Lien Amnesty Program

The City of Fort Lauderdale's Lien Amnesty Program gives eligible property owners a limited-time opportunity to reduce code enforcement liens by up to 85%. Certain violations will only qualify for 50% reduction, including:

  • Nuisance violations
  • Repeat violations
  • Noise violations
  • Vacation rental violations

Lien Amnesty Qualifications and Requirements

  • The liened property, and any other property within the City of Fort Lauderdale with the same owner, must be in full compliance (no fines owed or current violations, whether cited or not).
  • Your application must include date stamped photos (no older than 30 days) of the front, rear, left side, right side, and street view of the property.
  • For owners with multiple properties in the City of Fort Lauderdale, please email photos of the front of each additional property to LienAmnesty@fortlauderdale.gov (failure to do so may delay application processing).
  • If the applicant is not the owner, a notarized power of attorney granting permission from the owner must also be submitted with the application.
  • A non-refundable fee of $175.00 must be paid at the time of submission (the application will not be transmitted until payment is made).

Administrative fees, hard costs, and any liens including lot clearing charges, utility liens, board-up charges, demolition charges, civil penalties, vessel removal charges, condemnation costs, and legal fees are exempt from lien amnesty and will not be included in the calculation for the 85% reduction.

Additional Relief

The City Manager has the authority to grant further reductions of the original lien amnesty amount for property owners demonstrating qualifying extenuating circumstances. This discretionary relief may be considered when:

  • The lien or fine exceeds the property’s Just Market Value as documented by the Broward County Property Appraiser or through an independent appraisal provided by the property owner; or
  • The amnesty amount imposes an undue hardship due to documented financial challenges or other qualifying extenuating circumstances. For more information, please email LienAmnesty@fortlauderdale.gov.

All fees and costs associated with the code violation shall be paid within ninety (90) days of the approval date of the lien amnesty application.

Once the City receives and processes full payment of the reduced lien amount, along with all applicable costs and fees, the Code Enforcement lien will be released.

How to Submit an Application

Schedule an Appointment

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