Florida Residential Lease Agreement Template

A fixed-term lease for a house, apartment or condo. It sets the rent, deposit, rules and responsibilities for both sides, with slots for the rules of the state where the home is located. This edition fills in the Florida rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

Florida rules for this form

Deposit limit. Florida law does not cap the amount of a security deposit. Since 2023 a landlord may also offer a monthly fee in place of a deposit. (Florida Statutes sections 83.49 and 83.491)

Deadline to return the deposit. With no claim, the deposit is due back within 15 days after the lease ends; to keep any part, the landlord must send written notice of the claim within 30 days. (Florida Statutes section 83.49(3))

Notice before entry. For repairs, the landlord must give at least 24 hours of notice and enter between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except in an emergency or with the tenant's consent. (Florida Statutes section 83.53)

Late fees. Florida generally does not set a statutory cap on late fees, so the amount comes from the lease and should be reasonable. (Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (no statutory cap))

Grace period. State law generally does not require a grace period before a late fee applies, so the lease controls. (Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (no statewide grace period))

Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))

Required disclosures. Every rental agreement must include the statutory notice about radon gas. (Florida Statutes section 404.056(5))

Required disclosures. The landlord or the person authorized to manage the property must give the tenant a name and address for notices and demands. (Florida Statutes section 83.50)

Required disclosures. Landlords with five or more units must tell the tenant in writing within 30 days where the deposit is held and whether it earns interest. (Florida Statutes section 83.49(2))

Required disclosures. Landlords must give prospective tenants a disclosure about the property's flood risk and flood history. (Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (flood disclosure))

Notice before a rent increase. Generally, Florida has no special rent increase notice statute, so rent stays fixed during a lease term unless the lease allows a change, and a month-to-month increase in practice needs at least the 30 days of notice required to end that tenancy. (Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (no separate increase rule))

Month-to-month notice. A month-to-month tenancy ends with written notice given at least 30 days before the end of a monthly period, by either side. (Florida Statutes section 83.57)

Cities and counties in Florida can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.

What is in the template

1. Parties
2. Property
3. Term
4. Rent
5. Late charges
6. Security deposit
7. Other charges and fees
8. Utilities and services
9. Occupants and guests
10. Use of the property
11. Pets
12. Smoking
13. Maintenance and repairs
14. Alterations
15. Landlord entry
16. Subletting and assignment
17. Insurance
18. Default
19. Moving out
20. Notices
21. Disclosures
22. General terms
23. Signatures

Before you use it

• A residential lease is the main contract between a landlord and a tenant for a fixed term, usually 6 or 12 months.
• State law sets the limits on deposits, late fees, entry notice and eviction notices, and it overrides any lease clause that conflicts with it.
• A clause that waives a tenant's legal rights is usually unenforceable and can weaken the rest of the lease.
• Have an attorney in your state review your final version, and attach every disclosure your state and city require.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the residential lease agreement.