Florida Landlord-Tenant Law 2026: The Plain-English Guide
Florida's landlord-tenant law (Part II of Chapter 83, Florida Statutes — the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) is detailed and procedure-heavy. Florida is broadly landlord-friendly, but the deposit rules and notice requirements are strict and technical. Miss a step and your case or your deposit claim falls apart.
Security deposits
Florida's deposit rules are among the strictest in the country:
- No state limit on the amount.
- You must notify the tenant in writing within 30 days of move-out if you intend to keep any of the deposit, stating the reason.
- Return the deposit within 15 days if you're not making any deductions.
- Where you hold it matters: you must hold deposits in a separate non-commingled account (or post a surety bond), and you must notify the tenant in writing of where it's held and whether it earns interest.
- Penalty: failure to give the 30-day notice of deductions can forfeit your right to withhold anything.
Use our Security Deposit Deadline Finder and deductions guide.
Rent rules
- No rent control — prohibited by state law.
- Late fees should be in the lease and reasonable.
- Raising rent: 15 days' notice for month-to-month tenancies (longer for quarterly/yearly). See how to raise rent legally.
Eviction in Florida
Florida evictions follow a strict sequence:
1. 3-Day Notice for nonpayment — excludes weekends and legal holidays, and must state the exact amount owed and where to pay.
2. 7-Day Notice to Cure for curable lease violations; 7-Day Unconditional Quit for serious or repeat violations.
3. File in County Court — eviction actions go to county court in the property's county.
4. Tenant has 5 days (excluding weekends/holidays) to respond after being served.
5. If the tenant disputes, they must deposit the rent into the court registry to defend.
Uncontested Florida evictions typically take 4–6 weeks. Self-help (lockouts, utility shutoffs) is illegal — only the sheriff executes a writ of possession. Full process: how to evict a tenant.
Repairs and habitability
- Landlords must maintain the property in compliance with building and housing codes, keep common areas safe and clean, and maintain plumbing, electrical, heating, and appliances provided with the unit.
- Tenant's remedy process: written notice specifying the problem → 7 days to fix → if not fixed, tenant may withhold rent or terminate (with strict procedural requirements).
- Important: tenants must follow the statutory procedure exactly — including being current on rent — or the remedies don't apply.
Entry rights
- Landlords must give 12 hours' notice before entering, and entry must be at a reasonable time.
- Exceptions: emergencies, tenant consent, or extended absence.
- Your lease can refine this, but can't waive the tenant's basic protections.
Ending tenancies
- Month-to-month: 15 days' written notice before the end of a monthly period.
- Quarter-to-quarter: 30 days. Year-to-year: 60 days.
- These notice periods are some of the most commonly miscalculated in Florida — count carefully.
The bottom line
Florida rewards landlords who follow procedures precisely: the 15/30-day deposit dance, the 3-day notice math (excluding weekends and holidays), the 12-hour entry rule. Get the procedures right and Florida is a smooth state to landlord in. Get them wrong and the statutes punish sloppiness fast.
This is general information, not legal advice. For complex situations, consult a Florida landlord-tenant attorney.