Florida Landlord Entry Rules: Notice Before Entering (s. 83.53)

For repairs, Fla. Stat. s. 83.53(2) defines "reasonable notice" as notice given at least 24 hours before entry, and "reasonable time" as between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. For other purposes, such as inspections or showing the unit, s. 83.53 prints no notice period in hours; it lists the situations in which you may enter instead.

What s. 83.53 says, by purpose of entry

The tenant's side of the same rule: the tenant "shall not unreasonably withhold consent" to entry for those purposes (s. 83.53(1)). The statute does not define "emergency" or "unreasonably." A template cannot settle what those words mean in a given dispute. The History line of s. 83.53 ends with "s. 3, ch. 2022-222"; it shows no 2025 or 2026 amendment.

Extended absence and abandonment

Under s. 83.53(2)(d) you may enter when the tenant has been absent for a period equal to one-half the time for periodic rental payments. But if the rent is current and the tenant notifies you of an intended absence, you may enter only with the tenant's consent or for the protection or preservation of the premises.

Entering is not the same as retaking possession. Section 83.59(3) lists the only ways a landlord may recover possession, including abandonment. Abandonment is presumed, absent actual knowledge, after an absence equal to one-half the time for periodic rental payments, but "this presumption does not apply if the rent is current or the tenant has notified the landlord, in writing, of an intended absence" (s. 83.59(3)(c)). Note the difference: s. 83.53(2)(d) says the tenant "notifies" you; s. 83.59(3)(c) says "in writing."

What happens if you get it wrong

Section 83.53 prints no penalty, fee or dollar amount. It does say the landlord "shall not abuse the right of access nor use it to harass the tenant" (s. 83.53(3)). The general remedies in Part II apply: any right or duty in the part "is enforceable by civil action" (s. 83.54), and the aggrieved party "may recover the damages caused by the noncompliance" (s. 83.55).

The award of "actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater" printed in s. 83.67(6) is for violations of s. 83.67 (utility cutoffs, lockouts, removing doors or locks and similar). It is not printed in s. 83.53. Separately, a landlord "shall not prevent the tenant from gaining reasonable access to the dwelling unit by any means, including, but not limited to, changing the locks" (s. 83.67(2)).

Free entry-notice template

Only the 24-hour and 7:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. figures come from the statute; the layout is ours. Section 83.53 does not say how to deliver this notice. If you e-mail it, do so only under a signed addendum (see s. 83.505). Otherwise hand-deliver or mail it and keep a dated copy.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ENTER

Date of this notice: [date and time sent or delivered]
To: [tenant name(s)]
Premises: [address, unit]
From: [landlord name, phone]

I will enter the premises (or send [name of repair person]) on
[date of entry] between [start time] and [end time] for the
purpose of: [describe the repair].

This notice is given at least 24 hours before entry, and the entry
window falls between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., as provided in
Fla. Stat. s. 83.53(2).

If this time does not work, please contact me at [phone/e-mail] to
arrange a different time.

[Landlord signature]

Checklist before you enter

1. Pick the purpose. Repair: notice given 24+ hours ahead (s. 83.53 does not say it must be written; we suggest writing it), window inside 7:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
2. Not a repair (inspection, showing)? Get consent, or confirm one of the s. 83.53(2) circumstances applies. Our suggestion, not a statutory rule: give written notice anyway, and check whether your lease promises more notice.
3. Deliver the notice and keep a dated copy.
4. Rent current and tenant said they will be away? Enter only with consent or for protection or preservation of the premises.
5. Record the date, time and what you did.

Common mistakes

• Scheduling a repair visit at 7:00 a.m. or 8:30 p.m.
• Counting fewer than 24 hours between delivery and entry.
• Calling a routine item an "emergency" to skip notice.
• Repeated "inspections" that read as harassment under s. 83.53(3).
• Entering during a tenant's notified absence when rent is current.
• Treating an absence as abandonment without checking s. 83.59(3)(c).

If a tenant refuses entry or alleges harassment, see a Florida landlord-tenant attorney before acting. Court procedure is outside Chapter 83; ask the county court clerk.

Sources

• Fla. Stat. s. 83.53 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes
• Fla. Stat. s. 83.54 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes
• Fla. Stat. s. 83.55 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes
• Fla. Stat. s. 83.59 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes
• Fla. Stat. s. 83.67 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes
• Fla. Stat. s. 83.505 — Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes

Related guides

• Florida Security Deposit Law: The 15-Day / 30-Day Timeline (2026)
• Florida Notice of Intent to Claim a Security Deposit (Template)
• What Happens if a Florida Landlord Misses the 30-Day Deposit Deadline
• Florida 3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate: Form, Counting, Service
• Florida 7-Day Notice: Cure vs. Unconditional Quit
• Did Florida Change the 3-Day Notice to 5 Days? (SB 716, 2026)
• Can Florida Landlords Send Legal Notices by E-mail? (s. 83.505)
• Florida Month-to-Month Lease: Notice to End the Tenancy (s. 83.57)
• Florida Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs and Prohibited Landlord Practices
• Florida Landlord Repair Duty and the Tenant's Rent Defense (s. 83.60)
• Florida Preempts Local Landlord-Tenant Rules: What s. 83.425 Covers

Informational only, not legal advice. Statute text checked against the 2026 Florida Statutes (Chapter 83, Part II) on October 4, 2026. Statutes change every legislative session and a court may read them differently than a summary does; for a dispute, an eviction or anything expensive to get wrong, talk to a Florida landlord-tenant attorney.