How long is the inspection period in a Florida real estate contract?

In the Florida Realtors/Florida Bar residential contracts, the inspection period is the number of days the parties write in, or 15 days after the Effective Date if the blank is left empty. The days are calendar days, and a deadline that falls on a weekend or national legal holiday moves to the next day that is not one. The Florida form contracts default to a 15-day inspection period after the Effective Date. Deadlines run in calendar days and roll forward only when they land on a weekend or national legal holiday. In the AS IS form, written notice before the deadline lets you cancel and recover your deposit. In the standard form, late or missing notices waive the seller's repair obligations for unreported items. Florida home inspectors must be licensed, and you can verify a license through DBPR.

How Long Is the Inspection Period in Florida?

When does the inspection period start and end?

The clock starts on the Effective Date, which the 2024 forms define as the date the last of the buyer and seller signed or initialed and delivered the offer or final counter-offer. The 15-day default applies in both the AS IS and the standard contract.

The contract says time is of the essence and that calendar days, based on where the property is located, are used to compute deadlines. A missed deadline can cost you rights, so calendar the exact end date as soon as the contract is signed.[1][2]

What can you do during the inspection period?

Under the AS IS contract, you may have the property inspected at your expense and, if you decide in your sole discretion that it is not acceptable, terminate by written notice delivered before the period expires. Your deposit is then returned, but you must repair any damage your inspections caused and give the seller paid receipts. The seller must provide utilities and access for inspections on reasonable notice.

Under the standard contract, the inspection period is when you identify items the seller must repair. If you do not deliver the required written notices on time, you waive the seller's repair obligations for items you did not inspect or report. Repairs are then handled through the contract's repair limits rather than a cancel-for-any-reason right.[1][2]

Who can perform a home inspection in Florida?

Since July 1, 2011, Florida law has prohibited practicing home inspection services without meeting the state's licensing requirements, and an inspector may not perform or offer repairs on a home for which the inspector or the inspector's company prepared the report. You can verify a home inspector's license by name or license number through the Florida DBPR.

The Florida Bar's buyer checklist suggests confirming before you sign whether you have the right to inspect, including for mold, when inspections must be completed, and whether you can cancel afterward.

Write the inspection deadline on your calendar the day the contract is signed
Schedule inspectors early so reports arrive before the deadline
Deliver any termination or repair notice in writing, as the contract requires[3][4][5]

Key takeaways

The Florida form contracts default to a 15-day inspection period after the Effective Date.
Deadlines run in calendar days and roll forward only when they land on a weekend or national legal holiday.
In the AS IS form, written notice before the deadline lets you cancel and recover your deposit.
In the standard form, late or missing notices waive the seller's repair obligations for unreported items.
Florida home inspectors must be licensed, and you can verify a license through DBPR.

Sources

Reviewed October 11, 2026. General real-estate information for Florida, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice. Laws, rates and deadlines change — confirm property-specific facts with the agency cited, a Florida real-estate attorney, CPA or licensed insurance agent.