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Tallahassee, FL · Leon County · 2nd Judicial Circuit · Florida’s State Capital · No Rent Control · Florida Art. X §19 Constitutional Prohibition (Amendment 1, Nov. 7, 2023, 66.4%) · Requires 60% Supermajority to Reverse · FL Ch. 83 Part II · No Security Deposit Maximum · 15-Day Month-to-Month Notice · 3-Day Pay-or-Quit · 12-Hour Entry Notice · State of Florida Government ~30,000+ Area Employees · Florida State University ~47,000 Students ~12,000 Employees (Seminoles; ACC; National High Magnetic Field Lab) · Florida A&M University HBCU ~14,000 Students ~3,000 Employees · Capital Regional Medical Center (HCA; Level II Trauma; ~900 Beds) · Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare ~3,500 Level II · FSU Innovation Hub · FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

Tallahassee FL rent increase 2026 Tallahassee, Florida has no rent control of any kind in 2026. Florida Amendment 1 (November 7, 2023, 66.4% in favor) added Art. X §19 to the Florida Constitution: “Laws that control the amount of rent charged for private residential real property are prohibited.” A constitutional prohibition requiring a 60% supermajority to reverse — stronger than any statutory preemption in Texas, Nevada, or Illinois. Leon County; 2nd Judicial Circuit; no security deposit maximum; 15-day month-to-month notice (§83.57); 3-day pay-or-quit (§83.56(3)); 12-hour entry notice (§83.53). State of Florida government: largest Tallahassee employer (~30,000+ area employees across Capitol Complex and Southwood campus). Florida State University: ~47,000 students; ~12,000 employees; Dalmore College of Medicine; National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Florida A&M University: Florida’s only HBCU in the State University System; ~14,000 students. Capital Regional Medical Center (HCA; Level II Trauma; ~900 beds). Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare: Level II Trauma; ~3,500 employees.

Tallahassee, Florida — the state capital, home of the Florida Capitol, the Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Legislature, Florida State University (~47,000 students; ~12,000 employees), and Florida A&M University (~14,000 students; Florida’s only HBCU in the State University System) — has no rent control of any kind in 2026.

Florida Amendment 1 (November 7, 2023; 66.4% in favor) added Article X, Section 19 to the Florida Constitution, making Florida the only state in the nation to constitutionally prohibit rent control. No Leon County ordinance, no Tallahassee City Commission vote, no state emergency declaration, and no act of the Florida Legislature can create a rent cap — only a new statewide constitutional amendment receiving 60% of the vote could reverse Amendment 1.

Florida rent control status: why no Tallahassee ordinance can cap rents

Florida Art. X §19, added by Amendment 1 on November 7, 2023 (66.4% to 33.6% in favor), reads: “Laws that control the amount of rent charged for private residential real property are prohibited.” Before Amendment 1, Florida had statutory preemption under §166.043 (municipalities) and §125.0103 (counties). These statutes contained a narrow emergency exception: local governments with a vacancy rate below 5%, a declared housing emergency, and voter approval could enact temporary rent limits. Orange County (Orlando metro) was the only jurisdiction to invoke this exception, passing Ordinance 2022-019 in October 2022 (10% rent cap for existing tenants). Amendment 1 mooted the Orange County ordinance entirely and permanently eliminated the emergency exception.

Tallahassee is unique as a college and government town: the Florida Legislature sits in the same city that could theoretically pass a constitutional amendment to reverse Art. X §19. But the Legislature cannot act unilaterally — it can propose a constitutional amendment, but Florida voters must ratify it by 60%. Given that Amendment 1 passed with 66.4% — meaning even flipping every “no” vote to “yes” would not guarantee 60% opposition — the political arithmetic strongly favors the prohibition remaining in place for the foreseeable future.

Florida landlord-tenant law: key statutes for Tallahassee landlords

Security deposit: no maximum and strict return deadlines (Florida Statutes §83.49)

Florida imposes NO STATUTORY MAXIMUM on security deposits. A Tallahassee landlord may collect any agreed amount — 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, or more. This absence of a cap is notable: Massachusetts limits deposits to 1 month’s rent; New York (most residential units) to 1 month; Virginia to 2 months; Nevada to 3 months; Pennsylvania to 2 months. Florida and Missouri are among the few states with no residential deposit cap.

Tallahassee’s large student market (FSU + FAMU = ~61,000 students) creates above-average deposit compliance risk: students frequently have no credit history, may be first-time renters, and often dispute deductions. Market deposits in 2026 run 1–2 months’ rent for most Tallahassee units.

30-day initial notice (§83.49(2)): Within 30 days of receiving the deposit, the landlord must mail written notice to the tenant at the rental address stating the name and address of the depository institution, whether the account is interest-bearing or non-interest-bearing (or a surety bond is posted), and any interest rate if applicable. Failure to provide this notice forfeits the right to make any deductions — even for actual damage — and requires return of the full deposit plus attorney fees.

Return deadline (§83.49(3)): If the landlord has no claim against the deposit: return in full within 15 days of termination. If the landlord intends deductions: mail written itemized notice of the claim to the tenant’s last known address within 30 days of termination. Florida’s 15-day clean-return timeline is faster than most states (Missouri: 30 days; Indiana: 45 days; Virginia: 45 days). Best practice: conduct a move-out inspection with the tenant present on the day of key return, provide itemized deduction estimate on-site, and initiate deposit return the same day if no valid claims exist.

Non-payment eviction: 3-day pay-or-quit (Florida Statutes §83.56(3))

For non-payment of rent, the Tallahassee landlord serves a written 3-day pay-or-quit notice specifying the exact amount of rent owed. The 3-day count excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. A tenant who pays the full amount within 3 days terminates the eviction entirely.

Florida’s 3-day pay-or-quit matches California (CCP §1161) and Missouri (RSMo §535.050) as the shortest non-payment notice in the country — significantly shorter than Wisconsin (5-day), Illinois (5-day), Indiana (10-day), and Minnesota (14-day). After 3 days without payment or surrender, the landlord files for eviction at the Leon County Clerk of Courts (301 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32302; (850) 606-4000).

MTM termination (Florida Statutes §83.57): For month-to-month tenancies, either party must provide at least 15 days’ written notice prior to the end of the monthly period. Florida’s 15-day MTM notice is shorter than most states (most require 30 days). This shorter window means Tallahassee landlords can adjust rental rates with relatively quick notice for month-to-month tenants.

12-hour entry notice (§83.53): The landlord must provide at least 12 hours’ advance notice before entering the unit for non-emergency maintenance, inspection, or showing. Florida’s 12-hour notice is shorter than the 24-hour requirement in most other states (Oregon, California, Washington, Nevada, New York). Entry without required notice may constitute a violation entitling the tenant to seek court relief.

Tallahassee rental market history and 2026 outlook

Year Metro avg 2BR/mo FSU Campus Zone 2BR Downtown/Railroad Square 2BR Market notes
2019 $900–$1,200 $900–$1,350 $1,100–$1,600 Stable pre-pandemic market; FSU enrollment ~41,000; FAMU enrollment ~9,000; state employment steady; Capital Regional full census; new Gaines Street corridor apartments absorbing student demand; Tallahassee affordable vs. South Florida markets
2020 $920–$1,220 $880–$1,300 $1,050–$1,550 COVID disruption: FSU moves to hybrid spring 2020; ~5,000 students vacate campus zone apartments early; brief summer softening; state government remote but salaries unchanged; Capital Regional and TMH COVID surge; Gaines St new deliveries absorb demand shortfall; FAMU campus zone softens less (students remain local)
2021 $1,000–$1,350 $980–$1,500 $1,200–$1,800 +8–13%; FSU returns fully in-person fall 2021 with record enrollment ~47,000; state employee in-migration during remote-work realignment; Legislative Session (Mar–Jun) adds lobbyist/consultant demand; FAMU enrollment climbs to ~12,000+; new class A student apartments pre-leasing at premium
2022 $1,100–$1,500 $1,100–$1,700 $1,350–$2,000 +15–22% from 2019 baseline; Florida in-migration boom drives Tallahassee spillover; new Capital Regional expansion adds ~200 beds; FAMU record enrollment; FSU Law rankings improvement drives grad student demand; Southwood administrative campus expands with FDOT and DEO staff additions; new downtown mixed-use completions
2023 $1,100–$1,550 $1,150–$1,750 $1,350–$2,050 Market stabilization; new supply deliveries soften peak; FSU Innovation Hub expands startup tenants; Dalmore College of Medicine first class enrolled; Amendment 1 passes November 2023 confirming no rent control; FAMU FAMU-FSU Engineering College expansion; TMH cancer center opening; vacancy returns to 4–5%
2024 $1,100–$1,600 $1,150–$1,800 $1,350–$2,100 Stable growth; FSU enrollment approaches 50,000 total; Capital Regional HCA expansion complete; FAMU nationally ranked among top HBCUs; state workforce steady; new Gaines Street Phase 4 apartments deliver; National High Magnetic Field Lab federal funding renewal drives researcher demand; Killearn luxury market softens slightly with new suburban supply
2026F $1,100–$1,650 $1,200–$1,900 $1,400–$2,100 +2–4% annual growth; FSU enrollment stable ~47,000+; Dalmore COM second class; state employee headcount steady under DeSantis administration consolidations; Legislative Session demand sustained; no rent control; fully market-rate; Tallahassee remains highly affordable vs. Miami, Tampa, Orlando; strong university-adjacent landlord market; FAMU expansion pipeline drives south Tallahassee demand

Tallahassee’s anchor employers and their rental market impact

State of Florida government: Tallahassee’s largest employer

The State of Florida employs approximately 30,000+ workers in the Tallahassee metropolitan area — the largest single employer bloc in the city by a significant margin. State agencies with major Tallahassee offices include: the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT; 605 Suwannee St.; one of the largest state DOTs in the US, managing nearly 12,000 miles of state highway and overseeing major turnpike and I-95 corridor projects); the Florida Department of Health (FDOH; Bin #A00; 4025 Bald Cypress Way); the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE; 2331 Phillips Rd.); the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF; 1317 Winewood Blvd.); the Department of Financial Services (DFS; 200 E. Gaines St., the headquarters complex that towers over Railroad Square); the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO; 107 E. Madison St.); and dozens more, all concentrated in the Capitol Complex and the Southwood Administrative Campus (2737 Centerview Dr., opened 2007, consolidating previously dispersed agencies into a 400-acre planned campus in south Tallahassee).

State government salaries (averaging $50,000–$75,000 for professional staff, with executive-level positions at $100,000+) drive stable, year-round rental demand in the Southwood, Buck Lake, and SouthWood planned community neighborhoods. State workers are significantly less transient than FSU/FAMU student renters — average tenancies of 2–5 years are common, making state employee tenants lower-turnover and lower-risk for Tallahassee landlords.

The Florida Legislature (400 S. Monroe St.; the Capitol Complex) adds a seasonal overlay: during Regular Session (typically January through June), approximately 6,000 lobbyists, consultants, legislative staff, committee counsel, and session-hired personnel rotate through Tallahassee. Many take furnished month-to-month apartments in downtown and Midtown for the session period, driving a premium short-term furnished-unit market unique to state capitals.

Florida State University: ~47,000 students, National High Magnetic Field Lab, Dalmore College of Medicine

Florida State University (600 W. College Ave., Tallahassee, FL 32306) is one of the largest universities in the United States by enrollment (~47,000+ students; approximately 12,000+ total employees including faculty, staff, and graduate research assistants). Founded in 1851 as the West Florida Seminary and renamed Florida State University in 1947, FSU has grown into a comprehensive research university with 16 colleges and a medical school.

FSU’s National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (1800 E. Paul Dirac Dr., Tallahassee), operated by FSU in partnership with UF and Los Alamos National Laboratory and funded by the National Science Foundation, is the world’s largest and most powerful magnet laboratory. The MagLab attracts hundreds of visiting researchers annually from across the US and internationally — driving demand for furnished short-term units in north Tallahassee near the lab campus.

The Dalmore College of Medicine (established 2023 as FSU’s newest MD-granting program) adds medical student demand — MD students typically prefer 1BR or 2BR units near Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare and Capital Regional Medical Center for clinical rotations, and have higher incomes (student loans) than typical undergraduates.

Florida A&M University (FAMU): Florida’s only HBCU in the State University System

Florida A&M University (1601 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32307; founded 1887 as the State Normal College for Colored Students; renamed Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University 1909; ~14,000 students; ~3,000 employees; Florida’s only historically Black university in the 12-campus State University System) is a nationally recognized HBCU ranked consistently in the top 5 HBCUs by US News & World Report. FAMU’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (one of the top 5 pharmacy programs in the US), College of Law (Orlando campus; JD and LLM), School of Business and Industry (SBI; one of the only AACSB-accredited programs at an HBCU), and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering (jointly operated with Florida State University at 2525 Pottsdamer St.) drive professional and graduate student rental demand.

FAMU’s enrollment of ~14,000 places it among the 10 largest HBCUs by enrollment in the US. The annual FAMU Homecoming, one of the largest HBCU homecomings nationally, temporarily spikes short-term rental demand in south and central Tallahassee each October. FAMU’s campus location immediately south of the Florida Capitol creates a geographic overlap: FAMU students who intern at state agencies often rent in the midpoint between campus and Capitol, in the SouthCity and Frenchtown neighborhoods.

Capital Regional Medical Center (HCA) and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare

Tallahassee’s healthcare sector provides the third pillar of its rental market, adding stable, high-income professional demand (physicians, nurses, therapists) and lower-income support-staff demand across multiple submarkets.

Capital Regional Medical Center (2626 Capital Medical Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32308; owned by HCA Healthcare, NYSE: HCA; Level II Trauma designation; ~900+ licensed beds; 24-hour emergency department; cardiac catheterization lab; Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Joint Commission accredited): Capital Regional is Tallahassee’s largest hospital by bed count and is one of the few HCA-owned hospitals in north Florida. HCA acquired Capital Regional from Columbia/HCA in 1994. The hospital employs approximately 1,500–2,000 clinical and support staff directly; when counting affiliated physicians, agency nurses, and contractors, the total workforce impact exceeds 3,000. Capital Regional’s location in NE Tallahassee (near I-10 and Capital Circle NE) drives rental demand in the Killearn Estates, Killearn Lakes, and Market District neighborhoods.

Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH; 1300 Miccosukee Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32308; not-for-profit; Level II Trauma; ~3,500+ total employees; approximately 770 licensed beds; the largest not-for-profit hospital in north Florida; affiliated with FSU College of Medicine and Dalmore College of Medicine for clinical rotations): TMH is Capital Regional’s primary competitor and the dominant referral center for north Florida counties. TMH opened a major expansion (the William G. “Bud” Ladd Cancer Center; the Family Birthing Center; and a Level III NICU) between 2020 and 2024. Travel nurses rotating to TMH ($65–$130/hr) are a significant demand source for furnished short-term units in the Midtown and Killearn areas.

Tallahassee FL rental neighborhoods 2026

Neighborhood 2026F 2BR/mo Primary demand drivers
Downtown / Railroad Square Arts District $1,400–$2,100 Legislative session staff; lobbyists; DFS/state agency employees; walkable mixed-use; Railroad Square studios
FSU campus zone (Stadium Dr / Tennessee St / Gaines St) $1,200–$1,900 FSU undergrad/grad students; Gaines St new Class A apartments; MagLab researchers
Midtown (N. Monroe / Thomasville Rd) $1,250–$1,850 FSU grad students; FAMU professionals; young state workers; TMH/Capital Regional nurses
FAMU campus area / South Tallahassee / Frenchtown $950–$1,400 FAMU undergrad/grad students; state-agency interns; most affordable Tallahassee zones
SouthWood / Buck Lake / SouthCity $1,100–$1,600 Southwood campus state workers; FDOT; DEO; FDACS; mid-market family renters
Killearn Estates / Killearn Lakes (NE Tallahassee) $1,200–$1,800 FSU faculty; senior state agency staff; Capital Regional physicians; suburban family renters
Apalachee Pkwy / Eastside $1,000–$1,500 Mixed workforce; state/FAMU employees; FAMU pharmacy school proximity

Florida landlord compliance checklist for Tallahassee 2026

  1. No rent control (Art. X §19 + §166.043): raise rent by any amount at lease expiration. No registration, no rent board, no notice to any regulator. Provide 15-day advance notice for month-to-month tenants (§83.57) only.
  2. No deposit cap (§83.49): collect any agreed amount. Market norm 1–2 months’ rent. Document deposit in writing in the lease.
  3. Provide 30-day deposit notice within 30 days of receipt (§83.49(2)): mail written notice identifying depository institution, account type (interest/non-interest/surety bond). Failure forfeits right to any deductions.
  4. Return deposit within 15 or 30 days (§83.49(3)): 15 days if no claim; 30 days with itemized written notice if claiming deductions. Mail to tenant’s last known address.
  5. 3-day pay-or-quit for non-payment (§83.56(3)): specify exact rent owed; exclude weekends/holidays from 3-day count. File at Leon County Clerk (301 S. Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32302) if tenant neither pays nor vacates.
  6. 12-hour entry notice (§83.53): provide at least 12 hours’ advance written or verbal notice before non-emergency entry. Shorter than most states’ 24-hour standard.
  7. Maintain habitability (§83.51): comply with building and health codes; maintain plumbing, electrical, roof, windows, screens, extermination; provide functioning A/C (critical for Tallahassee’s subtropical climate).
  8. No self-help eviction (§83.67): no lock changes, utility shutoffs, or removal of tenant property without court order. Civil penalty $500/day + actual damages + attorney fees. Always proceed through Leon County Clerk of Courts.

Further reading

Calculate your Tallahassee deposit return deadline and compliance checklist

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