Florida Section 8 2026: Income Limits and Wait Lists

A Section 8 voucher isn't a grant or cash: it's a monthly rent subsidy the housing authority sends to your landlord. Applying is free. Florida has no single statewide list, so you apply to the housing authority for your city or county. For the federal rules every Florida agency follows, see the Section 8 housing guide.

Florida Section 8 Income Limits for 2026 by Metro

Florida is split into 52 HUD income limit areas, so a Miami family and a Jacksonville family of the same size face limits about $13,750 apart. According to HUD's FY2026 income limits file, these very low income (50%) limits are the general cutoff to qualify:

Florida's extremely low income (30%) limits mark the group that gets at least 75% of each year's new vouchers under federal rules:

The six Florida metro columns come from HUD's FY2026 income limits (opens in a new tab), in force since May 1, 2026. Tampa area is Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando; Orlando area is Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake; Jacksonville area is Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns. Look up any other Florida county in HUD's FY2026 documentation system (opens in a new tab).

Limits outside the six big Florida metros

Southwest Florida, the Panhandle and the Space Coast have their own HUD areas. These 4-person limits come from the same FY2026 file:

A Keys family of four can earn $32,500 more than a DeSoto family and still qualify, the widest spread in the state.

The repeated numbers at the bottom of the 30% table are the federal poverty guidelines. The 30% limit can't fall below them, so they take over for larger families. Grantsights analysis of HUD's FY2026 file found that floor sets the 4-person extremely low income limit in 51 of Florida's 67 counties. The HUD income limits guide explains the formula.

How the Voucher Splits Rent in Florida

The voucher holder usually pays 30% of adjusted monthly income, and the housing authority pays the landlord the rest, up to a payment standard. HUD's Housing Choice Voucher tenant page (opens in a new tab) notes that agencies may set a minimum rent "typically between $25 and $50 per month."

Each Florida authority sets its payment standard between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent (FMR). The 2-bedroom FMRs for the six big metros:

Sources: HUD FY2026 and FY2027 FMR files. The change column is a Grantsights calculation. HUD's FY2027 rents took effect October 1, 2026, according to HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent notice (opens in a new tab).

None of the five Florida authority pages checked listed a dollar payment standard in its page text; Jacksonville links a payment standards map, and Orlando links a separate payment standards page. Ask for the current schedule at your briefing.

Three other rules shape a Florida voucher:

• The 40% cap. When you first lease a unit above the payment standard, your share can't exceed 40% of adjusted monthly income.
• The 75% rule. At least three of every four new admissions must be extremely low income.
• Local preferences. Orlando Housing Authority says wait time "is based on qualifying local preferences and bedroom size," and Tampa Housing Authority fills units reserved for people leaving homelessness through the local coordinated entry system.

Florida Section 8 Waiting Lists: Status on November 12, 2026

Grantsights checked 5 Florida housing authority pages on November 12, 2026. Here's what each one said:

Miami-Dade's department serves more than 19,000 households through its voucher program, according to its own page. The county's voucher portal at mdvoucher.com returned a server error when checked, so applicants should call the Section 8 office to confirm their standing.

Orlando Housing Authority says it "cannot predict when the waiting lists will reopen because it depends upon when current clients leave the programs." The only list its page marked open was a Sanford Housing Authority project-based list, which is a different agency and a building-specific voucher.

How to Apply for Section 8 in Florida

Florida renters apply city by city, and at least 5 big-metro lists run separately. Joining Broward's list does nothing for your place in Miami-Dade.

1. Find the authorities that cover where you'd live. HUD's public housing agency contact list (opens in a new tab) names every Florida agency, including smaller city authorities inside the big counties.
2. Watch for openings on the authority's own site. Broward says it'll give notice on its website and in local newspapers when its list reopens.
3. Apply online during the window. Broward accepts pre-applications only online and gives each applicant a confirmation number to save.
4. Claim every preference you qualify for, such as homelessness, disability, elderly or veteran status, where the authority offers it.
5. Report changes. Broward requires changes to address, household or income within 15 days through its Applicant Portal. Orlando applicants update through MyHousing, and Orlando notes that old portal accounts don't carry over, so you'll need a new MyHousing account.
6. When selected, expect an eligibility interview, a briefing and a voucher with a deadline to find a unit that passes inspection.

The Grantsights eligibility checker can suggest official programs to look into while lists are closed. It doesn't decide eligibility or add you to any list.

Worked Examples: What You'd Pay in Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville

These hypothetical examples apply the 30% rule before any deductions for dependents, child care or medical costs, which would lower the shares a little.

For example, one applicant in Miami, a father of two earning $2,400 a month after allowances, would pay about $720 (30% of $2,400). If PHCD's 2-bedroom payment standard matched the FY2026 FMR of $2,436, the subsidy could reach $1,716 on a unit renting at that level. His 40% move-in cap would be $960, so he could take a unit up to about $2,676 at first lease.

A retiree living alone in Orlando on $1,300 a month would pay about $390. Her $15,600 yearly income is under the Orlando area's 30% limit of $24,150, so she's in the group that gets most new vouchers. HUD's FY2026 1-bedroom FMR for the Orlando metro is $1,731.

A family of four in Jacksonville earning $34,000 a year is $1,000 over the area's $33,000 extremely low income line but well under the $54,350 very low income limit. It could still get a voucher, but only through the 25% of admissions not reserved for the lowest incomes, which usually means a longer wait.

What HUD Doesn't Tell You About Section 8 in Florida

Grantsights analysis of HUD's FY2026 income limits and both years of Fair Market Rents, along with the five Florida authority pages, found 5 gaps in the federal picture:

1. Miami-Dade's limits beat higher-income counties. HUD lists Miami-Dade's median family income at $89,800, below Broward's $102,500 and Palm Beach's $107,600, yet Miami-Dade has the highest 4-person very low income limit of the three ($68,100). HUD adjusts limits upward where rents are high relative to incomes.
2. Tampa's FMR went down. The Tampa-area 2-bedroom FMR fell 3.0% for FY2027 while Miami-Dade's rose 5.3%. A lower FMR can mean a lower payment standard for new voucher holders.
3. Old lists stay closed for years. Jacksonville's lists have been closed since May 31, 2023. Orlando won't predict a reopening.
4. Porting comes with a 12-month catch. If you didn't live in an authority's area when you applied, HUD rules usually require you to rent there for a year before moving the voucher to another city.
5. "Payment standard" isn't a promise of a unit. HUD's tenant page states "the payment standard is not a rent limit." In South Florida, many 2-bedroom listings run above the FMR, and the overage comes out of your share up to the 40% cap.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

A common mistake in Florida is moving after applying and forgetting to update the housing authority. Broward gives you 15 days to report a new address, and a returned letter can drop you from a list you waited years on.

Other ways Florida applicants lose out:

• Applying twice. Broward accepts one pre-application per household.
• Using take-home pay instead of gross income.
• Using a Miami limit in Jacksonville ($68,100 versus $54,350 for four).
• Paying a deposit before inspection and approval of the rent.
• Underestimating how long lists stay closed and skipping other help.

Red flags for scams: Florida housing authorities don't charge application fees, so avoid any site that does. Warning signs include:

• "Florida Section 8 lottery" sites that sell sign-ups or "priority" placement.
• Texts, calls or Facebook messages saying you were "selected" and must pay or send your Social Security number.
• Web addresses that don't match the authority's own site.

The FTC's Section 8 scam alert (opens in a new tab) shows how fake waitlist sites operate. To check a list is real, start from HUD's contact list and go to the authority's site yourself.

Other Help in Florida While Lists Are Closed

If your household is under the 30% lines (for example, $36,800 for three in Miami-Dade), Florida has other programs worth checking. Utility help is in the Florida LIHEAP guide. Food help is in the Florida food stamps guide and the Florida WIC income limits guide. Health coverage rules are in the Florida Medicaid income limits guide. For back rent, see the rental assistance programs guide, and if you've lost a job, the Florida unemployment benefits guide.

Comparing states? The Texas Section 8 guide and the North Carolina Section 8 guide cover their largest cities.

FAQ: Florida Section 8

What's the Section 8 income limit for one person in Miami? $47,700 at the 50% level and $28,600 at the 30% level under HUD's FY2026 limits.

Is any big Florida Section 8 list open right now? None of the five checked had a clearly open voucher list on November 12, 2026. Tampa's portal had one open application its page didn't name.

Can I apply in a county I don't live in? Yes, but if you weren't living in that authority's area when you applied, you'll usually need to lease there for 12 months before porting.

How does Broward pick names? By random lottery among pre-applications submitted during the window; submission time doesn't affect selection.

Sources

• HUD USER: Florida county income limits (opens in a new tab) and the FY2026 county lookup (opens in a new tab)
• HUD USER: Fair Market Rent files (opens in a new tab) for FY2026 and FY2027
• HUD: FY2027 Fair Market Rent notice (opens in a new tab)
• HUD: voucher tenant page (opens in a new tab) and housing agency contacts (opens in a new tab)
• Miami-Dade PHCD Housing Choice Voucher page (opens in a new tab)
• Broward County Housing Authority application process (opens in a new tab)
• Tampa Housing Authority apply online (opens in a new tab) and waitlist information (opens in a new tab)
• Orlando Housing Authority apply for housing (opens in a new tab) and voucher program (opens in a new tab)
• Jacksonville Housing Authority HCV program (opens in a new tab)
• FTC: Section 8 scam alert (opens in a new tab)

Checked November 12, 2026.