Tampa Landlord-Tenant Rules
Tampa 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, disclosures, landlord fees and notice requirements). Local rent control is also barred. State law (see the Florida page) governs nearly every landlord-tenant question in Tampa. |
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| Former Tenant's Bill of Rights (source of income) | Tampa adopted a Tenant's Bill of Rights, Ordinance No. 2022-85 (City Code Ch. 12, Art. VII), effective June 1, 2022. As described by the Tampa Housing Authority, it (together with Hillsborough County Ord. No. 21-7) required landlords to give a 'Notice of Rights' before a tenant applies or moves in; barred refusing to rent because of a tenant's lawful source of income or public-assistance status (such as Section 8 vouchers); barred income tests that ignore the subsidized share of rent; barred ads stating a source-of-income preference; and required a separate written notice for each late fee. Florida's 2023 preemption law (§ 83.425) supersedes local rules on lease terms, disclosures, landlord fees, notices and tenant screening, so the notice and late-fee rules should no longer be treated as enforceable. The City's rental information page still links a 'Tenant's Bill of Rights' item, but it points to the general Office of Human Rights page, which describes no Bill of Rights and does not list source of income as a protected class. Described from a Tampa Housing Authority newsletter (August 2022), not the ordinance text. Since July 1, 2023, § 83.425 preempts local regulation of residential tenancies, including tenant screening, notices and disclosures. Whether Ch. 12, Art. VII has been repealed or amended, and whether its source-of-income protection is still enforced, has not been confirmed. City page: https://www.tampa.gov/neighborhood-enhancement/rental-information. |
| Local fair housing protected classes | Tampa's Human Rights Ordinance (City Code Ch. 12, Art. IV, Discrimination in Housing) is enforced by the Tampa Office of Human Rights. The office's page lists race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status and marital status. Age and marital status go beyond the federal Fair Housing Act. Complaints: (813) 274-5835, 2555 E. Hanna Ave., Suite 301. Housing complaint deadline not stated on the pages read. Source: Tampa Code Ch. 12, Art. IV |
| Rental registration/inspection | No rental registration, rental license or routine rental inspection program was found. The City's rental information page lists none; structure and maintenance complaints about rentals are filed through the City's Accela portal. Source: Official source |
| Habitability/code enforcement & complaint line | Tenants can report code violations and rental structure or maintenance problems to Tampa Neighborhood Enhancement (Code Enforcement) at (813) 274-5545, online at the City's Accela portal ('Register an Enforcement Complaint') or through TampaConnect 'Report a Problem'. The City's general line is (813) 274-8211. Source: Official source |
| Local rental assistance | Tampa's Rental and Move-In Assistance Program (RMAP) pays new move-in costs (first and last month's rent, security deposit, administrative fees) up to $10,000 per household, for units inside Tampa city limits, households up to 140% of area median income, with a move-in date within 45 days. It does not cover back rent, existing leases or application fees. New applications pause November 1, 2026, with reopening expected January 2027. The City's Housing Information Line, 813-307-5555, connects Tampa residents with housing resources, including ways to avoid eviction. Housing Information Line launch notice: https://www.tampa.gov/news/city-tampa-launching-housing-information-line-100541 (hours there are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the RMAP page lists 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Source: Official source |
| Eviction mediation | The 13th Judicial Circuit's Mediation and Diversion Services offers mediation, including before a case is filed. (813) 272-5642. The page does not describe an eviction-specific diversion program. Source: Official source |
Eviction cases in Tampa are heard in: Hillsborough County Court (13th Judicial Circuit); filed with the Hillsborough County Clerk, County Civil Department
Eviction court, fees and help
Right to a lawyer in eviction cases
No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found. Official source
Local agencies
- Tampa Neighborhood Enhancement (Code Enforcement) — Investigates code violations and rental maintenance complaints. (813) 274-5545.
- Tampa Office of Human Rights — Investigates housing discrimination complaints under City Code Ch. 12. (813) 274-5835.
- City of Tampa Housing and Community Development (Housing Information Line) — Runs RMAP move-in assistance and refers residents to housing and eviction-prevention resources. 813-307-5555.
- Bay Area Legal Services — Free civil legal help, including housing, for low-income residents of the Tampa Bay area. (800) 625-2257.
Frequently asked questions
What landlord-tenant rules does Tampa 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, disclosures, landlord fees and notice requirements). Local rent control is also barred. State law (see the Florida page) governs nearly every landlord-tenant question in Tampa.; Former Tenant's Bill of Rights (source of income): Tampa adopted a Tenant's Bill of Rights, Ordinance No. 2022-85 (City Code Ch. 12, Art. VII), effective June 1, 2022. As described by the Tampa Housing Authority, it (together with Hillsborough County Ord. No. 21-7) required landlords to give a 'Notice of Rights' before a tenant applies or moves in; barred refusing to rent because of a tenant's lawful source of income or public-assistance status (such as Section 8 vouchers); barred income tests that ignore the subsidized share of rent; barred ads stating a source-of-income preference; and required a separate written notice for each late fee. Florida's 2023 preemption law (§ 83.425) supersedes local rules on lease terms, disclosures, landlord fees, notices and tenant screening, so the notice and late-fee rules should no longer be treated as enforceable. The City's rental information page still links a 'Tenant's Bill of Rights' item, but it points to the general Office of Human Rights page, which describes no Bill of Rights and does not list source of income as a protected class.; Local fair housing protected classes: Tampa's Human Rights Ordinance (City Code Ch. 12, Art. IV, Discrimination in Housing) is enforced by the Tampa Office of Human Rights. The office's page lists race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, familial status and marital status. Age and marital status go beyond the federal Fair Housing Act. Complaints: (813) 274-5835, 2555 E. Hanna Ave., Suite 301.; Rental registration/inspection: No rental registration, rental license or routine rental inspection program was found. The City's rental information page lists none; structure and maintenance complaints about rentals are filed through the City's Accela portal.
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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.