Quick Answers
- Can you change the locks? No. Locking a tenant out is illegal in Florida, even if they have stopped paying or the lease has ended.
- Why: Florida bans "self-help" eviction. A landlord can recover possession only through the courts (Florida Statute 83.59).
- Also banned: shutting off utilities, removing doors or windows, and removing the tenant's belongings (Florida Statute 83.67).
- The penalty: a landlord who locks a tenant out can owe the tenant actual damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus the tenant's attorney's fees.
- What to do instead: file a formal eviction. Uncontested, it takes about 4 to 5 weeks and costs about $530 all-in.
Remove a Tenant the Right Way
Skip the lockout risk. The firm files a proper eviction, statewide, on a flat fee.
The Short Answer: No, and It Can Be Very Costly
In Florida, a landlord can never lawfully change the locks, shut off utilities, or otherwise force a tenant out without a court order. That is true even when the tenant has stopped paying rent, the lease has expired, or the tenant is plainly in the wrong. The only lawful way to remove a tenant is to go through the eviction process and let the sheriff carry out a writ of possession.
What Counts as Illegal "Self-Help"
Florida law spells out the landlord conduct that is off limits. Doing any of the following to push a tenant out, instead of going through the courts, is a prohibited practice:
- Changing the locks or using a bootlock or any device that blocks the tenant's access.
- Shutting off utilities, directly or indirectly, including water, electricity, gas, heat, and garbage service, even if the landlord pays the bill.
- Removing doors, windows, locks, the roof, or walls, except for genuine maintenance or repair.
- Removing the tenant's belongings from the unit before a lawful surrender or abandonment.
What Florida Law Actually Says
Two statutes govern this. Florida Statute 83.59 establishes that a landlord can recover possession of a rental only through a court action (or after the tenant surrenders or abandons the unit), which is what makes self-help illegal in the first place. Florida uses an expedited "summary procedure" for these cases, so the court process moves faster than ordinary litigation.
Florida Statute 83.67 then lists the specific prohibited practices above and sets the penalty for breaking them.
What an Illegal Lockout Can Cost You
Under Florida Statute 83.67, a landlord who locks out a tenant, cuts utilities, or removes belongings is liable to the tenant for actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus court costs and the tenant's attorney's fees. Repeated or separate violations can each carry their own award. A lockout also counts as irreparable harm, which means a tenant can ask a court to order immediate restored access.
The moment you lock out a tenant who is in the wrong, you can hand them the stronger case. A landlord trying to recover, say, $1,800 in unpaid rent can end up owing three months' rent plus the tenant's legal fees, a figure that often exceeds the original debt several times over. The illegal shortcut does not just fail, it can reverse who owes whom.
The other trap is "abandonment." Landlords often re-key a unit because they assume the tenant moved out, but if the tenant had not legally abandoned the property, that re-key is itself an illegal lockout. When in doubt, treat the unit as occupied and let the formal process confirm abandonment.
What to Do Instead
The lawful path is also the faster and cheaper one in almost every case. The steps are straightforward:
- Serve the correct written notice. For nonpayment that is a Three-Day notice; for a holdover after the lease ends it is a different notice. The firm can draft and serve it for $80.
- File the eviction. If the tenant does not comply, the firm files the action for possession in the proper county.
- Let the court and sheriff act. After judgment, the sheriff posts a writ of possession, the tenant gets 24 hours, and then the sheriff oversees the removal.
An uncontested eviction typically takes about 4 to 5 weeks and costs about $530 all-in. That is faster and far less risky than a lockout that can trigger a damages claim.
Do not risk a lockout. Let the firm handle it the right way.
Kelley, Grant & Tanis has handled more than 35,000 Florida eviction cases. Call 1 (877) 871-8300 or start your eviction online. For the full cost breakdown, read how much a Florida eviction costs, and if your tenant has stopped paying, see what to do next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the locks on my tenant in Florida?
No. Changing the locks to keep a tenant out is illegal in Florida, even if the tenant has stopped paying rent or the lease has ended. Under Florida Statute 83.59, a landlord can recover possession only through a court eviction, not by self-help.
Can I shut off the utilities to force a tenant to leave?
No. Florida Statute 83.67 prohibits a landlord from shutting off utilities such as water, electricity, gas, or heat to force a tenant out, even when the landlord pays the bill. Doing so exposes the landlord to damages.
Can I remove my tenant's belongings if they stop paying rent?
No. A landlord cannot remove a tenant's personal property from the unit before a lawful surrender or abandonment. Removing belongings to pressure a tenant out is a prohibited practice under Florida Statute 83.67.
What is a "self-help" eviction and why is it illegal in Florida?
A self-help eviction is any attempt to remove a tenant without a court order, such as changing the locks, cutting utilities, or removing doors or belongings. Florida bans it because a landlord can recover possession only through the courts under Florida Statute 83.59.
What can happen if I illegally lock out a tenant in Florida?
A landlord who illegally locks out a tenant is liable for the tenant's actual and consequential damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater, plus court costs and the tenant's attorney's fees. A lockout can also lead to a court order requiring immediate restored access.
The lease has ended, so can I change the locks then?
No. Even after the lease ends, you cannot change the locks or remove a holdover tenant yourself. You still have to file an eviction and obtain a court judgment, after which the sheriff carries out the removal.
What should I do instead of changing the locks?
Serve the correct written notice, file an eviction if the tenant does not comply, and let the court and sheriff handle removal. An uncontested eviction takes about 4 to 5 weeks and costs about $530 all-in, which is faster and far less risky than an illegal lockout.
Can I change the locks if I think my tenant abandoned the unit?
Be careful. If the tenant has genuinely abandoned the unit as defined by Florida law, the landlord may retake it, but landlords often guess wrong. If the tenant has not legally abandoned the property, re-keying is an illegal lockout, so when in doubt, treat the unit as occupied and confirm abandonment through the proper process.