Rent Increase Notice in Florida: Rules, Timing, and Templates
Florida has no rent control—but notice rules still apply. Here is when you can raise rent, how much notice you need, and when holding steady makes more sense.
Your tenant's lease is up in 60 days, and market rent has jumped. Can you raise it? How much notice do you need? What has to be in writing? See our when to raise rent vs. when to hold for more.
Florida gives landlords a lot of flexibility on rent amounts—there's no statewide cap—but the notice rules are strict. Get the timing or delivery wrong, and your increase may not be enforceable.
Is There a Rent Cap in Florida?
No. Florida has no rent control. SB 102 (the Live Local Act), signed in 2023, preempts local governments from adopting rent control ordinances. Landlords can raise rent by any amount when a lease renews or when a month-to-month term advances—as long as they follow the notice rules and don't discriminate or retaliate.
That doesn't mean you should max out every increase. Market-based pricing keeps good tenants and reduces turnover. Our guides on how much to charge in Orlando and Tampa rent pricing walk through comp-based approaches.
One exception: Miami-Dade County requires 60 days' notice for rent increases over 5%. That's a local ordinance that survived the state preemption for existing rules. If you have properties there, check current county requirements. For Orlando and Tampa, the state rules apply.
How Much Notice Do You Need?
It depends on your lease type. Florida Statute 83.57 sets the rules.
Month-to-month: At least 30 days' written notice before the increase takes effect. The 30 days are measured from when rent is next due—so if rent is paid on the 1st, notice given by March 2 applies to the May 1 payment.
Week-to-week: At least 7 days' written notice before the end of the current rental period. Count straight calendar days; the day you deliver notice doesn't count as day one.
Fixed-term lease: You can't raise rent in the middle of the term unless the lease explicitly allows it and both parties agree in writing. Rent increases for fixed-term tenants happen at renewal. Give notice before the lease ends—typically 30 to 60 days, depending on what your lease says about renewal notice. If the lease requires 60 days' notice to terminate or change terms, you need to give that much notice for a rent increase at renewal.
One wrinkle: if the lease says nothing about renewal notice, tenants are generally entitled to at least 15 days' notice to vacate. For a rent increase at renewal, you're proposing new terms—so give at least as much notice as you'd want if you were ending the tenancy. Thirty days is a safe minimum; 60 days is common for annual leases and gives tenants time to decide.
How Do You Deliver the Notice?
Florida law allows hand delivery, posting on the premises, or mailing. The key is proof. If the tenant claims they never got it, you need to show they did. Certified mail with return receipt is the gold standard. Some landlords also send a copy by regular mail and keep a dated photo of a posted notice.
Electronic notice is now an option. Florida HB 615 (effective July 1, 2025) created FS 83.505, which lets landlords and tenants agree in writing to receive notices by email. Both parties must sign an addendum to the lease. Without that addendum, email alone may not satisfy the legal notice requirement—stick to certified mail or hand delivery. If you use the addendum, keep records of sent emails and any bounce-backs.
What Should the Notice Include?
A rent increase notice should be clear and specific:
- Property address and unit number
- Current rent and new rent
- Effective date (the first rent payment at the new rate)
- Landlord contact information for questions
- Signature and date
Keep it simple. "Your rent will increase from $1,800 to $1,950 effective June 1, 2026" is enough. You don't need to explain market conditions or justify the amount—though some landlords include a brief note to maintain goodwill. Avoid language that could be read as retaliatory or discriminatory.
Sample wording: "This letter serves as notice that your monthly rent will increase from $1,800 to $1,950, effective June 1, 2026. Please ensure your June 1 payment reflects the new amount. If you have questions, contact us at [phone/email]. Thank you for your tenancy." Short, clear, and legally sufficient. No need for a lawyer-drafted form—just hit the key points and keep a copy.
When Should You Raise Rent—and When Shouldn't You?
Market-based approach: Use comparable rentals—same bedrooms, same area, similar condition—to set the new rate. If comps support $1,950 and you're at $1,800, a $150 increase is defensible. If you're already at the top of the market, a big jump may push the tenant out and cost you vacancy.
CPI vs. comps: Some landlords tie increases to inflation (CPI). Others ignore CPI and use comps only. Comps reflect what the market will bear; CPI reflects cost of living. For investment properties, comps usually make more sense.
When not to raise: Don't raise rent in retaliation for a complaint or repair request. Don't raise during an active dispute. Don't raise in a way that targets a protected class. Florida law prohibits discriminatory and retaliatory rent increases even though the amount itself isn't capped.
What If the Tenant Disputes or Moves Out?
If the tenant objects to the increase, they can choose not to renew. For month-to-month tenants, they must give 15 days' notice to terminate (per FS 83.57) unless the lease says otherwise. For fixed-term, they simply don't sign the renewal.
You can't force them to stay at the new rate. You can enforce the increase for the next period if your notice was proper. If they stay past the effective date without paying the new rent, that's a different issue—unpaid rent—and you'd follow the normal nonpayment process.
How Does This Fit With Other Lease Terms?
Your Florida lease agreement should spell out renewal terms, notice periods, and how rent changes work. If the lease says "rent may increase upon 60 days' written notice at renewal," you're bound by that. If it's silent, the statutory minimums apply. For the latest changes to Florida landlord-tenant law, see our Florida rental law changes guide.
Do You Need a Rent Increase Letter Template?
You don't need anything fancy. A simple letter or form with the property address, current rent, new rent, and effective date is enough. Some landlords use a formal "Rent Increase Notice" with a signature line; others send an email (if the electronic addendum is in place) or a typed letter. The key is that it's in writing and you can prove delivery. Keep a copy with the date you sent it and how you sent it—certified mail tracking, email timestamp, or a signed acknowledgment if hand-delivered.
Common Mistakes
Giving too little notice. Thirty days means 30 full days before the new rent applies. Count carefully.
Raising mid-lease without a clause. Unless the lease allows it, you can't. Wait for renewal.
Skipping written notice. Verbal doesn't count. Put it in writing and keep a copy.
Using email without an addendum. If you haven't signed the HB 615 electronic notice addendum, use certified mail.
Raising rent without a paper trail. Verbal notice doesn't satisfy the law. Even if the tenant says "okay" on the phone, send a written notice. If they dispute it later, you need proof.
Counting notice days wrong. The day you deliver the notice isn't day one of the 30-day period. If you hand-deliver on March 1, the 30 days run from March 2, and the new rent applies to the May 1 payment (for a month-to-month tenant who pays on the 1st). If the lease says rent is due on the 15th, adjust accordingly. The notice must land before the rent period that will reflect the increase.
What If the Lease Has a Rent Increase Clause?
Some leases include language like "landlord may increase rent upon 30 days' written notice" or "rent may increase annually by up to 5%." Those clauses can give you flexibility—but they don't override the statutory notice periods. If the lease says 30 days, you still need 30 days. If it says 60 days, you need 60. The lease can require more notice than the law; it can't require less. And for fixed-term leases, even with a rent-increase clause, the increase typically only applies at renewal unless the clause explicitly allows mid-lease increases. Read your lease. When in doubt, give the longer of the statutory minimum or the lease requirement.
The Bottom Line
Florida lets you set rent at whatever the market will bear—but you have to give proper notice. Month-to-month: 30 days. Week-to-week: 7 days. Fixed-term: at renewal only. Deliver in a way you can prove, put it in writing, and keep your notice clear and professional. That protects you and gives tenants time to plan.
If you're unsure what your property could command in today's market, get a free rental analysis. We'll run the comps and give you a data-backed rent range so you can make informed decisions at renewal.
