Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 83.60 (2025)

Defenses to action for rent or possession; procedure.

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83.60 Defenses to action for rent or possession; procedure.—

(1)(a) In an action by the landlord for possession of a dwelling unit based upon nonpayment of rent or in an action by the landlord under s. 83.55 seeking to recover unpaid rent, the tenant may defend upon the ground of a material noncompliance with s. 83.51(1), or may raise any other defense, whether legal or equitable, that he or she may have, including the defense of retaliatory conduct in accordance with s. 83.64. The landlord must be given an opportunity to cure a deficiency in a notice or in the pleadings before dismissal of the action.

(b) The defense of a material noncompliance with s. 83.51(1) may be raised by the tenant if 7 days have elapsed after the delivery of written notice by the tenant to the landlord, specifying the noncompliance and indicating the intention of the tenant not to pay rent by reason thereof. Such notice by the tenant may be given to the landlord, the landlord’s representative as designated pursuant to s. 83.50, a resident manager, or the person or entity who collects the rent on behalf of the landlord. A material noncompliance with s. 83.51(1) by the landlord is a complete defense to an action for possession based upon nonpayment of rent, and, upon hearing, the court or the jury, as the case may be, shall determine the amount, if any, by which the rent is to be reduced to reflect the diminution in value of the dwelling unit during the period of noncompliance with s. 83.51(1). After consideration of all other relevant issues, the court shall enter appropriate judgment.

(2) In an action by the landlord for possession of a dwelling unit, if the tenant interposes any defense other than payment, including, but not limited to, the defense of a defective 3-day notice, the tenant shall pay into the registry of the court the accrued rent as alleged in the complaint or as determined by the court and the rent that accrues during the pendency of the proceeding, when due. The clerk shall notify the tenant of such requirement in the summons. Failure of the tenant to pay the rent into the registry of the court or to file a motion to determine the amount of rent to be paid into the registry within 5 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after the date of service of process constitutes an absolute waiver of the tenant’s defenses other than payment, and the landlord is entitled to an immediate default judgment for removal of the tenant with a writ of possession to issue without further notice or hearing thereon. If a motion to determine rent is filed, documentation in support of the allegation that the rent as alleged in the complaint is in error is required. Public housing tenants or tenants receiving rent subsidies are required to deposit only that portion of the full rent for which they are responsible pursuant to the federal, state, or local program in which they are participating.

History.—s. 2, ch. 73-330; s. 7, ch. 83-151; s. 7, ch. 87-195; s. 7, ch. 93-255; s. 7, ch. 94-170; s. 1374, ch. 95-147; s. 12, ch. 2013-136.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 84 cases (33 in the last 5 years), 1974–2026 · leading case: KD Lewis Enter. Corp. v. Smith, 445 So. 2d 1032 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984).

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KD Lewis Enter. Corp. v. Smith, 445 So. 2d 1032 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984). · cites it 8× “Resolution of this issue requires a consideration of section 83.60, Florida Statutes (1981): Remedies; defenses to action for rent or possession; procedure.”

First Hanover v. Vazquez, 848 So. 2d 1188 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003). · cites it 8× “Because no similar order was entered prior to consolidation of the Staples Avenue action (the action involving the lease to Davila and Bogoeff), King sought in the consolidated action, to mandate, pursuant to section 83.60, Florida Statutes(2002), either payment of rent relating…”

Stanley v. Quest Int'l Inv., Inc., 50 So. 3d 672 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010). · cites it 7× “§ 83.60(2), Fla. Stat. (2009) (emphasis added).”

Grimm v. Huckabee, 891 So. 2d 608 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). · cites it 14× “§ 83.60, Fla. Stat. (1999). However, section 83.”

In Re Amend. to Fla. Rules of Civ. Proc., 682 So. 2d 105 (Fla. 1996). · cites it 4× “923 is amended to comply with section 83.60, Florida Statutes (1995), as amended in 1993, regarding actions for rent or possession.”

MATTER OF ROSS v. Metro. Dade Cnty., 142 B.R. 1013 (S.D. Fla. 1992). · cites it 5× “Florida’s anti-forfeiture doctrine is codified at Section 83.60, Florida Statutes. Section 83.”

Pomponio v. Claridge of Pompano Condo., 378 So. 2d 774 (Fla. 1979). · cites it 2× “[46] § 83.60(2), Fla. Stat. (1977). [47] § 83.”

Frey v. Livecchi, 852 So. 2d 896 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003). · cites it 6× “§ 83.60, Fla. Stat. (1999). However, section 83.”

Shell v. Foulkes, 19 So. 3d 438 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009). · cites it 4× “540(b) motion and decide whether petitioner has shown any basis for relief from the default.”

In Re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, 52 So. 3d 579 (Fla. 2010). · cites it 2× “923 to comply with the requirements of section 83.60, Florida Statutes, as amended in 1993.”

Minalla v. Equinamics Corp., 954 So. 2d 645 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). · cites it 8× “However, section 83.60 does not apply when the occupancy is under a contract for sale of a dwelling unit or the property of which it is a part.”

Herrell v. Seyfarth, Shaw, 491 So. 2d 1173 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). · cites it 4× “See specifically section 723.063(1). If, however, the tenant raises any defense other than payment, he is required to pay into the registry of the court the accrued rent, as alleged in the complaint or as determined by the court, and all rent accruing during the pendency of the…”

Show all 84 citing cases →

— 83.60(1) — 9 cases

KD Lewis Enter. Corp. v. Smith, 445 So. 2d 1032 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984). “Resolution of this issue requires a consideration of section 83.60, Florida Statutes (1981): Remedies; defenses to action for rent or possession; procedure.”

Herrell v. Seyfarth, Shaw, 491 So. 2d 1173 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986). “See specifically section 723.063(1). If, however, the tenant raises any defense other than payment, he is required to pay into the registry of the court the accrued rent, as alleged in the complaint or as determined by the court, and all rent accruing during the pendency of the…”

Noimbie v. Harvey, 137 So. 3d 606 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014).

Lakeway Mgmt. Co. of Florida v. Stolowilsky, 527 So. 2d 950 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988).

McLennan v. Rozniak, 15 Fla. Supp. 2d 42 (Fla. Cty. Ct. 1985).

— 83.60(1)(a) — 4 cases

Noimbie v. Harvey, 137 So. 3d 606 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014).

Ian H. Kaufman v. High Seas, LLC (Fla. 4th DCA 2024).

Alicia M. Joerger & Shannon M. Mahon v. Lake Alfred Place LLC (Fla. 6th DCA 2024).

— 83.60(2) — 66 cases

Stanley v. Quest Int'l Inv., Inc., 50 So. 3d 672 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010). “§ 83.60(2), Fla. Stat. (2009) (emphasis added).”

Pomponio v. Claridge of Pompano Condo., 378 So. 2d 774 (Fla. 1979). “[46] § 83.60(2), Fla. Stat. (1977). [47] § 83.”

Grimm v. Huckabee, 891 So. 2d 608 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). “§ 83.60, Fla. Stat. (1999). However, section 83.”

Shell v. Foulkes, 19 So. 3d 438 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009). “540(b) motion and decide whether petitioner has shown any basis for relief from the default.”

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