Renting in Miami when you are new to the US

Can I rent in Miami without US credit?

Short answer: yes. Many landlords rent to newcomers, but they ask for other proof that you can pay, and some ask for more money up front.

Most landlords and property managers run a credit check and a background check. If you are new to the US, you will not have a US credit score yet. In that case, landlords often accept some of these instead:

• A job offer letter or an employment contract with your salary.
• Recent bank statements, from a US bank or from your bank at home.
• Tax returns or pay slips from your home country, translated if needed.
• A letter from a previous landlord.
• A US co-signer (called a guarantor) who agrees to pay if you do not.
• Rent paid in advance, if the landlord accepts it.

Many landlords look for a monthly income of about 3 times the rent. Ask each landlord for its rules before you pay an application fee, because these fees are usually not refunded.

You can apply with a passport. Some screening systems ask for a Social Security number; if you do not have one, ask the landlord how it screens applicants without one. People who cannot get a Social Security number can get an ITIN, a tax number from the IRS, but an ITIN does not create a credit score and does not change your immigration status.

Always give true documents. Since October 1, 2026, Florida law lets a landlord end a lease with 7 days' notice if a tenant used a false identity or false documents to rent.

If a landlord turns you down because of a tenant screening report, you have the right to a free copy of that report if you ask within 60 days, and you can dispute mistakes.

What does a condo association ask from renters?

Short answer: many Miami condos must approve every new tenant before move-in. Plan for an application, a fee, a background check and some waiting time.

Condos are a big part of Miami's rental market, and each building has its own rules. If the building's documents allow it, the association can require:

• An application for the adults who will live in the unit, with a background check.
• An application fee of up to $150 per applicant. Spouses, or parents with their dependent children, count as one applicant. There is no fee to renew a lease with the same tenant.
• A security deposit paid to the association of up to 1 month's rent, held in escrow.
• A copy of the lease, and sometimes an interview or a signed copy of the building rules.

Buildings also limit how often an owner can rent: a minimum lease length, a number of leases per year, or a wait after the owner buys. Ask the landlord for the building's leasing rules before you sign anything. If the association does not approve you, you usually cannot move in, even with a signed lease. The lease should say what happens to your money in that case.

One more rule protects you: if your landlord stops paying the association, the association can ask you in writing to pay your rent to the association instead. If you do, the landlord cannot claim that rent from you.

How much money do I need to move in?

Short answer: often the first month's rent, a security deposit, and sometimes the last month's rent, paid before you get the keys. Add application fees and, in a condo, the association's fees and deposit.

Florida law does not set a maximum security deposit. For example, if a landlord asks for the first month, the last month and a deposit equal to one month's rent, a $3,000 a month apartment needs $9,000 before move-in, plus fees.

Since July 1, 2023, Florida also lets landlords offer a monthly fee instead of a security deposit. The landlord does not have to offer it. If it does, you choose, and you can switch to a regular deposit at any time. The fee is not a deposit, and it is usually not refundable. Compare the total cost over the lease before you choose.

Pay by a method that leaves a record, such as a bank transfer or a check, and get a written receipt. Never send money for a home you have not seen, in person or by a live video call with someone you can verify. The Federal Trade Commission counted nearly 65,000 reported rental scams since 2020, with about $65 million lost (report of December 22, 2025). Scammers often copy photos from real listings and ask for payment by wire, gift card or crypto.

How does Florida protect my security deposit?

Short answer: the landlord must keep your deposit in a Florida bank account or post a bond, and must return it, or send written notice of any claim, within strict deadlines.

The main rules in Florida Statutes 83.49:

• The landlord must hold the deposit in a separate Florida bank account (with or without interest for you) or post a surety bond.
• Last month's rent paid in advance is protected by the same rules.
• Landlords who rent 5 or more units must tell you in writing, in the lease or within 30 days, how and where the money is held. Landlords with fewer than 5 units, which includes many condo owners, do not have to send this notice.
• After you move out, the landlord has 15 days to return the full deposit, or 30 days to send you a written notice of what it plans to keep and why. The notice goes by certified mail, or by email if you agreed to email notices in writing.
• You then have 15 days to object in writing. If you do not object, the landlord can keep the amount claimed.

Before you leave, give the landlord at least 7 days' written notice with your new address. Take dated photos and a video of the home on the day you move in and the day you move out.

Furnished or unfurnished: which should I choose?

Short answer: furnished rentals cost more each month but let you move in fast with a suitcase. Unfurnished rentals cost less and are more common for annual leases.

In Miami, "unfurnished" usually still includes the kitchen appliances, and often a washer and dryer, but no beds, sofas or tables. Read the inventory list in the lease. A furnished unit is useful if you are not sure how long you will stay or which area you like. If you choose furnished, check the list of items and their condition on move-in day, because missing items can come out of your deposit.

Should I sign an annual lease or a seasonal rental?

Short answer: an annual lease (12 months) usually costs less per month and gives more stability. Rentals of 6 months or less are taxed like hotel stays and are limited by many buildings and cities.

In Florida, a rental of 6 months or less pays the state's 6% sales tax, plus the county surtax and the local tourist tax. In Miami-Dade, the surtax is 1% and the tourist tax is 6% in most of the county, 7% in Miami Beach and 4% in Surfside and Bal Harbour. So a short rental pays about 13% to 14% in taxes on top of the rent. A written lease for more than 6 months does not pay these taxes.

Many condo buildings do not allow leases shorter than 6 months or 1 year, and many cities limit short rentals in residential areas.

What are the short-term rental rules in Miami Beach and Miami?

Short answer: in Miami Beach, rentals of less than 6 months and 1 day are not allowed in single-family homes or in many apartment buildings, depending on the zoning district. The City of Miami requires several permits and bans most short rentals in single-family areas.

• Miami Beach: the city publishes a zoning map and a list of buildings where short rentals are allowed. Where they are allowed, the host needs a city business tax receipt and a resort tax account, and must show both numbers in every ad. The city's "practice safe renting" lookup lets you check an address.
• City of Miami: a short-term rental needs a certificate of use, a business tax receipt, a state lodging license and a form signed by the condo or homeowners' association. Single-family homes and duplexes in the T3 and T4-R zones are generally not eligible.

If someone offers you a monthly furnished rental in a Miami Beach condo, ask whether the building and the city allow that lease length. A rental that breaks the rules can end suddenly when the city or the association acts.

What are my basic rights as a renter in Florida?

Short answer: Florida law protects your deposit, your privacy and your right to a home that meets the codes. A landlord cannot lock you out or cut your utilities to make you leave; only a court can order an eviction.

• Notice before entry. For repairs, the landlord must give at least 24 hours' notice and enter between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except in an emergency.
• No self-help eviction. Changing the locks or shutting off water, heat, light or power to force you out is illegal. The tenant can recover actual damages or 3 months' rent, whichever is greater.
• Repairs. The landlord must follow building, housing and health codes. In apartment buildings, it must also provide working locks and keys, pest control, garbage removal, running water, hot water and heat in winter, unless the lease says otherwise in writing.
• Withholding rent. The law allows it only after you give the landlord a written 7-day notice and the problem is not fixed, and you may have to pay the rent to the court. Get legal advice first.
• Late rent. If you do not pay, the landlord can give a written 3-day notice (weekends and court holidays do not count) before filing an eviction.
• Ending a month-to-month rental. Either side must give at least 30 days' written notice (since July 1, 2023; it was 15 days before). A fixed-term lease can require notice before it ends, but not less than 30 or more than 60 days.
• Fair housing. Federal and Florida law forbid refusing to rent because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status (for example, having children). Miami-Dade County's human rights law also lists ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, source of income and being a victim of domestic violence. Complaints to the Florida Commission on Human Relations must be filed within 1 year.

Since July 1, 2023, Florida law stops cities and counties from passing their own rules on leases, deposits, screening, fees and notices, so state law sets these rules. Miami-Dade's Office of Housing Advocacy runs a hotline and gives referrals and training, but it does not give legal advice. For a dispute, contact a Florida lawyer or a legal aid office. The Florida Bar publishes lease forms approved by the Florida Supreme Court, but they were last updated before the 2023 to 2026 changes.

Do I need renter's insurance or flood insurance?

Short answer: many landlords and condo buildings require renter's insurance with liability coverage. The landlord's insurance does not cover your belongings, and renter's insurance does not cover flood.

A renter's policy covers your things and your liability if you cause damage, for example a water leak into the unit below. Renters can buy flood coverage for belongings, up to $100,000, from the National Flood Insurance Program, or from a private insurer. Most new NFIP policies start only after a 30-day waiting period. Since October 1, 2025, a Florida landlord must give you a separate flood disclosure for any lease of 1 year or longer, saying whether it knows of past flooding, flood claims or FEMA aid for the home. Our flood zones and insurance guide explains flood zones.

Step by step

1. Set a budget: rent plus money for move-in costs, fees and furniture.
2. Gather your documents: passport, visa (if you have one), job letter or proof of income, bank statements and references.
3. Choose the area and the type of lease: annual or seasonal, furnished or unfurnished.
4. Visit the home, in person or by live video with a verified agent.
5. Ask for the building's leasing rules and the association's application.
6. Apply to the landlord, then to the association if required.
7. Read the full lease before you pay. Check the deposit, the move-in date, repairs, pets, notice periods and what happens if the association does not approve you.
8. Read the flood disclosure if your lease is for 1 year or longer.
9. Pay by a method with a record, and keep the receipts.
10. Document the home's condition on move-in day with dated photos.