Rental Property Rules in Tampa, FL (2026)
10 verified rental property rules for Tampa, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Rent Control
Tampa has no rent control ordinance. Florida preempts all local rent control under Fla. Stat. Sec. 125.0103, and the 2023 Live Local Act (SB 102) eliminated the housing-emergency exception. HB 1417 (Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444) further preempted local tenant-protection ordinances. Tampa community advocates have called for rent control measures, but the city is barred from enacting them. Tampa adopted a Tenant Bill of Rights with a 60-day notice requirement for large rent increases, but the rent-increase notice rule was preempted by HB 1417.
Tampa Rent Control
Few RestrictionsJust Cause Eviction
Tampa does not have a just-cause eviction ordinance. Evictions are governed by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 83, Part II). The 2023 Live Local Act (HB 1417, codified at Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444) preempted local tenant-protection ordinances exceeding state law. Landlords must give a 3-day written notice for non-payment of rent (Sec. 83.56) and 30 days' notice to terminate month-to-month tenancies (Sec. 83.57). Self-help evictions are prohibited under Sec. 83.67.
Tampa Just Cause Eviction
Few RestrictionsRental Registration
Tampa does not require mandatory rental property registration. Rental properties must comply with building codes and property maintenance standards. The city relies on complaint-driven code enforcement for rental property conditions.
Tampa Rental Property Registration Requirements
Few RestrictionsRelocation Assistance
Tampa does not require landlords to pay tenant relocation assistance for no-fault evictions because Florida §125.0103 preempts rent control and broad housing cost mandates, leaving only voluntary or federally funded programs through the Tampa Housing Authority.
No Mandatory Tampa Relocation Assistance
Few RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 125.0103
125.0103 Ordinances and rules imposing price controls. — (1)(a) Except as hereinafter provided, a county, municipality, or other entity of local government may not adopt or maintain in effect an ordinance or a rule that has the effect of imposing price controls upon a lawful business activity that is not franchised by, owned by, or under contract with, the governmental agency, unless specifical...
Security Deposit Rules
Tampa has no separate security deposit cap or interest rule because Florida Statute §83.49 sets uniform statewide requirements for holding, disclosing, and returning rental security deposits within 15 to 30 days after tenancy ends.
Tampa Follows Florida Deposit Rules
Some RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 83.49
83.49 Deposit money or advance rent; duty of landlord and tenant. — (1) Whenever money is deposited or advanced by a tenant on a rental agreement as security for performance of the rental agreement or as advance rent for other than the next immediate rental period, the landlord or the landlord's agent shall either: (a) Hold the total amount of such money in a separate non-interest-bearing accou...
No-Fault Evictions
Tampa permits no-fault non-renewal of leases consistent with Florida Statute §83.57, requiring only statutory written notice; no local just-cause eviction overlay exists because §125.0103 preempts that kind of ordinance.
Tampa Allows No-Fault Lease Endings
Few RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 83.57
83.57 Termination of tenancy without specific term. — A tenancy without a specific duration, as defined in s. 83.46(2) or (3), may be terminated by either party giving written notice in the manner provided in s. 83.56(4), as follows: (1) When the tenancy is from year to year, by giving not less than 60 days' notice prior to the end of any annual period; (2) When the tenancy is from quarter to q...
Tenant Anti-Harassment
Tampa lacks a dedicated tenant anti-harassment ordinance, but Florida Statute §83.67 protects renters from landlord retaliation, lockouts, and utility shutoffs, with enforcement through Hillsborough County courts rather than Tampa Code Enforcement.
Tampa Tenant Anti-Harassment Limits
Some RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 83.67
83.67 Prohibited practices. — (1) 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, whether or not the utility service is under the control of, or payment is ...
Source-of-Income Discrimination
Tampa's Human Rights Ordinance under Code Ch. 12 §12-26 prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers, even though Florida state law itself does not list source of income as a protected class.
Tampa Source-of-Income Protection
Some RestrictionsSection 8 Voucher Acceptance
Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers are administered by the Tampa Housing Authority (THA), and Tampa Code Ch. 12 §12-26 forbids landlords from rejecting applicants solely because they pay rent with a federal voucher.
Tampa Section 8 Voucher Acceptance
Some RestrictionsAB-1482 Notice Disclosure
Tampa landlords have no equivalent to California's AB 1482 rent cap disclosure because Florida Statute §125.0103 bars rent control and §83.49 sets the only mandatory state disclosure framework for residential leases statewide.
No California-Style Rent Disclosure
Few RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 125.0103(2)
125.0103 Ordinances and rules imposing price controls. — [...] (2) A municipality, county, or other entity of local government may not adopt or maintain in effect any law, ordinance, rule, or other measure that would have the effect of imposing controls on rents. (3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, municipalities, counties, or other entities of local government may adopt a...
Looking for Hillsborough County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tampa city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Hillsborough County →