Just cause eviction rules in Clearwater, FL — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Clearwater does not require just cause to terminate a residential tenancy. Florida Statute 83.57 governs lease termination and Section 83.425 preempts local just-cause ordinances.
Under Chapter 83 Part II of the Florida Statutes, landlords may end a month-to-month tenancy with 30 days' written notice for any lawful reason, and may decline to renew a fixed-term lease at expiration without stating cause. Section 83.425, added by 2023 Live Local Act amendments, preempts the regulation of residential tenancies to the state, blocking Clearwater from imposing just-cause eviction protections. Landlords must still follow proper notice procedures under Sections 83.56 and 83.57, and may not retaliate (Section 83.64) or evict based on protected-class discrimination under federal and state fair housing law.
Tenants who believe an eviction is retaliatory or discriminatory can raise defenses in Pinellas County court and file fair housing complaints with HUD or the Florida Commission on Human Relations.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Pinellas County.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle just cause eviction.
See how Clearwater's just cause eviction rules stack up against other locations.
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