Orlando Landlord-Tenant Rules
Orlando adds local rules on top of Florida landlord-tenant law. Here is what is different, with the city code or agency page behind each rule.
| State preemption | Florida law preempts the regulation of residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship to the state, superseding local rules on matters covered by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (tenant screening, security deposits, application fees, lease terms, the parties' rights and duties, disclosures, landlord fees and notice requirements). Local rent control is also barred. Orlando has no local landlord-tenant code; state law (see the Florida page) governs nearly every landlord-tenant question. |
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| Local fair housing protected classes | Orlando City Code Chapter 57 adds sexual orientation and marital status to the federal fair housing protected classes (race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status). Housing discrimination complaints must be filed within 365 calendar days of the incident. The City's Office of Human Relations helps with filing; Orange County lists the City's Human Relations line as (407) 246-2122. Source of income is not listed as a protected class. The (407) 246-2122 number is from Orange County's tenant resources page: https://ocfl.net/familieshealthsocialsvcs/TenantServices/Resources.aspx. News reports say gender identity and expression were added to Chapter 57; the City FAQ page does not list them, so this was not confirmed. Source: Orlando City Code Ch. 57 |
| Rental registration/inspection | No long-term rental registration or routine rental inspection program was found. The City's code enforcement page lists short-term rentals as a code issue but describes no long-term rental program. Source: Official source |
| Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line | Orlando Code Enforcement investigates city code violations, including unsafe conditions: 407-246-2686, or report online. Under Florida law (§ 162.21) a person reporting a violation must give a name and address. Code Enforcement does not handle landlord-tenant disputes or mold inside a home. Source: Official source |
| Eviction prevention assistance | Orange County's EPIC (Eviction Prevention in the Community) program helps Orange County families with minor children at home who are two or more months behind on rent, or have a court-filed eviction in Orange County, and are at imminent risk of homelessness. It offers financial help to stop the eviction, budget counseling and referrals. Requirements include at least 90 days' Orange County residency, U.S. citizenship or legal residency, enough steady income going forward and case management; help is limited to twice in a lifetime. Call the EPIC line, 407-836-6514, and leave your name, phone number and court case number. The page does not say whether City of Orlando addresses qualify; it requires Orange County residency. The Orange County Clerk also refers tenants with minor children to EPIC: https://www.myorangeclerk.com/Divisions/Civil/Evictions. No current City of Orlando rental assistance program was found; the City programs found were COVID-era (2020-2021). Source: Official source |
| Legal aid | Orange County's tenant resources page lists the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, (407) 841-8310, and Community Legal Services, (800) 405-1417. The Orange County Clerk's Self Help Center helps people without lawyers with eviction forms and offers low-cost attorney consultations. Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida's website now operates as 'Legal Access for All' (https://legalaccessforall.org/); its current intake number for Orange County was not confirmed. Source: Official source |
Eviction cases in Orlando are heard in: Orange County Court (Ninth Judicial Circuit); filed with the Orange County Clerk of Courts, Civil Division, 425 N. Orange Ave., Orlando
Right to a lawyer in eviction cases
No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found. Official source
Local agencies
- City of Orlando Code Enforcement — Investigates city code violations, including unsafe conditions. 407-246-2686.
- City of Orlando Office of Human Relations — Enforces Chapter 57 and federal fair housing law and helps residents file housing discrimination complaints.
- Orange County EPIC (Eviction Prevention in the Community) — Eviction-prevention payments and counseling for eligible Orange County families with children. 407-836-6514.
- Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association — Free civil legal help for eligible residents. (407) 841-8310.
Frequently asked questions
What landlord-tenant rules does Orlando add on top of Florida law?
State preemption: Florida law preempts the regulation of residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship to the state, superseding local rules on matters covered by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (tenant screening, security deposits, application fees, lease terms, the parties' rights and duties, disclosures, landlord fees and notice requirements). Local rent control is also barred. Orlando has no local landlord-tenant code; state law (see the Florida page) governs nearly every landlord-tenant question.; Local fair housing protected classes: Orlando City Code Chapter 57 adds sexual orientation and marital status to the federal fair housing protected classes (race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status). Housing discrimination complaints must be filed within 365 calendar days of the incident. The City's Office of Human Relations helps with filing; Orange County lists the City's Human Relations line as (407) 246-2122. Source of income is not listed as a protected class.; Rental registration/inspection: No long-term rental registration or routine rental inspection program was found. The City's code enforcement page lists short-term rentals as a code issue but describes no long-term rental program.; Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line: Orlando Code Enforcement investigates city code violations, including unsafe conditions: 407-246-2686, or report online. Under Florida law (§ 162.21) a person reporting a violation must give a name and address. Code Enforcement does not handle landlord-tenant disputes or mold inside a home.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.