Do this today
- Keep move-in and move-out photos, dated, of every room and the condition of walls, floors, appliances, and keys.
- Keep the lease, the receipt for the deposit, and a record of how keys were returned.
- Give a forwarding address in writing.
- List each disputed deduction in one sentence with the reason.
What usually has to be proven?
A deposit dispute in Florida is a records problem first. What was paid, what was deducted, what the unit looked like at both ends, and whether keys were returned as the lease required. Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is the chapter to open for caps, timing, and itemization — not a national chart.
Should I send a demand letter?
A calm, dated letter that lists each deduction and a way to reach you is something any renter can write. Send it in a way you can prove. Small-claims court exists in Florida; whether it is worth filing, and what the court can order, is a question for legal aid or the court's own self-help materials.
Does Florida Chapter 83 apply the same in Miami and Jacksonville?
The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is statewide. City and county code enforcement, and which county court hears the case, are local. Miami-Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, and Orange are different stacks. Confirm the county of the unit.
The Florida chapter
Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.40 to 83.683) is the starting point. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Florida places residential tenancy rules in Part II of Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes, and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services maintains a landlord–tenant consumer page.
Florida cities and counties run code-enforcement programs for housing conditions, and some have local human-relations ordinances that add protected classes beyond federal fair housing law.
Official sources
- StatuteFlorida Statutes, Chapter 83 — Landlord and TenantOnline Sunshine, the Legislature's official statute publisher.
- State agencyFlorida Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services — Landlord/Tenant Law in FloridaState consumer-resources overview for renters.
- Free legal helpFlorida Law Help — Your Rights as TenantsStatewide legal-aid guides and a provider finder.
- Statute indexCornell LII landlord-tenant tableFla. Stat. §§ 83.40 to 83.683
- FederalHUD — Florida
- Free legal helpLawHelp.org — Florida
Common questions
Is there a national cap on security deposits in Florida?
No. Any cap, any itemization rule, and any return deadline for Florida live in Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — sometimes in a city rule too. This site does not reprint them.
Can my landlord in Florida keep the deposit for normal wear?
Ordinary wear and damage are different ideas in most states. What counts as each is a Florida and facts question. Photos from move-in and move-out are what make that argument possible.
Where do I confirm the Florida deposit rule?
Open Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, or take the file to legal aid. A city housing department may add rules the state does not.
Does Florida Chapter 83 apply the same in Miami and Jacksonville?
The Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is statewide. City and county code enforcement, and which county court hears the case, are local. Miami-Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, and Orange are different stacks. Confirm the county of the unit.
The national security deposit guide has the full sequence. Open the security deposit guide
People also ask
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org