Florida Lobster Mini-Season 2026: Dates, Rules & Tips
Florida's lobster mini-season, officially the sport season, is the two-day head start recreational divers get before the regular season opens. In 2026 it falls on Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30. Here's everything you need to dive it legally and come home with your limit.
When is mini-season 2026?
Mini-season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July. For 2026 that's July 29-30, running from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday to midnight Thursday night.
If you miss it, the regular season runs August 6 through March 31, so there's plenty of season left.
Bag and size limits
Limits are stricter in the Keys, so know exactly where you're diving:
- Sport season, most of Florida: 12 lobster per person, per day.
- Sport season, Monroe County & Biscayne National Park: 6 lobster per person, per day.
- Regular season (statewide): 6 lobster per person, per day.
- Minimum size: carapace must be larger than 3 inches, measured in the water. Carrying a measuring device is required at all times.
Egg-bearing ("berried") females must be released unharmed, and lobster must be landed whole. Never separate the tail on the water.
Licenses and permits
To harvest spiny lobster you need both a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster permit (unless you're exempt). You need them whether you're harvesting or just attempting to. Buy them online from the FWC before you head out.
Where you can't lobster: no-take zones
A lot of beautiful reef is off-limits to lobster harvest, and the penalties are steep. Stay out of:
- Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) and other no-take zones in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
- Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks
- The Biscayne Bay / Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary
- Coral reef protection areas in Biscayne National Park
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which is closed to lobstering during mini-season
Lobsterly's interactive no-take zone map shows the zones that apply to recreational lobstering in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties so you can stay legal at a glance.
Night diving rules
Night diving for lobster is prohibited in Monroe County only during the sport season, from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. It's allowed in Monroe County during the regular season, and night diving for lobster is permitted in the rest of Florida. It can be productive on shallow grass flats; if you go, use dive lights and stay very aware of boat traffic and your own vessel's location.
Tips to actually catch your limit
Mini-season is crowded and conditions vary. A few things that make a real difference:
- Go where others aren't. A few extra miles usually buys better visibility and far fewer divers.
- Start shallow. Nearshore rocks, coral heads, and grass ledges in under 10 to 12 feet are beginner-friendly and hold plenty of bugs.
- Measure in the water, every time. A quick gauge underwater avoids a ticket and unnecessary stress on short lobster.
- Bring the essentials: dive flag, gloves, a tickle stick and net, a light for looking under ledges, and a catch bag.
- Respect the real dangers. Currents and boat traffic hurt people every year; the lobster never do. Dive with a buddy and watch the weather.
Where to go
The best mini-season spots are nearshore structure across South Florida and the Keys, which is exactly what Lobsterly maps. The app includes 3,000+ proven lobster spots from Haulover Inlet to Key West, around 100 free waypoints to get you started, every no-take zone above, and 4,500+ Florida public artificial reefs. It all works offline once you're past cell range.
Find your mini-season spots before July 29
3,000+ proven spots, no-take zones, and 4,500+ Florida artificial reefs, all offline. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Frequently asked questions
When is Florida lobster mini-season in 2026?
Florida's 2026 lobster mini-season (sport season) is July 29-30, 2026, the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July. It runs from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday through midnight Thursday.
How many lobster can you catch during mini-season?
The sport-season daily bag limit is 12 lobster per person in most of Florida, but only 6 per person in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park.
Do you need a license for lobster mini-season?
Yes. You need a Florida recreational saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster permit to harvest spiny lobster, unless you're exempt.
About Lobsterly
Lobsterly is built by divers, for divers, as the ultimate field guide to lobstering in Florida. The app maps 3,000+ proven spots from Haulover Inlet to Key West, every no-take zone, and 4,500+ Florida artificial reefs, all offline. One-time purchase, no subscription. We keep these guides current and check the regulations against the FWC.
Related guides
Regulations change. Always confirm the latest rules on the FWC spiny lobster page before you dive. Last updated June 2026.
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