Possession of Registered Shopping Carts or Containers
Possession of specified carts or containers bearing a registered identifying name or mark.
Florida Statute
§ 506.509
Possession of shopping carts, laundry carts, dairy cases, egg baskets, poultry boxes, or bakery containers
Verified against the 2026 Florida Statutes: September 17, 2026
Quick Summary
Confirm possession AND a covered item AND its registered identifying mark. Check the exclusions in 506.519 and obtain legal guidance on the statutory stolen-property presumption.
Classification Matrix
Use this as a quick classification reference. Specific facts, statutory circumstances, and charging allegations may affect the applicable result.
Possession of Registered Carts or Containers
F.S. 506.509
Possession AND a listed item type AND a registered identifying mark; assess 506.519 exclusions and the legal limits of the stolen-property presumption. No value bands or repeat-offense enhancement are stated in 506.509.
Elements of the Offense
Elements of the Offense
Elements marked AND are cumulative. Elements marked OR identify statutory alternatives; one applicable alternative must be established when that theory is charged. Conditional elements apply only to the identified statutory track.
- Element 1AND — Required
All statutory facts required - AND
The defendant possessed the item.
Plain language: Document the person's possession of the identified property.
- Element 2AND — Required
All statutory facts required - AND
The item was a shopping cart OR laundry cart OR dairy case OR egg basket OR poultry box OR bakery container covered by the Act.
Plain language: One listed item type is sufficient; use the definitions in 506.502.
- Element 3AND — Required
All statutory facts required - AND
The item bore a registered identifying name or mark.
Plain language: Photograph the marking and verify its registration under 506.503; a store logo alone does not establish registration.
Jury Instructions
Jury Instructions
No dedicated Florida Standard Jury Instruction was located in the July 2026 compilation. Consult the current statute, applicable case law, and agency or legal guidance.
View Official Jury InstructionsImportant Definitions
Important Definitions
Shopping cart
A wheeled basket or comparable device ordinarily used by retail customers to carry goods.
Laundry cart
A wheeled basket used by customers or attendants in coin-operated laundry or drycleaning businesses to move laundry and supplies.
Registered identifying mark
Verify the identifying name or mark against the Department of State registration contemplated by 506.503.
Additional Notes
Additional Notes
Scope exclusions
Under 506.519(1), the Act excludes the owner, a retailer, their agents or employees, and a customer with written consent from the owner or retailer to possess or remove the property. Verify authority and consent before charging.
Stolen-property presumption
506.509 contains a stolen-property presumption. Do not describe it as conclusive proof of theft or require the accused to prove innocence. Preserve ownership and authorization evidence and consult the State Attorney about its permissible use; this reference has not completed a section-specific constitutional case-law review.
Related conduct is separate
506.513 addresses removal of shopping or laundry carts and alteration of identifiers. Do not import those removal facts into 506.509 as additional statutory elements or treat every unmarked cart as covered here.
Jury instruction reference
No offense-specific standard instruction for 506.509 was located in the Florida Bar criminal instruction listings reviewed September 17, 2026. Do not substitute the separate theft instruction as though it were a 506.509 instruction. Obtain charging and instruction guidance from the State Attorney.