Florida Eviction Notice Requirements: What Must Be Included
A Florida eviction notice is not a demand letter — it is a statutory document under Chapter 83. Every required element must be present and accurate. One missing field or one wrong dollar amount hands the tenant a ground for dismissal before the case ever reaches a judge.
Every Florida eviction notice must include: (1) the date of service; (2) all tenant names as they appear on the lease; (3) the full property address with unit number; (4) the specific grounds for eviction — for a 3-Day Notice, the exact rent amount owed to the penny; for a 7-Day Notice, the specific lease clause and conduct described; and (5) a clear statement of what the tenant must do and by when. The notice must be in writing. Verbal demands do not start the statutory clock.
Required elements by notice type
3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate § 83.56(3)
| Required element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Date the notice is served | Not the date rent was due — the date the notice is delivered. |
| Full name of every tenant on the lease | All named tenants must appear; a missing co-tenant is a defect. |
| Full property address and unit number | Must match the lease exactly. |
| Exact rent amount owed — to the penny | No rounding, no estimates. This is the most-litigated element. See below. |
| Address where rent may be paid | The landlord's address, property manager's address, or designated payment location. |
| Statement to pay in full or vacate within 3 business days | Must be explicit — not implied. |
7-Day Notices — Both Types § 83.56(2)(a) & (2)(b)
| Required element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Date the notice is served | The 7-day cure or vacate period begins the day after this date. |
| Full name of every tenant on the lease | All named tenants must appear. |
| Full property address and unit number | Must match the lease. |
| The specific lease clause violated | Reference the lease section number if possible ("Section 7.2, No Pets"). |
| Description of the specific conduct | Who did what, observed on what date. "Lease violation" alone is insufficient. |
| Statement of required action and deadline | WITH Cure: cure or vacate within 7 days. WITHOUT Cure: vacate within 7 days, tenancy is terminated. |
15-Day Notice to Terminate § 83.57
| Required element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Date the notice is served | Must be at least 15 days before end of the rental period. |
| Full name of every tenant on the lease | All named tenants. |
| Full property address and unit number | Exact match to lease. |
| Statement that tenancy terminates at end of the rental period | No grounds need to be given for month-to-month termination. |
| Identification of the rental period that ends | E.g., "your tenancy terminates on August 31, 2026." |
The exact-amount rule on 3-Day Notices
No single requirement on a 3-Day Notice is more important — or more commonly wrong — than the rent amount. Florida courts have dismissed eviction cases where the demanded amount included:
- Late fees, unless the lease defines them as "additional rent"
- NSF / returned check fees
- Current month rent mixed with prior-month arrears at the wrong total
- Utility charges not defined as rent in the lease
- A rounded figure instead of the actual balance owed
The rule: demand only the rent that is actually due and unpaid under the lease. If you include $25 more than what is owed — even in good faith — the tenant can move to dismiss. Recalculate before every notice. Never copy an amount from the prior month's notice.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3)
Violation description specificity for 7-Day Notices
Florida courts have dismissed 7-Day Notice cases where the violation description was too vague to give the tenant meaningful notice of what they needed to cure. The notice must identify:
"You are in violation of Section 6.3 (No Pets) of the lease agreement. On July 18, 2026, a dog was observed on the premises at 123 Main St., Apt. 4B, Miami, FL. You have 7 days to remove the animal or vacate the premises."
"You are in violation of your lease agreement and have 7 days to cure the violation or vacate the premises." This has been rejected. Tenant cannot cure what they don't know they violated.
Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)
Florida HB 1417 (eff. July 1, 2023, codified at Fla. Stat. § 83.425) preempted all local landlord-tenant ordinances. Cities and counties that previously required extra notice language, longer cure periods, or additional disclosures (Miami Beach, City of Miami, Miami-Dade County) no longer have enforceable requirements. The elements described above under Chapter 83 are the only ones that apply statewide. Learn more in the HB 1417 preemption guide.
Defects that lead to case dismissal
Case dismissed on tenant motion; landlord must re-serve correct notice and wait another 3 days before refiling.
The unnamed tenant was never given statutory notice — creates an incomplete eviction record that courts reject.
Notice cannot be deemed delivered if addressed to a different unit or street address than the leased premises.
A verbal demand, email, or text message does not satisfy § 83.56(3)'s written notice requirement.
"Please leave soon" or "we expect you to vacate" does not satisfy the requirement for a specific date or statutory period.
Related guides
Authoritative Florida resources
Primary sources for statutory text, court procedures, and licensed legal help.
- Florida Statutes Chapter 83Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act — full statutory textflsenate.gov
- Miami-Dade Clerk: Civil & Family CourtFiling fees, e-filing portal, courthouse detailsmiamidadeclerk.gov
- Miami-Dade Sheriff: EvictionsWrit of possession service procedures and Sheriff coordinationmiamidade.gov
- Florida Bar Lawyer Referral ServiceLocate a Florida-licensed eviction attorneyfloridabar.org
FAQ
Does a Florida eviction notice have to be notarized?
No. Florida Statutes Chapter 83 does not require notarization of eviction notices. A signed, written notice from the landlord is sufficient. However, an accurate certificate of service (documenting how and when the notice was delivered) is strongly recommended as an exhibit when you file your eviction complaint.
Can late fees be included in the 3-Day Notice amount?
Only if your lease explicitly defines late fees as "additional rent." Most standard leases do not. If the lease is silent or defines late fees separately, including them in the 3-Day Notice makes the amount incorrect — a ground for dismissal. To be safe, demand only unpaid base rent.
What if I have multiple tenants on the lease — do all names need to be on the notice?
Yes. All tenants named on the lease should appear on the notice. Omitting a named tenant creates a gap in the eviction record — that tenant may argue they never received notice. Include all named tenants even if only one is responsible for the violation.
Does a Florida eviction notice need to be signed by the landlord?
Florida statute does not expressly require a landlord signature on the notice itself. However, courts routinely expect it — and an unsigned notice is a visible defect that opposing counsel will raise. Always sign the notice as the landlord or the landlord's authorized agent.
Can I use a template for the notice, or does Florida require specific statutory language?
Florida does not mandate verbatim statutory language in the notice body, but the notice must communicate all required elements clearly. Vague templates that omit the lease clause, the specific conduct, or the exact rent amount have been rejected by courts. A template that auto-populates your specific facts from the Florida Statutes framework is far safer than a generic demand letter.
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