Florida county rules

Holmes County, Florida landlord rules

What changes, and what doesn't, when your rental is in Holmes County (Bonifay, Esto, Noma, Ponce de Leon, Westville). Most rules come from Florida state law. See the Florida page first.

Beginner tip: start with the Florida state rules. A county only adds a few local extras.

General info, not legal advice. Verify the statute or ask a local attorney. Details

Florida state baseline

Florida's statewide landlord-tenant law (Fla. Stat. ch. 83, Part II) is the main rulebook in Holmes County. Start with our Florida page, then use this page only for local extras.
Florida state rules →

Source: Fla. Stat. ch. 83, Part II · Checked 2026-11-04

HB 1417 preemption (2023)

Since July 1, 2023, the State of Florida alone regulates residential tenancies and the landlord-tenant relationship. Any county or city rule on screening, security deposits, applications and application fees, lease terms, landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities, disclosures, landlord fees, or notice requirements is superseded. The same law raised the month-to-month termination notice from 15 to 30 days.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§ 83.425, 83.57; Ch. 2023-314, Laws of Fla. · Checked 2026-11-04

Who's protected everywhere in Florida

Federal law and the Florida Fair Housing Act already ban housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status and religion.

Source: Fla. Stat. § 760.23 · Checked 2026-11-04

Local tenant ordinance (after 2023 preemption)

Check with your county. We haven't confirmed this local rule from the official code yet, so we don't state it here. Rules can differ by city too. Holmes County official site → · Florida local codes (Municode) →

Rental registration, licensing and inspections

Local fair-housing protected classes

Short-term rental rules

Cities and towns in Holmes County

Holmes County's incorporated municipalities are the City of Bonifay (the county seat) and the towns of Esto, Noma, Ponce de Leon and Westville. Florida EDR estimates that 15,911 of the county's 20,042 residents (April 1, 2025) live outside city and town limits, where county rules apply. A city can have its own codes, so check both the city and the county.

Source: Florida Dept. of State: cities within counties · Florida EDR: 2025 population estimates · Checked 2026-11-04

Security deposits

The state rules apply. Fla. Stat. § 83.49 sets no maximum deposit. Hold the money in a separate Florida bank account (interest-bearing or not) or post a surety bond with the circuit court clerk. When the tenancy ends, return the deposit within 15 days if you aren't making a claim. If you are, send written notice of the claim within 30 days, by certified mail or by email under § 83.505. If you rent five or more units, § 83.49(2) also requires a written deposit notice within 30 days of receiving the deposit. Local deposit rules are preempted by § 83.425.

Source: Fla. Stat. §§ 83.49(1)-(3), 83.425 · Checked 2026-11-04

Eviction process

Florida's statewide process applies. For unpaid rent, deliver a written 3-day notice (not counting Saturdays, Sundays and court-observed legal holidays). If the tenant doesn't pay or move out, the landlord files a complaint for possession in the county court of the county where the rental is. Landlords can't lock a tenant out or cut off utilities themselves (self-help eviction). Holmes County evictions are filed with the Clerk of Court & Comptroller in Bonifay. When we checked on Nov 4, 2026, the Clerk's Landlord & Tenant Rights page describes the statewide notice and filing steps and says eviction forms are available for $3 at the Clerk's Office; it does not publish the current filing or Sheriff service dollar amounts on that page, so confirm those with the Clerk and Sheriff before you file (Fla. Stat. § 34.041 sets the statewide tenant-removal filing fee, and § 30.231 sets Sheriff civil-process fees). A 1993 Holmes County ordinance (No. 93-01) authorized a $15 county-court filing surcharge on top of the statutory fee; ask the Clerk whether that surcharge is still collected. The same Landlord & Tenant page still describes a 15-day notice to end a month-to-month tenancy; since July 1, 2023, § 83.57(3) requires at least 30 days.
Official site →

Source: Fla. Stat. §§ 83.56(3), 83.57(3), 83.59(2), 83.67, 34.041, 30.231 · Holmes County Ordinance No. 93-01 (county-court surcharge) · Checked 2026-11-04

Housing authority

The Northwest Florida Regional Housing Authority manages public housing in Bonifay. Holmes County is not listed on NWFRHA's Section 8 counties map (checked Nov 4, 2026), and we haven't confirmed from an official source which agency issues tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers in Holmes County, so we don't name one for HCV.

Source: Northwest Florida Regional Housing Authority · Checked 2026-11-04

Related tools and pages

Florida landlord-tenant law · Florida lease agreement · Late fee calculator · Rent increase calculator · Security deposit kit · Washington County rules (next door) · Jackson County rules (next door) · Walton County rules (nearby) · Bay County rules (nearby)

Sources are official state, county and court sites. Federal rules also apply.

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General information only. Not legal advice. RentToolkit is not a law firm. Laws and local ordinances change, so check the official source and talk to a licensed Florida attorney before acting.