Florida · Security deposits · Updated Oct 2026

Florida security deposit law

How much a landlord in Florida can charge, the deadline to return a deposit, what may be deducted, the penalty for keeping it wrongly and how to get yours back.

Short answer

In Florida, the deposit limit is: No statewide limit. The landlord must return it as follows: If the landlord makes no claim on the deposit, it must be returned (with any interest owed) within 15 days after the lease ends and you move out.

deposit limit
No statewide limit
to return a deposit
15 days
deposit penalty
See below

Security deposit in Florida

Limit
No statewide limit.
Deadline to return it
If the landlord makes no claim on the deposit, it must be returned (with any interest owed) within 15 days after the lease ends and you move out. If the landlord wants to keep any part, they must send you a written notice of the claim within 30 days after the lease ends, by certified mail to your last known address (or by e-mail if you agreed to e-mail notices). You then have 15 days after you receive it to object in writing. The landlord must send the rest within 30 days after the date of the notice. Unless your lease says otherwise, give the landlord at least 7 days' written notice before moving out, by certified mail or hand delivery, with the address where you can be reached; if you don't, the landlord is excused from the 30-day notice rule, but you still keep your right to the deposit. Fla. Stat. § 83.49(5).
Itemized list
Yes, in the form of the written 'notice of intention to impose a claim' stating the amount and the reason, using the wording set by statute. Receipts are not required.
What may be deducted
Unpaid rent and damage the landlord claims under the lease, as listed in the landlord's written notice. Section 83.49 does not list allowed categories; if you disagree, object in writing within 15 days.
Interest
Only if the landlord keeps the deposit in an interest-bearing account (you get at least 75% of the interest or 5% a year simple interest, as the landlord chooses) or posts a surety bond instead (5% a year). If held in a non-interest-bearing account, no interest.
Separate account
Yes. The landlord must keep it in a separate account in a Florida bank (interest-bearing or not) or post a surety bond. Landlords with 5 or more units must tell you in writing, in the lease or within 30 days, where and how it is held.
If the landlord keeps it wrongly
If the landlord misses the 30-day notice, the landlord loses the right to keep any of the deposit (but can still sue you separately for damages). In a court case over the deposit, the winner gets court costs and reasonable attorney fees. There is no double or triple damages rule.
Law
Fla. Stat. § 83.49

Get your deposit back, step by step

  1. Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
  2. Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Florida: If the landlord wants to keep any part, they must send you a written notice of the claim within 30 days after the lease ends, by certified mail to your last known address (or by e-mail if you agreed to e-mail notices).
  3. Wait for the deadline: If the landlord makes no claim on the deposit, it must be returned (with any interest owed) within 15 days after the lease ends and you move out.
  4. If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
  5. If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $8,000 for people and businesses; court costs, interest and attorney fees don't count. Small claims court in Florida on Small Claims Map

Deposit return calculator for Florida

Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Enter your deposit and move-out dateThe result appears as you type.

An estimate from the dates you enter and the rule in our data, not legal advice. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business days, and we don't skip holidays.

Security deposit demand letter for Florida

A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

We suggest 14 days.

One or two sentences. This text goes into the letter as written.

Small claims court in Florida

Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer. Limit: $8,000 for people and businesses; court costs, interest and attorney fees don't count.

How to file in Florida

Questions about security deposits in Florida

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Florida?

No statewide limit.

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Florida?

If the landlord makes no claim on the deposit, it must be returned (with any interest owed) within 15 days after the lease ends and you move out. If the landlord wants to keep any part, they must send you a written notice of the claim within 30 days after the lease ends, by certified mail to your last known address (or by e-mail if you agreed to e-mail notices). You then have 15 days after you receive it to object in writing. The landlord must send the rest within 30 days after the date of the notice. Unless your lease says otherwise, give the landlord at least 7 days' written notice before moving out, by certified mail or hand delivery, with the address where you can be reached; if you don't, the landlord is excused from the 30-day notice rule, but you still keep your right to the deposit. Fla. Stat. § 83.49(5).

What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Florida?

If the landlord misses the 30-day notice, the landlord loses the right to keep any of the deposit (but can still sue you separately for damages). In a court case over the deposit, the winner gets court costs and reasonable attorney fees. There is no double or triple damages rule.

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Florida?

Unpaid rent and damage the landlord claims under the lease, as listed in the landlord's written notice. Section 83.49 does not list allowed categories; if you disagree, object in writing within 15 days.

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Florida?

Only if the landlord keeps the deposit in an interest-bearing account (you get at least 75% of the interest or 5% a year simple interest, as the landlord chooses) or posts a surety bond instead (5% a year). If held in a non-interest-bearing account, no interest.

What is the small claims limit in Florida?

$8,000 for people and businesses; court costs, interest and attorney fees don't count.

More for Florida renters

Security deposit in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.