Florida
Florida: statutes read at the official source for people acting for themselves, each with its citation and the date it was read.
Acting for yourself
commits a felony of the third degree
Fla. Stat. § 454.23 · leg.state.fl.us · read 2026-08-19 · official source
Renting and landlord-tenant
security deposit, return deadline (no claim)
Upon the vacating of the premises for termination of the rental agreement, if the landlord does not intend to impose a claim on the security deposit, the landlord must return the security deposit, together with interest if otherwise required, within 15 days after the termination of the rental agreement.
Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
security deposit, notice deadline (landlord claims)
If the landlord intends to impose a claim on the deposit, the landlord must, within 30 days after the termination of the rental agreement, provide the tenant written notice by certified mail to the tenant’s last known mailing address or by e-mail in accordance with s. 83.505 of his or her intention to impose a claim on the deposit and the reason for imposing the claim.
Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
nonpayment of rent, notice before filing
If the tenant fails to pay rent when due and the default continues for 3 days, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, after delivery of written demand by the landlord for payment of the rent or possession of the premises, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement.
Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
self-help, utility shutoff prohibited
A landlord of any dwelling unit governed by this part shall not cause, directly or indirectly, the termination or interruption of any utility service furnished the tenant, including, but not limited to, water, heat, light, electricity, gas, elevator, garbage collection, or refrigeration
Fla. Stat. § 83.67(1) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Not verified for Florida: month-to-month termination notice (§ 83.57) was present in the chapter but the specific notice-period sentence was not isolated and verified in this pass.; The lockout/removal prohibition in § 83.67(2)-(5) was not transcribed; only the utility-shutoff clause (1) was read verbatim.
Small claims
The court that hears these in Florida is the County court (small claims are an action of a civil nature in the county courts, governed by the Florida Small Claims Rules).
$8,000
$8,000 is the ceiling for the SMALL CLAIMS RULES track, exclusive of costs, interest and attorneys' fees. It is set by Supreme Court rule, not by statute. The county court's general civil jurisdiction is much higher - see limitOther.
These rules are applicable to all actions of a civil nature in the county courts which contain a demand for money or property, the value of which does not exceed $8,000 exclusive of costs, interest, and attorneys' fees.
Fla. Sm. Cl. R. 7.010(b) · read 2026-08-21 · official source
Florida publishes its own self-help pages
Not verified: Attorney representation not read.; Rule 7.010 text was read from the appendix to Fla. Sup. Ct. opinion No. SC2024-1765 (dated October 23, 2025), which amends rules 7.010 and 7.020. The $8,000 figure carries no strike-through/underscore change markers in that appendix, i.e. it is unchanged existing text.
How long you have to bring a claim
| Kind of claim | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| written contract | 5 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(2)(b) · read 2026-08-21 |
| oral contract | 4 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(j) · read 2026-08-21 |
| personal injury | 2 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) · read 2026-08-21 |
| property damage | 4 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(f), (g) · read 2026-08-21 |
| debt collection on an account | 4 years | Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(j) · read 2026-08-21 |
Limitation periods have exceptions: when the clock starts (accrual), tolling, discovery rules, and claims against government bodies often differ. These entries record the general period as the statute states it, on the date read. They are not a calculation of any particular deadline.
Not verified: Wage claims not fully read. § 95.11 references s. 448.110 (a five-year period for a willful violation, a four-year period otherwise) but chapter 448 itself was not opened.
What this page is, and is not
Everything above was read at the source named next to it, on the date named next to it. Nothing is summarised from memory and nothing is carried over from a neighbouring state. Statutes are amended, so read the source before relying on it.
This is general legal information about Florida. It is not advice about your situation, and it is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.