Florida security deposit law
Return deadline
15 days
15 days if no deductions; 30 days to send written notice of an intent to claim (you then have 15 days to object).
Small claims limit
$8,000
What you need to know
- • No deductions? Deposit due in 15 days. Claiming deductions? Written notice within 30 days by certified mail.
- • If the landlord misses the 30-day claim notice, they forfeit the right to withhold anything.
- • Object to a claim in writing within 15 days of receiving it — silence can be treated as consent.
Itemization: Written notice of claim by certified mail is required for any deduction.
Interest: Interest owed only if the landlord held the deposit in an interest-bearing account.
Deposit cap: No statutory cap.
If they wrongfully withhold: A landlord who misses the notice deadline forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit.
Statute: Fla. Stat. § 83.49
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and details vary by city and situation — verify current law or consult a local attorney or tenant’s rights organization before acting.