In Florida, a landlord must return a security deposit within:
Question & Answer
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15 days if no claim, 30 days if claiming damages
30 days regardless
A flat 30-day rule regardless of circumstances does not accurately reflect Florida law, which requires a faster 15-day return when the landlord has no claim β the 30-day period only applies when the landlord intends to make a claim and must send written notice of that intent.
14 days
A 14-day return window does not exist in Florida's security deposit statute and likely confuses Florida law with other states or with a landlord's general duty to inspect the property, which is a separate obligation.
60 days
A 60-day return period would be far too long under Florida law and would expose a landlord to significant legal liability, as the statute imposes penalties for non-compliance within the 15 or 30-day windows, making 60 days an untenable and incorrect timeframe.
Why is this correct?
Florida Statute Β§83.49(3) explicitly states that a landlord must return the security deposit within 15 days after the tenant vacates if no claim is being made, or must send written notice of intent to impose a claim within 30 days if damages are being claimed. This dual timeline is a specific and tested provision of Florida landlord-tenant law that distinguishes between the two scenarios a landlord may face at the end of a tenancy. The 15/30-day framework is unique enough to be a frequent exam topic because it requires candidates to know both timeframes and the conditions that trigger each one.
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