Want to skip straight to checking your own building? Use the RentCheckMe address checker.
Stuart is the county seat of Martin County, a coastal community along Florida's Treasure Coast with a growing rental market. As rents along the Florida coast have climbed in recent years, many Stuart renters have searched for information about whether any local rent caps or tenant protections apply to their leases. The short answer is that Stuart has enacted no local tenant ordinances — renters here are governed exclusively by Florida's statewide landlord-tenant law, found in Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes.
Florida's framework gives tenants a defined set of rights around security deposits, the condition of the rental unit, notice before lease termination, and protection from landlord retaliation and self-help evictions. While these protections do not include rent control, they do create enforceable obligations for landlords and real remedies when those obligations are violated. Understanding these rules is the first step toward protecting yourself as a renter in Stuart.
This page summarizes Florida's key tenant protections as they apply to renters in Stuart and Martin County. It is intended as general educational information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change, and your specific situation may involve facts that alter the analysis — always consult a qualified attorney or legal aid organization if you have a specific dispute with your landlord.
Stuart has no rent control, and Florida law prevents any local government from enacting it. In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1431, which was signed into law and prohibits counties and municipalities from enacting, continuing, or enforcing any ordinance or policy that caps residential rents or rent increases. This prohibition is codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 (for counties) and Fla. Stat. § 166.0444 (for municipalities). The law explicitly overrode a voter-approved rent stabilization measure in Orange County and made clear that no Florida locality — including the City of Stuart or Martin County — may impose rent caps under any circumstances.
In practical terms, this means your landlord in Stuart can raise your rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenancies, with proper advance notice. There is no limit on the percentage or dollar amount of a rent increase, and no requirement that a landlord justify or explain a rent hike. Your only protection against a rent increase is the fixed term of your lease — if you have a lease running through a specific date, your rent cannot be raised until that term expires, unless your lease contract expressly permits mid-lease increases.
Although Stuart has no local tenant ordinances, Florida's Chapter 83 (the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) provides a baseline of protections for all renters in the state, including those in Martin County.
Habitability & Repairs (Fla. Stat. § 83.51 & § 83.56): Landlords are required to maintain rental units in a condition that complies with applicable building, housing, and health codes, and to keep roofs, windows, doors, floors, steps, porches, exterior walls, and plumbing in good repair. If your landlord fails to make an essential repair, you must first serve a written 7-day notice specifying the problem. If no corrective action is taken within 7 days, you may be entitled to terminate the lease, withhold rent (under specific procedural requirements), or pursue damages in court under Fla. Stat. § 83.56.
Security Deposit Rules (Fla. Stat. § 83.49): Landlords must hold your security deposit in a Florida bank account or post a surety bond. If no deductions are made, the full deposit must be returned within 15 days of lease termination. If the landlord intends to make deductions, they must send written notice by certified mail within 30 days explaining the claimed deductions. You then have 15 days to object in writing. A landlord who fails to follow this exact procedure forfeits the right to make any deduction at all.
Notice to Terminate (Fla. Stat. § 83.57): For month-to-month tenancies, either party must give at least 15 days' written notice before the end of a monthly period to terminate the tenancy. For week-to-week tenancies, 7 days' notice is required. These are minimum statutory periods; your lease may require longer notice.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (Fla. Stat. § 83.64): A landlord may not increase rent, decrease services, threaten eviction, or otherwise retaliate against a tenant for complaining to a government agency about housing code violations, organizing or joining a tenant union, or exercising any legal right under Chapter 83. Retaliatory conduct within one year of a protected activity is presumed retaliatory under the statute, shifting the burden to the landlord to prove a legitimate reason.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction (Fla. Stat. § 83.67): It is illegal for a landlord to attempt to remove a tenant by any means other than the formal court eviction process. Specifically, a landlord may not remove doors, windows, or locks; interrupt or shut off utilities (including electricity, water, or gas); remove your personal property; or otherwise attempt to constructively evict you outside the court process. A tenant who is subjected to a self-help eviction may sue the landlord for actual and consequential damages, or three months' rent, whichever is greater, plus attorney's fees.
Florida's security deposit rules are governed by Fla. Stat. § 83.49 and apply in full to all rentals in Stuart and Martin County. There is no statutory cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit in Florida — your landlord can require any amount negotiated in the lease.
Holding Requirements: The landlord must hold the deposit in a separate, non-commingled Florida bank account, or alternatively post a surety bond with the Clerk of Court. Within 30 days of receiving the deposit, the landlord must give you written notice stating the name and address of the financial institution where it is held, whether it is interest-bearing, and the rate of interest (if applicable).
Return Timeline: When your tenancy ends, the landlord has 15 days to return the full deposit with any accrued interest if no deductions are claimed. If the landlord intends to retain any portion, they must send you written notice by certified mail within 30 days of lease termination, itemizing each claimed deduction. You then have 15 days from receipt of that notice to object in writing by certified mail.
Penalty for Non-Compliance: A landlord who fails to send the required deduction notice within 30 days, or who fails to return the deposit within 15 days when no deduction is claimed, forfeits all right to make any deduction from the deposit. You may sue to recover the deposit, and a court may award damages plus court costs and attorney's fees against a landlord who acts in bad faith (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)).
The eviction process in Stuart follows Florida's statewide procedure under Fla. Stat. §§ 83.55–83.62. A landlord must follow each step in sequence — there are no shortcuts, and self-help methods (lockouts, utility shutoffs) are illegal under Fla. Stat. § 83.67.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing any court action, the landlord must serve you with the appropriate written notice. The type of notice depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in Court: If you do not comply with the notice, the landlord may file an eviction complaint (unlawful detainer action) in Martin County Court. You will be served with a summons giving you a deadline — typically 5 days — to file a written response (answer).
Step 3 — Hearing and Judgment: If you file a response, the court will schedule a hearing. If you do not respond, the landlord may obtain a default judgment. If the court rules for the landlord, it will issue a Writ of Possession. The Martin County Sheriff will then post the writ, giving you 24 hours to vacate before being physically removed.
Retaliation Defense: If an eviction is initiated within one year of a tenant exercising a protected right (such as complaining to a housing inspector), the tenant may raise retaliation as a defense under Fla. Stat. § 83.64.
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal: No matter what you owe or what you have done, a landlord in Stuart cannot lock you out, remove your belongings, or shut off your utilities to force you out. Doing so violates Fla. Stat. § 83.67, and you may sue for damages equal to three months' rent or actual damages — whichever is greater — plus attorney's fees.
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws are complex, fact-specific, and subject to change — the statutes cited here reflect our understanding as of April 2026 but may have been amended. If you have a dispute with your landlord or a specific legal question about your tenancy in Stuart, Florida, you should consult a licensed Florida attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in your area. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and no attorney-client relationship is created by reading or relying on this content.
Find out if your home is covered by rent control or tenant protections.
Use the Address Checker →We'll email you if the rent cap, coverage rules, or tenant protections change — no spam, unsubscribe any time.