As of October 1, 2026, using a fake ID, fake pay stubs or bank statements, or someone else’s identity to move into a rental home in Florida is now a third-degree felony under Florida House Bill 1293.
At Hoffman Realty in Tampa Bay, we’ve watched application fraud go from something we’d catch once in a while to something we now see in about 5% of the applications that cross our desk.
So our owners, MaryAnn Hoffman and Andrew Dougill, joined other members of the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM) in Tallahassee to help make the case for this law and keep Florida landlords from being taken advantage of.
Our Takeaways:
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What Does Florida HB 1293 Actually Say?
In plain English: if someone lies their way into a rental home in Florida, that’s now a crime.
The official name is a mouthful, “Fraudulent Entry of Residential Dwellings,” and it created a new section of Florida law, section 817.537. It applies when someone knowingly and willfully moves into a rental after doing one of these things:
- Lying in writing about who they are on the rental application
- Handing over a forged or fake document, like a driver’s license, ID card, bank statement, or pay stub
- Pretending to be the person whose name is on the application
Here’s the part we like: nobody voted against it. It passed the Florida House 110-0 and the Senate 34-0. Governor DeSantis signed it on June 12, 2026, and it took effect October 1, 2026.
It’s a third-degree felony. In Florida, that can mean up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Why Did Florida Need This Law?
Because the fakes got too good, and Florida was hit harder than most.
Years ago, a bad application was easy to spot. Someone would white out numbers on a pay stub or tax form, and you could see it. Today, AI can make a pay stub or bank statement look perfect, and Bisnow reported that AI-made fake IDs sell online for as little as $5.
In a 2024 National Multifamily Housing Council survey of apartment companies, 93% had seen fraud in the past year, and 84% had seen falsified pay stubs or income documents.
Florida had it worse. The Florida Apartment Association said the state had “the dubious distinction of leading the nation in incidents of rental application fraud,” and the National Apartment Association says Florida is the first state to formally address it.
That’s why we went to Tallahassee to lobby for this to pass. That’s lobbying with a little “l.” We don’t have a big checkbook. We just explain what’s happening in Tampa Bay’s rental market and why it matters to owners and to honest renters.
What Can a Landlord Do If a Tenant Moved In Using Fraud?
You can end the lease with a 7-day notice. HB 1293 made fraudulent entry a lease violation the tenant can’t fix, and you don’t have to wait for criminal charges to be filed first.
If you think it’s happened to you, here’s the order we follow:
- Don’t confront the tenant or change the locks. Florida law doesn’t allow lockouts or utility shutoffs, even if they lied to get in.
- Save everything: the application, the documents they gave you, your screening reports, and every message.
- Check the red flag at the source, like the employer, using contact details you find yourself, not the ones on the application.
- Talk to a Florida landlord-tenant attorney before you serve any notice. We work with attorney Harry Heist on situations like these.
- If your attorney agrees it fits, serve the 7-day notice. If the tenant doesn’t leave after 7 days, file for eviction in court.
What Doesn’t HB 1293 Cover?
The law is narrower than many people expect:
- It covers rentals only, not mortgage applications or home purchases.
- The crime is moving in through fraud. A fake application that gets caught before anyone moves in isn’t what this law makes a felony (other fraud laws may apply).
- It doesn’t punish honest mistakes, like a typo.
- It doesn’t get your rent back. A felony charge won’t cover missed rent, an eviction, or damage to your home.
How Does Hoffman Realty Screen Applicants?
Every applicant gets the same process:
- A photo ID, so the person applying is the person moving in
- Gross monthly income of at least three times the rent
- Nationwide criminal background and eviction screening
- An attorney-prepared lease
- Extra checks when documents raise a flag, such as bank deposit verification or IRS tax return pulls with the applicant’s permission
- AI tools that check IDs and income documents for fakes (they don’t pick tenants)
Using the same standards for everyone keeps screening fair, and it makes a polished fake much harder to slip through. Read more in our guide on how to protect your rental from fraudulent applications and scams.
Why Work With a Local Property Manager Who Follows Florida Law Closely?
Because Florida’s rental laws keep changing, and an owner who misses a change can end up using the wrong lease or notice.
HB 1293 isn’t the first rental law we’ve helped make the case for. In 2025, NARPM members, including us, worked with Realtor and apartment associations on HB 615.
Since July 1, 2025, it has allowed landlords and tenants who sign a lease addendum to send notices by email instead of certified mail.
Being part of those conversations helps us see changes coming and update our leases, notices, and screening as new laws take effect. Our owners don’t have to track every bill in Tallahassee themselves.
Our FAQs
- What counts as rental application fraud under Florida’s new law?
Moving into a rental by lying about your identity in writing, using a fake ID, pay stub, or bank statement, or posing as the applicant. It’s a third-degree felony.
- Do I need a criminal conviction before I can end the lease?
No. You can deliver a 7-day notice whether or not criminal charges have been filed.
- Does the new law apply to a tenant who moved in before October 1, 2026?
Don’t count on it. The law isn’t written to reach back to earlier move-ins, so ask your attorney which notice fits before you serve one.
That’s why prevention matters most. At Hoffman Realty, we screen every Tampa Bay applicant with the same steps and use document-checking tools to help stop fraudsters before they ever get the keys.
- Can I report rental application fraud to the police?
Yes. If the tenant moved in through fraud on or after October 1, 2026, you can report it to your local police or sheriff’s office. Whether charges are filed is up to law enforcement and the State Attorney. Reporting is separate from ending the lease.
This law gives Florida landlords real teeth against rental fraud, and we’re glad we helped make the case for it. But a law can’t screen your applicants for you.
If you own a rental in the Tampa Bay area and want a second set of eyes on your screening, or you’d like us to handle it for you, contact us at Hoffman Realty.
This article is general information, not legal advice.