How Long Does a Florida Landlord Have to Send the Itemized Security Deposit Statement?
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A Florida landlord has 30 days after the day the tenant vacates to return the security deposit or deliver a written, itemized statement of the deductions, under Fla. Stat. § 83.49. If nothing is being deducted, the refund is due in 15 days. 15 days to return the deposit in full, or 30 days to send a certified-mail notice of intent to impose a claim; the tenant then has 15 days to object.
The rule in one list
- Return deadline: 30 days after the day the tenant vacates.
- If nothing is deducted: 15 days.
- Detail: 15 days to return the deposit in full, or 30 days to send a certified-mail notice of intent to impose a claim; the tenant then has 15 days to object.
- Itemized deductions: required in writing. The claim notice must be sent by certified mail to the tenant's last known address and state the reason for the claim.
- Forwarding address: not a statutory condition of getting the deposit back.
- Penalty for wrongful withholding: A landlord who misses the 30-day claim notice forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit; the prevailing party in a deposit lawsuit recovers attorney's fees.
- Small claims limit: $8,000.
- Statute: Fla. Stat. § 83.49.
What the statement has to do
- List each deduction separately with its amount; a single "cleaning and repairs" line is the kind of statement courts reject.
- Cover only damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid rent, and charges the lease allows.
- The claim notice must be sent by certified mail to the tenant's last known address and state the reason for the claim.
- State the balance being returned and enclose it, or state that the deductions exceed the deposit.
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What missing the deadline costs
A landlord who misses the 30-day claim notice forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit; the prevailing party in a deposit lawsuit recovers attorney's fees. The statute does not ask whether the deductions were fair; it asks whether the tenant got the statement in time. Send the statement to the last address you have, by a method you can prove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the 30-day clock start at move-out or at lease end?
A: At the day the tenant vacates. When the two differ, the earlier date is the safer one to work from; a court will not credit you for days the tenant was already gone.
Q: Can I send the itemized statement by email in Florida?
A: The claim notice must be sent by certified mail to the tenant's last known address and state the reason for the claim. Follow the method the statute names.
Q: What if repairs are not finished within 30 days?
A: Send the statement anyway, with the estimate for the unfinished work marked as an estimate, and follow with the final figures. A late statement is the failure Fla. Stat. § 83.49 penalises; an estimated one is not.
Sources Checked
- Fla. Stat. § 83.49 (the Florida statute cited above)
- LeaseLenses Florida deposit and notice data set, last reviewed 2026-09-19; the same data powers the Florida document tools
- Florida landlord-tenant overview and the Florida deposit rules page
This page is general legal information for Florida, not legal advice. Statutes change; read the current text before relying on a deadline in court.
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Security deposit terms LeaseLenses should verify in your lease
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- Deposit amount, extra pet deposits, and prepaid charges
- Return deadline, itemized deduction language, and forwarding-address requirements
- Move-in condition, interest/account handling, and dispute wording
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