Florida County Park Entrance Fee Discount for Military, Veterans and Gold Star Families

Section 125.029 of the Florida Statutes (chapter 2016-196) says a county park or recreation department "shall provide a partial or a full discount on park entrance fees" to anyone who presents information the department accepts as proof that the person is: - a current member of the Armed Forces, a reserve component or the National Guard; - an honorably discharged veteran of any of them; - an honorably discharged veteran with a service-connected disability determined by VA; - the surviving spouse or a parent of a member who died in the line of duty under combat-related conditions; - the surviving spouse or a parent of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or state or local EMT or paramedic who died in the line of duty. What it covers. Only the fee to enter lands a county park department manages. The section excludes "expanded fees for amenities, such as campgrounds, aquatic facilities, stadiums or arenas, facility rentals, special events, boat launching, golf, zoos, museums, gardens, or programs". How much. The statute does not set the discount; each county does, from a small percentage to free entry, and some counties charge no entrance fee at all, so there is nothing to discount. A county's own pass or discount, where this catalog lists one, is how that county meets this section. A veteran with a general discharge is outside the statute's words, though a county may go further. The free lifetime pass to state parks is a separate benefit; see the Florida entry.