Housing & Tenant · Landlord Entry
Landlord Entry Notice in Florida
How much warning a landlord must give before entering your home in Florida, the hours entry is allowed, and what to do if they walk in unannounced, cited to the statute.
The rules and your rights in Florida
The notice, the allowed hours, the reasons a landlord may enter, and what to do about an unlawful entry.
| Advance notice | 24 hours before entry |
| Allowed entry hours | 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Reasons a landlord may enter | To inspect the unit, make necessary or agreed repairs and improvements, supply agreed services, and show the unit to buyers, mortgagees, prospective tenants, workers, or contractors. |
| Emergency entry | No notice is needed for a genuine emergency. Section 83.53(2) lets the landlord enter at any time to protect or preserve the premises, so a burst pipe or fire hazard does not wait for 24 hours. |
| If the landlord enters unlawfully | The landlord "shall not abuse the right of access nor use it to harass the tenant" under §83.53(3). Repeated or after-hours entries can support a claim, and a tenant may raise the violation in county court or as a defense; Florida also lets the prevailing party recover attorney fees in many landlord-tenant disputes. |
| Statute | Fla. Stat. §83.53 |
The notice period was 12 hours for years. A 2022 amendment raised it to at least 24 hours, effective July 1, 2022. Older leases and web pages that still say "12 hours" are out of date.
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a landlord keeps entering your Florida home without proper notice. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Object in writing
If a landlord entered without the 24 hours notice, outside 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., or for a reason not listed in §83.53(1), send a dated written objection and ask them to follow the statute going forward.
- Keep a log
Write down each entry: the date, the time, whether you got notice and how much, the stated reason, and who came in. A dated record is what makes a harassment or abuse-of-access claim under §83.53(3) real.
- Cite the rule
Quote the two numbers back to the landlord: at least 24 hours notice for repairs, and entry only between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Note that a genuine emergency is the only exception.
- Get local help
If entries continue, contact a Florida legal aid office or a tenant hotline before withholding rent or changing locks, since those steps carry their own legal risk.
If a landlord keeps entering without proper notice, you do not have to sort it out alone. This resource explains your rights and how to raise the issue.
→ Florida Law Help (legal aid)This is general legal information, not legal advice. Read your own lease and check for a local ordinance, since either can change what applies to your home.
What Florida renters get wrong
Florida sets its landlord-entry rule in one short statute, §83.53 of the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. For a routine repair, "reasonable notice" now means at least 24 hours before entry, and a "reasonable time" means between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. That 24-hour figure is worth flagging, because Florida law used to say 12 hours; a 2022 amendment doubled it, so anything still citing 12 hours is stale. The landlord may enter to inspect, to make agreed or necessary repairs, to supply services, and to show the unit to buyers or future tenants. A genuine emergency needs no notice at all, since the landlord may enter any time to protect the property. The trade-off is that a tenant cannot unreasonably withhold consent, and the landlord cannot abuse access or use it to harass.
Common questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Florida?
For a non-emergency entry to make repairs, at least 24 hours under Fla. Stat. §83.53(2). Entry must also fall between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. A genuine emergency needs no notice.
Is the Florida notice really 24 hours, or is it 12?
It is 24 hours now. Florida required only 12 hours for years, but a 2022 amendment raised the minimum to at least 24 hours, effective July 1, 2022. Sources still saying 12 hours are out of date.
What hours can a Florida landlord enter for repairs?
Between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. The statute calls that the "reasonable time" window for entering to repair the premises.
Can my Florida landlord enter without notice in an emergency?
Yes. Section 83.53(2) lets the landlord enter at any time to protect or preserve the premises, so a real emergency like a flood or fire hazard does not require the 24-hour notice.
Can I refuse to let my landlord in?
Not unreasonably. Section 83.53 says a tenant "shall not unreasonably withhold consent" for lawful entry to inspect, repair, or show the unit. You can insist the landlord follow the notice and hour rules, but a flat refusal of a proper request can work against you.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.