Fla. Stat. § 83.40 et seq. § 83.512
Disclosure of flood risks to prospective tenant of residential real property.
Operative Text
(1) A landlord must complete and provide a flood disclosure to a prospective tenant of residential real property at or before the execution of a rental agreement for a term of 1 year or longer. The flood disclosure must be in a separate document. The flood disclosure must be made in substantially the following form: FLOOD DISCLOSURE Flood Insurance: Renters’ insurance policies do not include coverage for damage resulting from floods. Tenant is encouraged to discuss the need to purchase separate flood insurance coverage with Tenant’s insurance agent. 1. Landlord has ☐ has no ☐ knowledge of any flooding that has damaged the dwelling unit during Landlord’s ownership of the dwelling unit. 2. Landlord has ☐ has not ☐ filed a claim with an insurance provider relating to flood damage in the dwelling unit, including, but not limited to, a claim with the National Flood Insurance Program. 3. Landlord has ☐ has not ☐ received assistance for flood damage to the dwelling unit, including, but not limited to, assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 4. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “flooding” means a general or temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of the dwelling unit caused by any of the following: a. The overflow of inland or tidal waters. b. The unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff or surface waters from any established water source, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch. c. Sustained periods of standing water resulting from rainfall. (2) If a landlord violates this section and a tenant suffers a substantial loss or damage to the tenant’s personal property as a result of flooding, the tenant may terminate the rental agreement by giving a written notice of termination and surrendering possession of the premises to the landlord no later than 30 days after the date of the damage or loss. Termination of a rental agreement under this section is effective upon the tenant surrendering possession of the dwelling unit. For the purpose of this section, the term “substantial loss or damage” means the total cost of repairs to or replacement of the personal property is 50 percent or more of the personal property’s market value on the date the flooding occurred. (3) A landlord shall refund the tenant all rent or other amounts paid in advance under the rental agreement for any period after the effective date of the termination of the rental agreement. (4) This section does not affect a tenant’s liability for delinquent, unpaid rent or other sums owed to the landlord before the date the rental agreement was terminated by the tenant under this section.
Florida Statute § 83.512 requires landlords to give prospective tenants a separate, written flood disclosure document before or at the signing of any residential lease lasting one year or more. The disclosure must cover the landlord's knowledge of past flooding, any insurance claims filed, and any federal disaster assistance received for the unit. If a landlord fails to provide this disclosure and a tenant later suffers substantial loss or damage to personal property from flooding—meaning repair or replacement costs reach at least 50 percent of the property's market value—the tenant may terminate the lease by providing written notice and vacating within 30 days of the damage.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Fla. Stat. § 83.512, compliant landlords prepare a standalone flood disclosure document—separate from the lease itself—and deliver it to every prospective tenant before or at the time a one-year-or-longer rental agreement is signed. The disclosure form addresses whether the landlord has knowledge of prior flooding, has filed flood-related insurance claims, or has received FEMA assistance for the unit. Operators who skip or delay this step risk giving tenants a statutory right to terminate the lease and receive a refund of prepaid rent if flooding later causes substantial personal property damage.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Fla. Stat. § 83.512 gives prospective tenants the right to receive a separate written flood disclosure before signing a residential lease of one year or more, covering the landlord's history of flood damage, insurance claims, and federal assistance for the unit. If a landlord fails to provide this disclosure and flooding later destroys or substantially damages your personal property—at a repair or replacement cost of 50 percent or more of its market value—the statute provides a path to terminate the rental agreement by giving written notice and vacating within 30 days of the loss. Tenants who believe their rights under this section have been violated may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand the options available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 28, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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