Florida Security Deposit Deadline Calculator (2026)
A Florida landlord has 15 days after the rental agreement terminates to return a deposit with no claim, or 30 days to send written notice of a claim. Enter the termination date to see both dates. The rule is Fla. Stat. s. 83.49(3).
What starts the clock
Section 83.49(3) counts from termination of the rental agreement and does not say which date that is: lease end, move-out or key return. If the dates differ, plan from the earliest one, and ask a Florida landlord-tenant attorney if it is contested.
Worked examples (2026 dates)
| Clock starts | No claim: return the full deposit (15 days) | Claim: send written notice of intention to impose a claim (30 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, May 29, 2026 | Saturday, June 13, 2026 (a weekend day: do not assume it rolls to Monday, act the business day before) | Sunday, June 28, 2026 (a weekend day: do not assume it rolls to Monday, act the business day before) |
| Wednesday, July 15, 2026 | Thursday, July 30, 2026 | Friday, August 14, 2026 |
| Friday, August 28, 2026 | Saturday, September 12, 2026 (a weekend day: do not assume it rolls to Monday, act the business day before) | Sunday, September 27, 2026 (a weekend day: do not assume it rolls to Monday, act the business day before) |
What the calculator does not know
- Days means calendar days: s. 83.49(3) has no weekend or holiday exclusion, so plan as if every day counts.
- The notice goes by certified mail to the tenant's last known mailing address or by e-mail as s. 83.505 allows.
- After a claim notice, the tenant has 15 days from receipt to object in writing; with no objection the landlord may deduct the claim and remit the balance within 30 days after the date of the notice.
- Miss the 30 days and the right to claim against the deposit is forfeited; suing the tenant for damages is still possible.
Read the rule itself: Fla. Stat. s. 83.49(3). The free article explains the Florida deposit deadline in full, and the Florida Small Landlord Compliance Guide puts every deadline and notice in one place, each cited to the statute.
Other states
Informational only, not legal advice. Dates are computed from the day counts in the statute text as described above, checked against the 2026 text; a court may count differently. For a dispute or anything expensive to get wrong, talk to a Florida landlord-tenant attorney.