Florida Criminal & credit history rules

Can a landlord deny a tenant for criminal or credit history in Florida?

Florida preempts local regulation of residential tenancies, expressly including "the screening process used by a landlord in approving tenancies" (Fla. Stat. § 83.425). Florida's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. ch. 83 Part II, read in full on 2026-10-16) does not itself set statewide lookback limits or ban-the-box rules for applicants' criminal or credit history; federal fair-housing and FCRA rules still apply. (Separate employee-background rules for certain public-lodging apartments are not tenant-applicant screening rules.)

Verified Source: Fla. Stat. § 83.425; Fla. Stat. ch. 83 Part II · last checked 2026-10-16