Florida Statute 415.1034
“Mandatory reporting of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults; mandatory reports of death”
What it means
Any person who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a vulnerable adult has been or is being abused, neglected, or exploited must immediately report that knowledge or suspicion to the central abuse hotline. The statute says "including, but not limited to" and lists examples: physicians and other health professionals; nursing home, assisted living, adult day care, and adult family-care home staff; social workers; criminal justice employees and law enforcement officers; advocacy council members and long-term care ombudsman representatives; bank, savings and loan, and credit union officers, trustees, and employees; and dealers, investment advisers, and associated persons under chapter 517.
To the extent possible, the report contains the victim's name, age, race, sex, description, and location; family members' names, addresses, and telephone numbers; the alleged perpetrator's and caregiver's identifying details; the reporter's details; the injuries; actions taken; and other information on the cause.
Under subsection (2), anyone required to investigate reports who has reasonable cause to suspect that a vulnerable adult died as a result of abuse, neglect, or exploitation must immediately report the suspicion to the medical examiner, the criminal justice agency, and the department, even if a physician has signed a death certificate.
- Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult must report immediately to the central abuse hotline (§ 415.1034(1)(a)).
- The listed reporters are examples ("including, but not limited to"), including health professionals, facility staff, social workers, and law enforcement (§ 415.1034(1)(a)1.-5.).
- Also listed: bank, savings and loan, and credit union officers, trustees, and employees (§ 415.1034(1)(a)8.).
- Also listed: dealers, investment advisers, and associated persons under chapter 517 (§ 415.1034(1)(a)9.).
- The report includes, to the extent possible, victim, family, alleged perpetrator, caregiver, and reporter details and the injuries (§ 415.1034(1)(b)).
- A person required to investigate who suspects death from abuse, neglect, or exploitation reports to the medical examiner, criminal justice agency, and department (§ 415.1034(2)).
Text of the statute (2026)
(a) Any person, including, but not limited to, any: 1. Physician, osteopathic physician, medical examiner, chiropractic physician, nurse, paramedic, emergency medical technician, or hospital personnel engaged in the admission, examination, care, or treatment of vulnerable adults; 2. Health professional or mental health professional other than one listed in subparagraph 1.; 3. Practitioner who relies solely on spiritual means for healing; 4. Nursing home staff; assisted living facility staff; adult day care center staff; adult family-care home staff; social worker; or other professional adult care, residential, or institutional staff; 5. State, county, or municipal criminal justice employee or law enforcement officer; 6. Employee of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation conducting inspections of public lodging establishments under s. 509.032; 7. Florida advocacy council or Disability Rights Florida member or a representative of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program; 8. Bank, savings and loan, or credit union officer, trustee, or employee; or 9. Dealer, investment adviser, or associated person under chapter 517, who knows, or has reasonable cause to suspect, that a vulnerable adult has been or is being abused, neglected, or exploited must immediately report such knowledge or suspicion to the central abuse hotline.
(b) To the extent possible, a report made pursuant to paragraph (a) must contain, but need not be limited to, the following information: 1. Name, age, race, sex, physical description, and location of each victim alleged to have been abused, neglected, or exploited. 2. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the victim’s family members. 3. Name, address, and telephone number of each alleged perpetrator. 4. Name, address, and telephone number of the caregiver of the victim, if different from the alleged perpetrator. 5. Name, address, and telephone number of the person reporting the alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation. 6. Description of the physical or psychological injuries sustained. 7. Actions taken by the reporter, if any, such as notification of the criminal justice agency. 8. Any other information available to the reporting person which may establish the cause of abuse, neglect, or exploitation that occurred or is occurring.
(2) MANDATORY REPORTS OF DEATH.—Any person who is required to investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and who has reasonable cause to suspect that a vulnerable adult died as a result of abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall immediately report the suspicion to the appropriate medical examiner, to the appropriate criminal justice agency, and to the department, notwithstanding the existence of a death certificate signed by a practicing physician. The medical examiner shall accept the report for investigation pursuant to s. 406.11 and shall report the findings of the investigation, in writing, to the appropriate local criminal justice agency, the appropriate state attorney, and the department. Autopsy reports maintained by the medical examiner are not subject to the confidentiality requirements provided for in s. 415.107.
Excerpts are the subsections the summary relies on. Read the full official text of § 415.1034.
History. s. 96, ch. 95-418; s. 10, ch. 97-98; s. 42, ch. 97-264; s. 256, ch. 98-166; s. 21, ch. 2000-263; s. 2, ch. 2000-318; s. 28, ch. 2000-349; s. 29, ch. 2015-31; s. 1, ch. 2020-157.
How it applies
The reporting duty in subsection (1) turns on knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect, not on proof. Knowing and willful failure to report is a second-degree misdemeanor under s. 415.111(1), and s. 415.1036 provides immunity for good-faith reports.
The list in paragraph (1)(a) includes financial professionals, so a bank or credit union employee or an investment adviser who has reasonable cause to suspect financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult falls within the duty. Subsection (2) adds a separate reporting duty for suspected deaths.
Related sections
Questions people ask
Sources
- Florida Statutes (2026), s. 415.1034, Florida Senate (Subsections (1) and (2): the duty to report, the listed reporters, report contents, and reports of death. Quote: "must immediately report such knowledge or suspicion to the central abuse hotline")
- Online Sunshine, Florida Statutes (2026), s. 415.1034 (Text, catchline, and History line checked against this page on 2026-10-17.)
- Florida Statutes (2026), s. 415.111, Florida Senate (Criminal penalty for knowing and willful failure to report.)
- Florida Statutes (2026), s. 415.1036, Florida Senate (Immunity for good-faith reporters.)
Last checked: October 17, 2026
Published by the Probate.Help editorial team.How these pages are written and checked.