Flood Zone Disclosures for Dwelling Units:
HB 1423 creates a new section of Florida law requiring landlords, or anyone authorized to sign a lease on a landlord’s behalf, to give written notice before a tenancy begins stating whether a dwelling unit is located in a FEMA-designated flood zone. If the unit is in a flood zone, the disclosure must also identify the zone’s risk designation and include FEMA’s definition of that designation. The bill also requires landlords to notify current tenants in writing or by email if the flood zone designation for the unit changes.
The measure is aimed at improving tenant awareness of flood risk before signing a lease and during the tenancy if conditions change. It would take effect July 1, 2025, and would add a new disclosure obligation to Florida’s landlord-tenant law in chapter 83, Florida Statutes.
The bill would create s. 83.505, Florida Statutes, adding a new mandatory disclosure requirement for residential rental housing. Landlords and their agents would need to update leasing practices to include flood-zone status and, when applicable, the FEMA risk designation and explanation, and they would need a process to notify tenants if a property’s flood-zone classification changes. The practical effect would be to expand tenant information rights and impose a compliance duty on landlords in flood-prone areas.
There is limited recorded debate or voting history available for HB 1423, so the overall sentiment is difficult to gauge from committee materials. Based on the bill’s subject matter, it appears to be a consumer-protection and transparency measure intended to help renters make informed housing decisions in a state with significant flood exposure. The bill ultimately did not advance, dying in the Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee on June 16, 2025.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes are available, so specific points of contention are not documented. Potential areas of concern, however, would likely include the administrative burden on landlords, the scope of the disclosure requirement, and whether the bill should require ongoing notice when flood-zone designations change. Supporters would likely emphasize tenant safety, disclosure, and informed consent in leasing decisions, while opponents might focus on compliance costs and liability concerns.