A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Broward County, Florida
Broward County is home to nearly two million people, 31 municipalities, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, and one of the most layered regulatory histories in Florida landlord-tenant law. Understanding where things stand for Broward landlords in 2025–2026 requires understanding two things: what the county tried to do with its 2022 Tenant Bill of Rights, and why none of it is in effect today. The current legal picture is simpler than Broward’s history suggests — but the history matters because it informs how courts and enforcement agencies in this county have historically approached tenant protection, and because advocates have not given up trying to restore local protections at the municipal level across Broward’s cities.
Broward’s 2022 Tenant Bill of Rights and the Preemption That Voided It
In May 2022, the Broward County Board of County Commissioners passed an ordinance that significantly expanded tenant protections in response to the pandemic-era rent surge. The tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach saw average rents increase by 57 percent from March 2021 to March 2022, and Broward’s response was to codify a Tenant Bill of Rights that included several notable provisions. For rent increases above 5 percent, landlords were required to give 60 days’ written notice, and tenants had 60 days to respond. For month-to-month and quarterly tenancies, either party was required to give 60 days’ notice to terminate — doubled from the previous 30-day standard. Landlords were also required to give written notice before imposing late fees, and were required to provide a copy of the Tenant Bill of Rights to tenants before lease execution and at each renewal.
These ordinances were in effect from May 2022 through June 2023. Then came Florida’s HB 1417, signed into law and effective July 1, 2023. The bill preempted Broward County — and 34 other local jurisdictions — from regulating residential tenancies and landlord-tenant relationships. Broward County’s own government confirmed the effect plainly on its Renters page: “Chapter 20 Article IV ‘Landlord-Tenant Relations’ of the County Code of Ordinances is no longer in effect. Please refer to Chapter 83 Part II, Florida Statutes, for Landlord and Tenant Regulations relating to Residential Tenancies.” With that, Broward reverted to pure state law. No 60-day rent increase notice, no late fee notice requirement, no source-of-income protections.
Broward landlords should be aware that the political climate here remains tenant-sympathetic, and the county and several of its municipalities have continued advocacy efforts for restored protections. The state preemption as written prevents local governments from passing ordinances that conflict with state law, but does not bar municipalities from passing measures that align with state law or operate in spaces the state has not occupied. Landlords operating in specific Broward cities should verify whether any municipal-level ordinances apply to their properties.
The Current Framework: Chapter 83, Florida Statutes
As of 2025–2026, Broward County landlords operate under Florida Chapter 83 without any local overlays. The eviction process follows the standard Florida framework. For nonpayment of rent, a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate is required, specifying the exact rent amount owed. The three days exclude weekends and legal holidays. For curable lease violations, a 7-Day Notice to Cure is required. For non-curable violations, a 7-Day Notice of Termination applies.
For month-to-month tenancies, state law requires 30 days’ written notice to terminate — this is the current standard under state law following the preemption of Broward’s prior 60-day rule. Security deposits must be held in a separate Florida bank account or posted as a surety bond, the tenant must receive written notice of the deposit location within 30 days, and the landlord has either 15 days to return the full deposit or 30 days to send notice of intent to make a claim after lease termination.
Two significant state-level changes took effect after the preemption that Broward landlords should know about. First, effective July 1, 2025, Florida Statute § 83.505 allows landlords and tenants to elect to receive notices by email. When email notice is elected, the 5-day mailing extension does not apply — meaning a 3-day notice emailed to a tenant on a Monday is already a valid 3-day notice beginning Monday, not Monday plus five mailing days. The email election must be mutual and can be revoked. Second, Florida Statute § 82.036, effective July 1, 2024, authorizes a new extra-judicial process to remove unauthorized occupants (squatters) by filing a complaint with the Broward County Sheriff at 2601 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. The filing fee is $90. This process is separate from eviction and applies only to unauthorized occupants, not tenants with a lease or established tenancy.
Filing Your Eviction Case in Broward County
Filing location in Broward County matters more than in most Florida counties. Administrative Order AO-2025-40-CO establishes which courthouse location handles County Civil cases based on the geographic location of the property. The three locations are: North Regional Courthouse at 1600 W. Hillsboro Boulevard, Room 160, Deerfield Beach (954-831-1453); South Regional Courthouse at 3550 Hollywood Boulevard, Room 160, Hollywood (954-831-0320); and West Regional Courthouse at 100 N. Pine Island Road, Room 180, Plantation (954-831-3371). Filing in the wrong location will cause a delay. Landlords should verify the correct location for their property on browardclerk.org before filing.
Broward County’s Clerk of Courts has automated its eviction filing process significantly, offering online access to eviction forms and self-help resources. Deputy clerks cannot prepare forms or give legal advice but can provide ministerial guidance. The Tenant Eviction Forms Package is available for purchase online or in person. For contested cases, the 17th Judicial Circuit has a mediation referral procedure for residential eviction cases. Broward also has an active Legal Aid Service (954-765-8950), which provides free legal representation to eligible low-income tenants — a relevant consideration for Broward landlords, as a represented opposing party changes the dynamics of a contested case materially.
The Broward Rental Market: High Rents, Dense Competition
Broward County’s rental market is one of the priciest in Florida. Median rents range from roughly $2,100 for apartments to $2,500 or more for single-family homes, with coastal areas and cities like Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, and Weston commanding premiums. The county’s 2024 population of nearly two million creates enormous demand, and vacancy rates in well-located properties remain low despite the statewide trend toward moderation. The 2022–2023 rent surge that drove the now-preempted Tenant Bill of Rights has largely subsided, with rents stabilizing and some modest softening in specific submarkets as new supply has come online.
The tenant population is diverse, including large Hispanic and Caribbean immigrant communities, working-class renters concentrated in Lauderdale Lakes, Deerfield Beach, and the inland Miramar corridor, and professional renters concentrated in western Broward cities like Weston, Cooper City, and Parkland. Property managers who understand these submarkets and screen carefully for income verification tend to outperform those who rely on blanket lease agreements without local market context.
The Bottom Line for Broward County Landlords
Broward County is a strong market with complex history. The current legal environment is favorable: the 2022 Tenant Bill of Rights is gone, the framework is pure state law, and several new state tools like the squatter removal process and email notices make operations more efficient. But Broward remains a politically tenant-sympathetic county, legal aid is well-funded and active, and contested eviction cases here can run longer than in smaller markets. Screen rigorously, file in the right courthouse location, stay current on state law changes, and Broward County’s deep rental market will reward well-run operations.
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