Deposit claim notice and objection
Map the end date, certified-mail or qualifying-email record, receipt, itemization, and written objection as a sequence.
Open the notice guide →Florida / Security deposits
Florida security deposit return: the 15-day and 30-day rules
Florida generally gives a landlord 15 days after termination of the rental agreement to return the deposit when no claim is made, or 30 days to send a written notice of an intended claim — after which the renter has 15 days to object in writing. The statute separates holding the deposit, returning it, asserting a claim, and objecting to a claim, so the dates and delivery method matter, but the first step is confirming which event actually occurred.
What the law organizes
Four events to keep separate.
- 01
The deposit or alternative fee
Identify what was paid. A security deposit and an optional fee in lieu of a deposit are not the same arrangement.
- 02
The end of the tenancy and return of possession
Keep the lease-end, move-out, key-return, and notice dates separate. Do not assume one date controls every question.
- 03
The landlord's return or claim notice
Preserve the notice exactly as received, including its delivery method, envelope, attachments, and stated deductions.
- 04
The renter's response
The statute includes an objection process. A lawyer or legal-aid provider can help evaluate a disputed claim or missed notice — see free and low-cost legal help.
Evidence checklist
Keep the records that show what happened.
- The lease and every deposit or fee disclosure
- Proof of the amount and date paid
- Move-in and move-out photographs or video
- The date the tenancy ended and the date possession was returned
- Your written forwarding address and proof it was delivered
- Every claim notice, envelope, email, estimate, receipt, and refund
Go deeper
Use the guide that matches the payment and notice.
Fee in lieu of a security deposit
Separate an optional nonrefundable fee arrangement from a refundable security deposit and its claim process.
Open the fee guide →Electronic delivery of notices
Verify the signed voluntary addendum, designated addresses, delivery record, and any revocation before relying on email.
Open the electronic-notice guide →Next step
Work out your deadline and build your deposit file.
Confirm when you returned possession and when the rental agreement actually terminated; a scheduled lease end alone is not enough. When the dates agree, the workspace reviews the 15-day return and 30-day claim-notice windows after the required applicability checks. Different or unresolved dates require legal review. Add the date a claim notice reached you to review the 15-day objection window, then organize your evidence and prepare a written request.
The workspace runs in your browser on this device. Your entries are kept in tab memory and lost on refresh or close. They are never sent to a server, and only facts you check are allowed to produce a date.
Open the Florida deposit workspacePrimary authorities
Read the official Florida sources.
Deposit money or advance rent; duty of landlord and tenant
Primary state source for deposit handling, notices, objections, and the renter’s forwarding-address responsibilities.
Electronic delivery of notices
Primary state source for when a landlord and tenant may elect to deliver certain notices by email.
Fee in lieu of security deposit
Primary state source for optional fees offered instead of a security deposit and required disclosures.
Coverage: Florida statewide residential rental information. This release does not determine coverage for public housing, federally assisted housing, transient occupancy, commercial arrangements, or every statutory exception.