Last updated: April 2026
Jacksonville is Florida's largest city by land area and home to hundreds of thousands of renters in Duval County. This guide explains the tenant rights and landlord obligations that apply to every Jacksonville rental under Florida law.
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Jacksonville is the most populous city in Florida and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States, spanning all of Duval County. With a substantial renter population across neighborhoods from Riverside and San Marco to the Northside and Beaches communities, understanding tenant rights is essential for the many Jacksonville residents who lease their homes.
All tenant protections in Jacksonville come from Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.40–83.682). There are no city-specific rental ordinances that go beyond state law. The most common questions Jacksonville renters ask involve security deposit disputes, the landlord's duty to make repairs, eviction notice requirements, and protections against unlawful lockouts — all of which are addressed in detail below.
This guide is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change and individual circumstances vary; if you are facing an eviction or a serious dispute with your landlord, consult a licensed Florida attorney or contact a local legal aid organization.
Jacksonville has no rent control, and no local government in Florida can enact one. In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1431, which explicitly preempts counties and municipalities from adopting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance or policy that controls the amount of rent charged for private residential property. This law is codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 (for counties) and Fla. Stat. § 166.043 (for municipalities) and took effect on June 1, 2023.
The 2023 legislation specifically invalidated a voter-approved rent stabilization measure in Orange County and closed off any future local efforts statewide. The City of Jacksonville — and Duval County — therefore have no authority to cap rents, limit rent increases, or impose any form of rent stabilization, even if Jacksonville voters were to approve such a measure.
In practice, this means a Jacksonville landlord may raise your rent by any amount, at any time, as long as they provide the legally required advance written notice before the change takes effect. For month-to-month tenants, that notice period is 15 days under Fla. Stat. § 83.57. Renters should be aware that there is no ceiling on how much a landlord may increase rent, so carefully reviewing your lease renewal terms is critical.
Although Jacksonville has no additional local tenant ordinances, Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.40–83.682) provides meaningful protections that apply to every Jacksonville rental.
Habitability (Fla. Stat. § 83.51): Landlords must maintain rental units in a condition that complies with applicable building, housing, and health codes. They must keep the roof, windows, doors, floors, stairs, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems in good working order and must provide functioning locks and exterminate pests when necessary. Tenants also have duties to keep their unit clean and to not damage the property.
Repair Remedy (Fla. Stat. § 83.56): If your landlord fails to maintain a habitable unit, you must first deliver a written 7-day notice specifying the deficiency. If the landlord does not act within 7 days, you may terminate the lease or, in some circumstances, withhold rent — but rent withholding carries legal risk and you should seek legal advice before doing so.
Notice to Terminate (Fla. Stat. § 83.57): To end a month-to-month tenancy, either the landlord or tenant must give at least 15 days' written notice before the end of any monthly period. Week-to-week tenancies require at least 7 days' notice. Failure to provide proper notice means the tenancy continues on its existing terms.
Anti-Retaliation (Fla. Stat. § 83.64): A landlord may not increase rent, threaten eviction, reduce services, or take any other retaliatory action against a tenant for reporting housing code violations to a government agency, complaining to the landlord about habitability, or participating in a tenant organization. A retaliatory act within 60 days of a protected activity creates a presumption of retaliation.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (Fla. Stat. § 83.67): Self-help eviction is illegal in Florida. A landlord may not remove doors or windows, change locks, or intentionally interrupt electricity, water, gas, or other essential services to force a tenant out. Violating tenants may recover actual damages or three months' rent, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees.
Security deposit rules for Jacksonville rentals are governed exclusively by Fla. Stat. § 83.49. Florida does not cap the amount a landlord may collect as a security deposit, so the amount is whatever is negotiated in the lease.
Return timeline: If the landlord makes no deductions, the full deposit must be returned within 15 days after the tenant vacates the unit. If the landlord intends to make any deductions, they must send the tenant written notice of their claim — by certified mail to the tenant's last known address — within 30 days of the tenant vacating. The notice must itemize each deduction and state the reasons.
Tenant's right to object: After receiving a deduction notice, the tenant has 15 days to object in writing. If no objection is made, the landlord may deduct the claimed amounts and return the remainder.
Penalty for non-compliance: If a landlord fails to return the deposit or send the required notice within the applicable deadline, they forfeit the right to make any deductions from the deposit and must return it in full. A tenant can sue to recover the deposit plus court costs and attorney's fees under Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(c).
Holding requirements: Landlords who collect a deposit must either hold it in a separate Florida bank account (not commingled with other funds), post a surety bond, or use another method allowed by statute. They must notify the tenant in writing within 30 days of receiving the deposit of the location and method of holding it.
Evictions in Jacksonville follow the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. §§ 83.56–83.625) and are processed through the Duval County Court.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, a landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice. The type and duration of notice depends on the reason:
Step 2 — Court Filing: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may file an eviction complaint (unlawful detainer action) in Duval County Court. The tenant is served with a summons and has 5 days (excluding weekends and holidays) to file a written response (Fla. Stat. § 83.60).
Step 3 — Hearing: If the tenant responds, the court schedules a hearing. If the tenant fails to respond or pay any disputed rent into the court registry, the judge may enter a default judgment for the landlord.
Step 4 — Writ of Possession: If the landlord prevails, the court issues a writ of possession. The Duval County Sheriff serves the writ and gives the tenant 24 hours to vacate before physically removing them (Fla. Stat. § 83.62).
No just-cause requirement: Florida law does not require a landlord to have a specific reason to end a tenancy once the proper notice period has passed. Jacksonville has no local just-cause eviction ordinance.
Self-help eviction is illegal: Under Fla. Stat. § 83.67, a landlord who locks out a tenant, removes doors or windows, or shuts off utilities outside the court process is liable for actual damages or three months' rent, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees and costs.
No. Jacksonville has no rent control, and Florida law prohibits any local government from enacting one. The Florida Legislature passed HB 1431 in 2023, codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 and § 166.043, which explicitly preempts all counties and municipalities — including Jacksonville and Duval County — from adopting or enforcing any form of rent stabilization or rent cap.
There is no limit on the amount a landlord can raise rent in Jacksonville. Because Florida's 2023 statewide preemption law (Fla. Stat. § 166.043) bans all local rent caps, a landlord may raise rent by any amount. For a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord must give at least 15 days' written notice before the increase takes effect, as required by Fla. Stat. § 83.57.
Under Fla. Stat. § 83.49, if your landlord makes no deductions, your deposit must be returned within 15 days after you vacate. If your landlord intends to make deductions, they must send you written notice by certified mail within 30 days itemizing the claims; you then have 15 days to object in writing. A landlord who misses either deadline forfeits the right to withhold any portion of the deposit.
The required notice depends on the reason for eviction. For nonpayment of rent, the landlord must give a 3-day written notice to pay or vacate (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3)). For a lease violation, a 7-day written notice to cure or vacate is required (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)). To end a month-to-month tenancy without cause, the landlord must give at least 15 days' written notice before the end of the rental period (Fla. Stat. § 83.57).
No. Under Fla. Stat. § 83.67, self-help eviction is illegal in Florida. A landlord may not change your locks, remove doors or windows, or intentionally interrupt electricity, water, gas, or other essential services to force you out. If your landlord does any of these things, you are entitled to recover the greater of your actual damages or three months' rent, plus attorney's fees and court costs.
Florida law requires landlords to maintain rental units in habitable condition under Fla. Stat. § 83.51. If your landlord fails to make essential repairs, you must first deliver a written 7-day notice specifying the problem, as required by Fla. Stat. § 83.56. If the landlord still does not act within 7 days, you may have the right to terminate the lease or pursue other legal remedies — contact Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (jaxlegalaid.org) or an attorney before withholding rent, as doing so incorrectly can expose you to eviction.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws can change, and the application of any law depends on the specific facts of your situation. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and no attorney-client relationship is created by reading this page. If you are facing an eviction, a security deposit dispute, or any other serious landlord-tenant matter, you should consult a licensed Florida attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in Jacksonville. Always verify current statutes and local ordinances independently, as laws may have changed since this page was last updated in April 2026.
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