Lucie 10.0% dismissed · 1,426 cases Lake 0.4% dismissed · 1,391 cases Seminole 0.3% dismissed · 1,162 cases Sumter 0.3% dismissed · 1,098 cases Charlotte 0.3% dismissed · 1,190 cases Leon 1.2% dismissed · 1,011 cases Santa Rosa 0.4% dismissed · 961 cases Hernando 2.7% dismissed · 1,104 cases Citrus 0.7% dismissed · 943 cases St. Johns 2.6% dismissed · 833 cases Putnam 0.0% dismissed · 991 cases Alachua 0.0% dismissed · 863 cases Martin 6.8% dismissed · 960 cases Collier 0.0% dismissed · 896 cases Brevard 0.9% dismissed · 697 cases Clay 1.1% dismissed · 560 cases Indian River 0.0% dismissed · 556 cases Highlands 0.7% dismissed · 571 cases Monroe 1.3% dismissed · 551 cases Osceola 1.8% dismissed · 601 cases Nassau 0.3% dismissed · 349 cases Desoto 0.0% dismissed · 444 cases Walton 5.0% dismissed · 441 cases Hendry 0.0% dismissed · 379 cases Holmes 0.3% dismissed · 359 cases Okeechobee 8.3% dismissed · 314 cases Columbia 0.7% dismissed · 277 cases Washington 0.0% dismissed · 231 cases Jackson 0.0% dismissed · 193 cases Baker 0.0% dismissed · 171 cases Hardee 1.0% dismissed · 196 cases Dixie 0.0% dismissed · 168 cases Suwannee 0.8% dismissed · 121 cases Levy 0.0% dismissed · 166 cases Jefferson 0.5% dismissed · 193 cases Wakulla 1.1% dismissed · 186 cases Bradford 0.6% dismissed · 154 cases Franklin 0.0% dismissed · 212 cases Calhoun 0.0% dismissed · 128 cases Gulf 0.0% dismissed · 114 cases Liberty 2.2% dismissed · 93 cases Taylor 0.0% dismissed · 93 cases Gilchrist 0.0% dismissed · 103 cases Union 0.0% dismissed · 87 cases Glades 0.0% dismissed · 30 cases Madison 0.0% dismissed · 35 cases Hamilton 5.9% dismissed · 51 cases Gadsden 3.8% dismissed · 106 cases (2023-2025) Lafayette 0.0% dismissed · 97 cases (2023-2025)

Counties ranked by drug possession case volume; the rate shown is each county's dismissal rate for the window marked. Click any county for its full outcome breakdown — guilty and withheld rates, sentencing, and trends.

All Florida counties

Exhibit · Disposition trends — statewide

Year Cases Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate Avg Sentence
2023 83,393 72.9% 1.3% 1 year
2024 86,404 73.9% 1.6% 11.3 months
2025 83,339 72.7% 1.6% 11.4 months

Quarterly detail

1.2%
1.1%
1.7%
1.3%
2.2%
1.4%
1.4%
1.4%
1.6%
1.7%
1.4%
1.7%
Q1’23 Q2’23 Q3’23 Q4’23 Q1’24 Q2’24 Q3’24 Q4’24 Q1’25 Q2’25 Q3’25 Q4’25

Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts.

Monthly Trend — Drug Possession Dispositions Statewide

Court dispositions of Drug Possession charges across Florida, month by month. FloridaCourtFile refreshes this data monthly from FDLE's Criminal Justice Data Transparency releases — no other public source tracks Florida charge outcomes at this cadence.

Month Dispositions Guilty Rate Dismissal Rate
2024-07 7,430 74.9% 1.3%
2024-08 7,776 74.4% 1.0%
2024-09 6,985 74.9% 1.7%
2024-10 7,374 73.8% 1.6%
2024-11 6,357 75.3% 1.3%
2024-12 5,920 74.7% 1.2%
2025-01 7,045 73.5% 1.2%
2025-02 6,712 73.0% 1.9%
2025-03 6,830 72.7% 1.7%
2025-04 7,619 72.1% 1.4%
2025-05 6,986 72.6% 1.4%
2025-06 6,939 72.5% 2.2%
2025-07 7,620 73.7% 1.4%
2025-08 7,148 73.3% 1.7%
2025-09 7,260 71.3% 1.1%
2025-10 7,327 72.3% 1.5%
2025-11 5,962 73.6% 1.3%
2025-12 5,891 71.5% 2.4%

Counts for recent months can rise slightly in later releases as courts report late dispositions. Data through FDLE's July 2026 release.

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency — FloridaCourtFile.com

§ 893.13 — Drug Possession and Sale
Florida Statute § 893.13 criminalizes the possession, sale, manufacture, delivery, and purchase of controlled substances listed in Florida’s drug schedules.

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What is the guilty rate for Drug Possession in Florida?

The statewide guilty rate for Drug Possession is 72.7% based on 83,303 cases from 66 counties (2025).

What is the dismissal rate for Drug Possession in Florida?

The statewide dismissal rate for Drug Possession is 1.6% across all Florida counties (2025).

How does Drug Possession sentencing vary by county?

Sentencing for Drug Possession varies significantly by county. Browse the county breakdown table above to compare guilty rates, dismissal rates, and average sentences across all 66 counties.

What does adjudication withheld mean for Drug Possession?

Adjudication withheld means the court found sufficient evidence of guilt but chose not to formally convict the defendant. This is unique to Florida and means the charge does not appear as a conviction on the defendant's record, though the arrest record remains. For Drug Possession, adjudication is withheld in 18.6% of cases statewide (2025).

Cite this page

FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Drug Possession in Florida (2025). Based on 83,303 public court records across 66 counties; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/drug-possession

Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 83,303 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com