Last updated: April 2026
Tallahassee renters are protected by Florida's statewide landlord-tenant law — covering security deposits, habitability, eviction notice, and illegal lockouts. There is no local rent control in Tallahassee or anywhere else in Florida.
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Tallahassee is Florida's state capital and home to Florida State University and Florida A&M University, making it one of the most renter-heavy cities in the state. A significant portion of Leon County's roughly 290,000 residents rent their homes, and many are students, state employees, or working families navigating a competitive housing market. Understanding your rights as a renter in Tallahassee starts with Florida's statewide landlord-tenant law, found primarily in Chapter 83 of the Florida Statutes.
Tallahassee has no local rent control ordinance, and no city or county in Florida is legally permitted to enact one following a 2023 state law. However, Florida does provide meaningful protections around security deposits, habitability and repairs, eviction procedures, and prohibitions on landlord self-help tactics like lockouts and utility shutoffs. Tenants who know these rules are better equipped to hold landlords accountable.
This page summarizes the tenant rights laws most relevant to Tallahassee renters. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you are facing an eviction, lease dispute, or other housing emergency, contact a qualified attorney or local legal aid organization as soon as possible.
Tallahassee has no rent control, and Florida law prohibits any city or county from creating it. In 2023, the Florida Legislature passed HB 1431, which was signed into law and codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 (counties) and § 166.043 (municipalities). These statutes explicitly preempt any local government from enacting, adopting, or enforcing rent control ordinances or caps on residential rent increases — even if local voters approve such a measure at the ballot box.
This law directly overrode a voter-approved rent stabilization measure in Orange County and foreclosed similar efforts in other jurisdictions across the state. Tallahassee and Leon County had not passed rent control measures, but the 2023 legislation ensures no such protections can be adopted in the future either.
In practical terms, this means your landlord in Tallahassee can raise your rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenants, with proper notice. There is no cap on how much rent can increase, no requirement that increases be tied to inflation, and no city agency that reviews or limits rent hikes. Your primary protection against arbitrary increases is your lease agreement itself — once you sign a fixed-term lease, the rent cannot be changed until the lease expires.
Florida's landlord-tenant law (Fla. Stat. Chapter 83, Part II) establishes a floor of rights for all residential renters in the state, including those in Tallahassee. The key protections are summarized below.
Habitability and Repairs (Fla. Stat. § 83.51): Landlords must maintain rental units in a condition that complies with applicable building, housing, and health codes. This includes functioning plumbing, heat, roof integrity, pest control in common areas, and other essentials. If your landlord fails to make required repairs, you must serve a written notice giving at least 7 days to remedy the problem (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(1)). If the landlord still fails to act, you may have the right to terminate the lease or pursue damages in court.
Security Deposit Rules (Fla. Stat. § 83.49): Florida law strictly regulates how landlords handle security deposits. See the dedicated Security Deposit section below for full details on deadlines and penalties.
Notice to Terminate (Fla. Stat. § 83.57): Month-to-month tenants must receive at least 15 days' written notice before the end of a rental period before the landlord can terminate the tenancy. Week-to-week tenants are entitled to at least 7 days' notice. These minimums apply regardless of what a lease says, and your landlord must deliver notice properly.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (Fla. Stat. § 83.64): A landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for complaining to a government agency about housing code violations, organizing or joining a tenant union, or exercising any right protected under Florida law. Retaliation includes threatening eviction, raising rent, reducing services, or filing a retaliatory eviction action. If a landlord retaliates within one year of a protected activity, there is a legal presumption of retaliation in your favor.
Prohibition on Lockouts and Utility Shutoffs (Fla. Stat. § 83.67): Self-help eviction is illegal in Florida. A landlord cannot remove your doors or windows, lock you out, or deliberately interrupt electricity, water, or other essential utilities to force you out of a unit. Tenants who experience this conduct may sue for actual and consequential damages, plus attorney's fees and court costs.
Florida law sets out specific rules for how landlords must handle security deposits, governed by Fla. Stat. § 83.49. These rules apply to all residential rentals in Tallahassee and throughout the state.
No Statutory Cap: Florida does not limit the amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit. The deposit amount is negotiated between the landlord and tenant and written into the lease.
Holding Requirements: Landlords who collect a security deposit must either hold it in a separate non-interest-bearing Florida bank account, hold it in a separate interest-bearing account (in which case the tenant receives 75% of the annualized interest or a flat rate of 5% per year, whichever the landlord chooses), or post a surety bond with the clerk of the circuit court. Within 30 days of receiving the deposit, the landlord must notify you in writing of the method chosen and the name of the financial institution (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(2)).
Return Deadline — No Deductions: If the landlord intends to make no deductions, they must return your full deposit within 15 days after you vacate the unit (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)).
Return Deadline — With Deductions: If the landlord plans to keep any portion of the deposit, they must send you a written notice of their intent and an itemized list of claimed damages within 30 days of you vacating, sent by certified mail to your last known address (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)). You then have 15 days to object in writing. If you do not object, the landlord may then keep the claimed amounts.
Penalty for Non-Compliance: If the landlord fails to send the required written notice within 30 days, they forfeit the right to make any deductions from the deposit and must return the full amount. Courts have also awarded tenants damages and attorney's fees where landlords have wrongfully withheld deposits in violation of § 83.49.
Florida law sets out a specific eviction process that landlords in Tallahassee must follow. Shortcuts — including lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removing a tenant's belongings — are illegal (Fla. Stat. § 83.67).
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, a landlord must give proper written notice. The type and length of notice depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in Court: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may file an eviction complaint (called an action for possession) in Leon County Court. The tenant must be served with a summons and complaint.
Step 3 — Tenant Response: You typically have 5 business days to respond after being served (Fla. Stat. § 83.60). In a nonpayment case, if you want to contest the eviction, you must generally deposit the disputed rent into the court registry when filing your response, or risk a default judgment against you.
Step 4 — Hearing and Judgment: The court will schedule a hearing. If the judge rules for the landlord, a Writ of Possession is issued. You will have 24 hours after the writ is posted to vacate before the Leon County Sheriff may enforce removal.
No Just Cause Requirement: Florida law does not require landlords to have a specific reason (just cause) to terminate a tenancy at the end of a lease term or for month-to-month arrangements, as long as proper notice is given. This means a landlord can decline to renew your lease without explanation.
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: At no point in this process may a landlord lock you out, remove your belongings, or shut off utilities. If this happens to you, contact law enforcement and a legal aid attorney immediately (Fla. Stat. § 83.67).
No. Tallahassee has no rent control, and Florida law prohibits any city or county from enacting it. In 2023, Florida passed HB 1431, codified at Fla. Stat. § 125.0103 and § 166.043, which explicitly preempts all local rent control ordinances statewide. This means your landlord can raise your rent by any amount when your lease expires or with proper notice on a month-to-month tenancy.
There is no legal cap on rent increases in Tallahassee or anywhere in Florida. If you have a fixed-term lease, your rent cannot be raised until the lease ends. For month-to-month tenants, a landlord must give at least 15 days' written notice before the end of a rental period before a new, higher rent takes effect (Fla. Stat. § 83.57). Florida's 2023 ban on local rent control (HB 1431) ensures no city or county can impose limits on how much rent can increase.
Under Fla. Stat. § 83.49, if your landlord plans to return the full deposit with no deductions, they must do so within 15 days after you vacate. If they intend to make any deductions, they must send you written notice by certified mail within 30 days of you vacating, itemizing the claimed damages. If the landlord misses the 30-day deadline, they forfeit the right to make any deductions and must return the deposit in full.
The required notice depends on the reason for eviction. For nonpayment of rent, the landlord must give you a 3-day written notice to pay or vacate (excluding weekends and legal holidays) under Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3). For other lease violations, a 7-day notice to cure is required (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)). For a no-fault termination of a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord must provide at least 15 days' written notice before the end of the rental period (Fla. Stat. § 83.57).
No. Self-help eviction is illegal in Florida. Under Fla. Stat. § 83.67, a landlord cannot remove doors or windows, change locks, or deliberately interrupt electricity, water, or other utilities to force you to leave. If your landlord takes any of these actions, you can sue for actual damages plus attorney's fees and court costs. Contact local law enforcement and a legal aid attorney — such as Big Bend Legal Aid — immediately if this happens to you.
Florida landlords are required to maintain rental units in a habitable condition under Fla. Stat. § 83.51. If your landlord refuses to make essential repairs, you should send a written notice giving at least 7 days to remedy the problem, as required by Fla. Stat. § 83.56(1). If the landlord still fails to act, you may have the right to terminate the lease without penalty or pursue damages in court. You can also file a complaint with the Leon County Code Enforcement office, which may trigger an official inspection.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws in Florida and Tallahassee can change, and the specifics of your situation may affect which protections apply to you. Nothing on this page creates an attorney-client relationship. If you are facing an eviction, a security deposit dispute, or any other housing legal matter, you should consult a licensed Florida attorney or contact a local legal aid organization such as Big Bend Legal Aid or Florida Rural Legal Services. Always verify current statutes and local ordinances through official government sources, as laws may have changed since this page was last updated in April 2026.
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