ORLANDO, Fla. — Thinking about doctoring a pay stub or bank statement to qualify for an apartment?
A new Florida law could turn that decision into a felony.
As of Thursday, renters who knowingly use fake documents, false identification, or another person’s identity to get a home can be charged with a third-degree felony under Florida’s new rental-fraud law.
The law, CS/HB 1293, applies to people who submit fraudulent information to a landlord and then take possession of a rental property. It specifically mentions fake or altered documents such as IDs, bank statements and pay stubs.
Related--> These new Florida laws are now in effect: What you should know
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure in June, and it took effect Oct. 1.
A third-degree felony in Florida can carry up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, depending on the circumstances and sentencing.
For property managers, the issue is not new.
Chris Rich with The Realty Medics said fake application documents became such a frequent problem that the Central Florida company built software to help identify altered files.
“From an operational standpoint, it was a big problem,” Rich said. “What we ended up doing is we created software that we use internally now. So when you submit a PDF document, we run it through the software and it tells us, yep, the metadata is original. Or it says, nope, this has been edited.”
The new law also targets people who impersonate someone else on a rental application.
It does not mean an honest error on an application automatically becomes a felony. The law requires that a person knowingly and willfully use false information or fraudulent documents to secure and take possession of a rental home.
Landlords may also be able to use the alleged fraud as grounds to terminate a lease, although they must still follow Florida’s eviction process.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
