Miami Beach rolling out protocols for delivery robots

Written by Janetssy Lugo on October 1, 2025

Miami Beach is blazing a trail as it approaches legislation targeting delivery robots.

Commissioners focused on establishing protocols for the robots, but the final vote is due this month as talk was continued to Oct. 29.

The delivery robots “are taking up our real estate, kind of like any sidewalk cafe, and sometimes they’re idling for long amounts of time,” said Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez, sponsor of the item.

Ms. Rosen Gonzalez said the robots get picked up every evening at a certain location in order to be charged, they’re serviced and then brought back in the morning.

A memo accompanying the legislation said a state statute permits “the operation of personal delivery devices (PDDs) and mobile carriers on sidewalks and crosswalks, but expressly permits local governments to impose additional regulations related to their safe operation.”

Additionally, the memo notes that Miami Beach is a densely populated coastal community with narrow sidewalks, heavy pedestrian traffic and unique public safety and mobility concerns.

“The operation of personal delivery devices and mobile carriers,” says the memo, “has raised concerns from residents and visitors regarding sidewalk obstructions, tripping hazards and visual distractions.”

Ms. Rosen Gonzalez said her item is “groundbreaking legislation. We’re the first city in the state of Florida to pass anything whatsoever regulating the robots.”

The commission focused on limiting the robots’ idling time to 30 minutes permitted.

However, after more discussion, Ms. Rosen Gonzalez suggested the robots may idle for up to 30 minutes in the evening, when they are ready to be picked up at the location identified by the vendor when the vendor applies for its permit. During the daytime, maximum idle time would be five minutes.

She noted this could be amended moving forward “because it is going to change, and this is a first attempt at regulation.”

Noise emitted by the robots was also discussed as Commissioner Alex Fernandez raised concerns.

“We’re talking about robots that are mainly going into dense areas,” he said, “dense areas where we know noise travels, and when that noise travels, our residents are going to be reaching out to us, and they’re going to be telling us that beeping noise, whoever thought to have all of these robots beeping throughout our neighborhood, and so I just want us to be careful about putting this requirement, because I do feel that could have an unintended consequence on the quality of life of our residents, and then later on, once this is passed, the only way to change it is by going through a whole ordinance and public hearing process that takes months to get done.”

Before the Oct. 29 meeting, Rosen Gonzalez said, “I will find out what noise the bots will emit. And we can make those changes also and because I do want to get it right. There’s going to be a lot of bots around the city.”