Florida Landlord Rekey Laws: A Lockout Can Cost 3 Months’ Rent
No, Florida law does not require landlords to rekey between tenants. What Florida law does require is that you never lock a tenant out of a rental while their tenancy is active. Florida Statute 83.67 bans lockouts outright, and 83.53 controls when you can even enter the unit. Rekeying between tenants is smart. It just isn’t mandatory.
TL;DR:
An illegal lockout can cost the greater of actual damages or three months’ rent, plus court costs and the tenant’s attorney’s fees.
A landlord may rekey only after surrender, documented abandonment, or a sheriff’s execution of a writ of possession; emergency entry does not authorize later exclusion.
For occupied units, routine entry requires 24 hours’ notice and generally must occur between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; emergencies are exempt.
Security deposit deductions for missing keys must follow statutory notice deadlines and reflect actual costs; routine turnover rekeying cannot be passed on as a charge.
Table of Contents
What Florida statutes say about lock changes, access, and illegal lockouts
When a landlord may lawfully change or rekey locks in Florida
Tenant key return, security deposit use, and common disputes
Practical best practices landlords should follow to avoid liability
Costs, hiring a locksmith, and what legitimate locksmiths will require
Step-by-step checklist: legally securing a unit after tenant leaves or after eviction
How Progressive Locksmith Cerrajero can help with lawful rekeying
What Florida statutes say about lock changes, access, and illegal lockouts
Florida Statute 83.67 spells out exactly what you cannot do to a tenant who still holds a valid lease. You cannot change the locks to block their entry, shut off utilities, remove doors or windows, or otherwise force them out without going through the courts.
The penalties are not symbolic. A landlord who violates 83.67 can be liable for actual damages or three months’ rent, whichever amount is greater, plus court costs and the tenant’s attorney’s fees.
Access works differently. Under 83.53, you need at least 24 hours’ notice before entering an occupied unit, and entry has to happen at a reasonable hour, generally between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., unless it’s an emergency.
The two statutes work together to protect a simple principle: tenants keep peaceful possession until a court says otherwise.
You cannot change locks on an active tenant without consequences.
You cannot cut off power, water, or gas to pressure a move-out.
You cannot remove doors, windows, or other means of entry.
You still owe 24 hours’ notice before routine entry.
Three months’ rent or actual damages, whichever is greater, is the statutory penalty for an illegal lockout, and that’s before attorney’s fees get added on top.
When a landlord may lawfully change or rekey locks in Florida
You gain the legal right to rekey once the unit is no longer occupied by a tenant with an active lease. That happens in one of three ways.
Surrender: the tenant hands back the keys and clearly states, in writing or by action, that they’re done with the unit.
Abandonment: the tenant leaves personal belongings behind and stops paying rent, with no indication they intend to return. Document this with photos, dated notes, and any communication attempts.
Writ of possession: after a formal eviction, the sheriff physically executes the writ and restores possession to you. This is the cleanest and safest trigger for a lock change.
Legal-aid guidance confirms that a landlord may change locks only after one of these three events, not before. Emergency entries, like responding to a burst pipe, give you temporary access under 83.53. They do not give you the right to rekey or keep the tenant out afterward.
Tenant key return, security deposit use, and common disputes
Most disputes over keys trace back to vague lease language. A clear clause on key return avoids a lot of arguments at move-out.
Spell out how many keys and fobs were issued and require all of them back at move-out.
State a specific deadline for return, tied to the move-out date in the lease.
List a per-key or per-fob replacement charge if keys aren’t returned.
Note that deposit deductions follow Chapter 83’s notice and timeline rules, not just lease wording.
Lease terms cannot override state law. If you want to deduct a rekey cost from a security deposit, the deduction still has to follow Florida’s statutory notice requirements, and the charge needs to reflect an actual cost tied to tenant damage or missing keys, not routine turnover expense. Our tenant lock change rights guide walks through sample notices and documentation language landlords use for this exact situation.
A signed move-out inspection form, time-stamped photos of the locks, and written notice of any deposit deductions protect you if a tenant disputes the charge later.
Practical best practices landlords should follow to avoid liability
Good habits here cost little and save you from statutory penalties that run into thousands of dollars.
Add a rekey policy to every lease, stating who pays and when it happens.
Keep a key inventory log for every unit, updated at each tenant turnover.
Rekey between tenants as standard procedure, even though Florida law doesn’t require it.
Send written notice before any entry, and keep a copy or a delivery confirmation.
Avoid deposit deduction language that’s vague. Tie every charge to a specific cost.
Pro Tip: Rekey every unit between tenants as a default policy. A former tenant or their guest holding a working key is a liability risk no landlord wants to explain in court.
Costs, hiring a locksmith, and what legitimate locksmiths will require
A standard residential rekey in our Homestead and Miami service area typically runs $75 to $220, based on our local Homestead rekey pricing guide. Full lock replacement costs more, and smart locks or commercial-grade hardware push the price higher still.
Standard rekey: budget on the lower end for a single-door residential unit.
Full lock change: costs more when hardware needs replacing, not just the pins.
Smart locks and commercial hardware: expect a higher quote due to parts and programming.
A licensed, insured locksmith will typically ask for proof of lawful possession, like a sheriff’s writ, a signed surrender, or clear abandonment documentation, before touching the locks. That’s not bureaucracy for its own sake. It protects you from the much larger exposure of an illegal lockout claim, and it protects the locksmith from participating in one.
Step-by-step checklist: legally securing a unit after tenant leaves or after eviction
Follow this sequence and you stay on the right side of Chapter 83 every time.
Send written notice of lease violation or nonpayment, as required before filing.
File for eviction in county court if the tenant doesn’t respond or cure.
Obtain a writ of possession once the court rules in your favor.
Wait for the sheriff to execute the writ and physically restore possession.
Hire a licensed locksmith to rekey or change the locks, keeping the receipt.
Document the change with photos, the locksmith’s invoice, and the date.
If a tenant claims you locked them out before this process finished, that claim exposes you to the full 83.67 penalty: actual damages or three months’ rent, plus their attorney’s fees. Following the writ process in order is the only way to avoid that risk entirely.
A local locksmith’s note on staying compliant
Every rekey call we take after a tenant turnover reminds us how often landlords skip the paperwork step and pay for it later. We ask for proof of possession every time, not to slow landlords down, but because that one document is what separates a lawful lock change from a lawsuit.
— Julio Borroto
How Progressive Locksmith Cerrajero can help with lawful rekeying
Once you have lawful possession, whether through a signed surrender, documented abandonment, or a sheriff-executed writ, we can provide rekey or lock replacement services.
Residential rekey services for units between tenants.
Lock change and lock repair for residential properties.
Commercial locksmith and rekey services for office and retail spaces.
We provide receipts and documentation for work performed.
Call us or book directly through our home lockout and rekey services page once you’re ready, and we’ll get your unit secured properly.
This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer. Consult a qualified legal professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.
FAQ
What are landlords not allowed to do in Florida?
Florida landlords cannot lock a tenant out, shut off utilities to force a move-out, or remove doors and windows while a lease is active. These actions violate Florida Statute 83.67 and expose the landlord to damages and attorney’s fees.
What is the 7-year property law in Florida?
This question usually refers to adverse possession or title claim periods, not landlord-tenant rekey rules, and it isn’t addressed by the statutes covering lockouts or access. For questions about property title timelines, a real estate attorney is the right resource.
What are the new rental laws in Florida in 2026?
Core landlord-tenant protections, including the lockout prohibition in 83.67 and access rules in 83.53, remain the governing framework. Landlords should check the Florida Senate’s statute pages directly for any session updates before relying on secondhand summaries.
Can a landlord charge a cleaning fee after move-out in Florida?
A landlord can charge for cleaning only when the lease specifies it and the charge reflects actual damage or excess dirt beyond normal wear. Any deduction from a security deposit still has to follow Chapter 83’s notice and timeline requirements, regardless of what the lease says.
Can a landlord rekey a unit while a tenant still lives there?
No, a landlord cannot rekey or change locks while a tenant holds an active lease, since doing so would violate the lockout prohibition in Florida Statute 83.67. Lawful rekeying only happens after surrender, abandonment, or a sheriff-executed writ of possession.
Sources
Recommended
Comments