Property Management Laws And Regulations In Florida

Florida regulates third-party property management through several authorities at once, and the rules that matter most to a management company are the ones covering your license, your client trust accounts, and the money you hold on behalf of owners and tenants. This guide covers those rules for professional managers, with the statute or agency regulation behind each one.

Everything below is sourced to Florida's own statutes, agency rules, and court materials rather than to secondhand summaries. Specific dollar amounts and deadlines do change; the citations do not, so you can always open the authority and confirm the current text before you act on it.

Licensing Requirements For Property Managers

Renting, leasing, or negotiating rentals of another's real property for compensation is broker activity in Florida, licensed by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC) within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Salaried onsite leasing employees of apartment communities and salaried condo or co-op managers renting units for a year or less are exempt. Community association management is a separate DBPR license (CAM). Licensees complete 14 hours of CE every two years.

• A broker is a person who, for another and for compensation, rents or leases real property, or offers, attempts, or agrees to negotiate its rental, or procures lessors or lessees; performing these services for others requires a Florida real estate license. (Fla. Stat. § 475.01(1)(a))
• A salaried employee of an owner, or of a registered broker for an owner, of an apartment community who works in an onsite rental office in a leasing capacity is exempt from licensure. (Fla. Stat. § 475.011(4))
• A person employed for a salary as manager of a condominium or cooperative apartment complex is exempt as to renting individual units within that complex, provided rentals arranged by the person are for periods of no more than one year. (Fla. Stat. § 475.011(5))
• An apartment complex may pay an unlicensed tenant a finder's fee or referral fee of up to $50 in value for referring a prospective tenant, but the unlicensed person may not advertise or otherwise perform license-required services. (Fla. Stat. § 475.011(13))
• Managing a community association (HOA, condo association) with more than 10 units or an annual budget over $100,000 for compensation requires a separate Community Association Manager (CAM) license under Chapter 468, distinct from the real estate license used for rental property management. (Fla. Stat. § 468.431)
• After the initial post-licensing education, brokers must complete 14 hours of continuing education each two-year renewal cycle: 3 hours Core Law, 3 hours Ethics and Business Practices, and 8 hours of specialty education. (Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.009; DBPR Real Estate Commission education requirements)

Client Trust Account Rules

Florida brokers who hold rents, deposits, or other funds for others must place them immediately, defined by rule as no later than the end of the third business day, into an escrow account at a Florida bank, credit union, trust company, or savings association, or with a Florida title company or attorney. Escrow accounts require monthly reconciliation statements, and only limited broker funds may sit in them: up to $5,000 in a property management escrow account. Failures to account or deliver funds are punishable by fines up to $5,000 per offense, suspension up to 10 years, or revocation.

• A broker must immediately place, upon receipt, any money, fund, deposit, check, or draft entrusted to the broker by a person dealing with the broker as agent, in escrow with a title company, banking institution, credit union, or savings and loan association located and doing business in Florida, or deposit it with an attorney or in a trust account. (Fla. Stat. § 475.25(1)(k))
• Per DBPR guidance implementing FREC rules, 'immediately' means placement of a deposit in the escrow account no later than the end of the third business day following receipt; Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are not business days. (Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-14.010; DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ)
• Escrow funds held by a brokerage include rents, rental and sales deposits, and money held to cover maintenance, taxes, or mortgage payments for others; escrow accounts may be kept only at Florida banks, trust companies, title companies, credit unions, or savings and loan institutions, not securities firms. (DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ; Fla. Admin. Code ch. 61J2-14)
• A broker may keep up to $5,000 of personal or brokerage funds in the property management escrow account and up to $1,000 in the sales escrow account, and the monthly reconciliation statement must specifically note the overage amount and purpose. (Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-14.010(2); DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ)
• Interest-bearing escrow accounts require written permission from all interested parties, a Florida insured institution, and a clearly designated recipient of the interest. (DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ; Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-14.014)
• Brokers must maintain legible records of all transactions and financial records for five years, and brokerage records are subject to review by DBPR real estate investigators during normal business hours. (Fla. Stat. § 475.5015; DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ)
• Failure to account for or deliver escrowed funds is a license violation punishable by administrative fines up to $5,000 per offense, suspension up to 10 years, or revocation; on conflicting demands the broker must notify FREC in writing within 15 business days and start a statutory settlement procedure within 30 business days. (Fla. Stat. § 475.25(1)(d); DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ)

Trust account rules are where Florida management companies get into trouble fastest, because a shortage is a licensing problem and not just a bookkeeping problem. DBPR investigators start from the reconciliation record, so trust accounting for property management firms is a compliance discipline before it is an accounting one. The habits that keep you clean are the boring ones: deposit on time, never let operating money and client money mix, reconcile every account every month, and keep a per, property record you could hand to an auditor without preparing it first. Our guide to preparing for a trust account audit walks through what examiners actually ask for.

Security Deposit Rules

Florida does not cap security deposit amounts, but it strictly regulates how they are held: in a separate Florida non-interest-bearing account, a separate Florida interest-bearing account with prescribed interest to the tenant, or backed by a surety bond, with commingling prohibited. Landlords of five or more units must give written notice of how deposits are held. After move-out, the landlord has 15 days to return the deposit or 30 days to send a certified-mail claim notice, which the tenant has 15 days to dispute; missing the notice window forfeits the claim.

• Chapter 83 imposes no maximum on the amount a landlord may require as a security deposit; the regulation is about how the money is held and returned. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49)
• Deposits and advance rent must be held in a separate non-interest-bearing Florida account, or a separate interest-bearing Florida account paying the tenant at least 75 percent of the annualized average interest rate or 5 percent simple interest, or the landlord may post a surety bond (capped at the lesser of the total deposits or $50,000) and pay 5 percent simple interest. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(1))
• The landlord may not commingle deposit money with other funds or hypothecate, pledge, or otherwise make use of it until it is actually due to the landlord. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(1))
• Within 30 days of receiving a deposit or advance rent, the landlord must give written notice of the manner in which the money is held and the interest rate, if any; this notice requirement does not apply to landlords who rent fewer than five individual dwelling units. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(2)-(3))
• If no claim is made on the deposit, it must be returned within 15 days after termination; to impose a claim the landlord has 30 days to send notice by certified mail of intent to keep some or all of the deposit, the tenant then has 15 days to object, and a landlord who fails to give the required notice forfeits the right to impose a claim. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3))

Lease Agreements And Required Disclosures

Florida leases must identify the landlord or an authorized representative for notices, disclose how deposits are held, and include the statutory radon disclosure. Optional structures like early termination fees require a separate signed addendum capped at two months' rent. New for 2025: an electronic notice delivery addendum (HB 615) and a flood disclosure required before lease execution (SB 948).

• At or before commencement of the tenancy, the landlord or an authorized representative must disclose in writing the landlord's name and address, or the representative's, for receiving notices and demands; updates must be delivered the same way. (Fla. Stat. § 83.50)
• Every rental agreement (or another document executed at or before signing) must carry the statutory radon gas disclosure; the requirement does not apply to transient residential occupancies of 45 days or less. (Fla. Stat. § 404.056(5))
• Landlords holding deposits must disclose in the lease or by separate written notice how the deposit is being held and whether the tenant is entitled to interest. (Fla. Stat. § 83.49(2))
• A liquidated damages or early termination fee is enforceable only up to 2 months' rent, with no more than 60 days' notice required of the tenant, and only if the tenant signed a separate addendum in the statutory form checking the box to accept it. (Fla. Stat. § 83.595(4))
• Since July 1, 2025, landlords and tenants may agree, via a statutory-form lease addendum, to deliver Chapter 83 notices by email; consent is revocable, email addresses can be updated, and an email notice is deemed delivered when sent. (Fla. Stat. § 83.505 (created by ch. 2025-16, HB 615))
• From October 1, 2025, landlords must give prospective tenants a flood disclosure before executing a rental agreement; a tenant who suffers substantial flood loss after an untruthful disclosure may terminate the lease. (Fla. Stat. § 83.512 (created by ch. 2025-166, SB 948))

Entry Notice And Tenant Privacy

Florida landlords may enter with tenant consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld, and for repairs must give reasonable notice, defined as at least 24 hours, entering only between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Emergencies and certain absences allow entry without consent, and the access right may not be abused to harass the tenant.

• The tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent for the landlord to enter to inspect, make necessary or agreed repairs or improvements, supply agreed services, or show the unit to prospective or actual purchasers, tenants, workers, or contractors. (Fla. Stat. § 83.53(1))
• For repairs, the landlord must give reasonable notice, which the statute defines as at least 24 hours before entry, and may enter only between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Fla. Stat. § 83.53(2))
• The landlord may enter at any time in an emergency, when the tenant unreasonably withholds consent, or when the tenant is absent for a period equal to one-half the periodic rental period, unless rent is current and the tenant gave notice of the absence. (Fla. Stat. § 83.53(2))
• The landlord may not abuse the right of access or use it to harass the tenant. (Fla. Stat. § 83.53(3))

Rent, Late Fees, And Other Charges

Rent control is preempted statewide: no Florida municipality or county may impose controls on rents, with only a land-use exception for voluntary affordable housing programs. Chapter 83 sets no statutory cap on late fees, so fee terms are a matter of the lease, while early termination charges are capped at two months' rent via the statutory addendum.

• A municipality, county, or other local government may not adopt or maintain any law, ordinance, rule, or measure that would have the effect of imposing controls on rents. (Fla. Stat. § 166.043(2))
• The only carve-out from rent control preemption is for land-use mechanisms, such as inclusionary housing ordinances, aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing. (Fla. Stat. § 166.043(3))
• The Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act contains no statutory cap on residential late fees; late charges are governed by the lease terms the parties agree to. (Fla. Stat. ch. 83, pt. II (absence of late-fee cap))
• Early termination fees or liquidated damages for a tenant's early move-out are enforceable only if capped at 2 months' rent and agreed in a separate signed statutory addendum. (Fla. Stat. § 83.595(4))

Fee income is also taxable income, and how you record management fees, late fees, and pass, through charges affects both your compliance position and your books. See our guide to Florida property management taxes for the reporting side.

Fair Housing Obligations

The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) enforces the Florida Fair Housing Act, whose protected classes mirror federal law: race, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, and religion, with pregnancy treated within familial status protections. Florida adds no statewide source-of-income protection. Complaints are free to file and must be brought within one year.

• The Florida Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, or religion. (Fla. Stat. § 760.23)
• Source of income is not a protected class under the Florida Fair Housing Act; the statute lists only the seven federal-parallel classes. (Fla. Stat. § 760.23)
• The Florida Commission on Human Relations receives and investigates housing discrimination complaints, which may be filed free of charge by mail, fax, or in person, and handles discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, pregnancy, religion, and familial status. (Fla. Stat. §§ 760.20-760.37; FCHR complaint process)
• Housing discrimination complaints must be filed within one year of the alleged discriminatory act, and the process includes mediation or conciliation before investigation. (Fla. Stat. § 760.34(2); FCHR complaint process)

Habitability And Safety Duties

Florida landlords must comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes, or where none apply, keep the structure and plumbing in good repair. Multifamily landlords carry added duties: extermination (including bed bugs), locks and keys, clean common areas, garbage removal, and heat, running water, and hot water. Duties for single-family homes and duplexes can be shifted in writing. Retaliation against tenants who assert their rights is prohibited.

• The landlord must at all times during the tenancy comply with applicable building, housing, and health codes, or where there are none, maintain the roof, windows, doors, floors, steps, porches, exterior walls, foundations, and other structural components in good repair and the plumbing in reasonable working condition. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1))
• Unless otherwise agreed in writing, landlords of units other than single-family homes or duplexes must also provide extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood-destroying organisms, and bed bugs, locks and keys, clean and safe common areas, garbage removal, and functioning facilities for heat during winter, running water, and hot water. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(a))
• For single-family homes and duplexes, the landlord must install working smoke detection devices at the start of the tenancy, and the parties may alter or modify the landlord's Section 83.51 obligations in writing. (Fla. Stat. § 83.51(2)(b), (4))
• Retaliatory conduct is prohibited: a landlord may not discriminatorily raise rent, decrease services, or threaten or bring eviction primarily because the tenant complained to a code enforcement agency, organized or joined a tenant organization, complained to the landlord about habitability, exercised fair housing rights, or is a servicemember terminating under statute; good cause such as nonpayment remains a defense. (Fla. Stat. § 83.64)

Eviction Basics

Florida residential evictions proceed in county court under Part II of Chapter 83. Nonpayment requires a 3-day notice excluding weekends and legal holidays; curable lease violations require a 7-day notice with opportunity to cure, and serious or repeated violations a 7-day unconditional notice. Month-to-month tenancies now require 30 days' notice to terminate.

• For nonpayment, the landlord serves a written demand giving the tenant 3 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, to pay rent or vacate before filing the eviction action. (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3))
• For curable lease violations the landlord must give a written 7-day notice with opportunity to cure; for noncurable violations (such as intentional destruction of property) or repeat violations within 12 months, a 7-day unconditional notice of termination applies. (Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2))
• Terminating a periodic tenancy requires written notice of at least 60 days for year-to-year, 30 days for quarter-to-quarter, 30 days for month-to-month, and 7 days for week-to-week tenancies, given before the end of the applicable period. (Fla. Stat. § 83.57)

Recent Changes Worth Tracking

These are the Florida changes most likely to affect a management company's procedures. Confirm the effective date against the source below before you update a lease template or a policy.

• Effective 2025-07-01: HB 615 (ch. 2025-16) created Section 83.505, allowing landlords and tenants who sign a statutory-form addendum to deliver Chapter 83 notices, including notices under 83.49, 83.50, 83.51, 83.56, and 83.575, by email, with revocable consent and delivery deemed complete when sent. (Fla. Stat. § 83.505 (ch. 2025-16, Laws of Fla.))
• Effective 2025-10-01: SB 948 (ch. 2025-166) created Section 83.512, requiring landlords to give prospective tenants a flood history and flood risk disclosure before executing a residential rental agreement, with a lease termination remedy for tenants who suffer substantial flood loss after an untruthful disclosure; parallel disclosures apply to condo developers and mobile home park owners. (Fla. Stat. § 83.512 (ch. 2025-166, Laws of Fla.))

Staying Compliant Without Guessing

Most Florida compliance failures are not decisions, they are drift: a deposit that sat too long, a reconciliation that got skipped in a busy month, a lease template that never got updated after a statute changed. Build the calendar first. Monthly trust reconciliations, an annual review of your lease and disclosure packet against current statutes, and a documented process for deposits and refunds cover the large majority of what an examiner will ask about.

This guide is a starting point for professional managers, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, a novel fact pattern, or anything with real money at stake, work with a Florida attorney, and confirm the current text of any statute cited above with the Florida real estate regulator or the Florida legislature.

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from one of the official sources below.

• Fla. Stat. § 475.01(1)(a), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 475.011(4), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 468.431, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-3.009; DBPR Real Estate Commission education requirements, Florida DBPR
• Fla. Stat. § 475.25(1)(k), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Admin. Code R. 61J2-14.010; DBPR Division of Real Estate enforcement FAQ, Florida DBPR Division of Real Estate
• Fla. Stat. § 83.49, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.50, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 404.056(5), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.595(4), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.505 (created by ch. 2025-16, HB 615), Florida Senate
• Fla. Stat. § 83.512 (created by ch. 2025-166, SB 948), Florida Senate
• Fla. Stat. § 83.53(1), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 166.043(2), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. ch. 83, pt. II (absence of late-fee cap), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 760.23, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. §§ 760.20-760.37; FCHR complaint process, Florida Commission on Human Relations
• Fla. Stat. § 83.51(1), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.64, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3), Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)
• Fla. Stat. § 83.57, Florida Senate (Florida Statutes)