New Florida law eliminates lease witness requirement

Commercial real estate leases in Florida may be harder to execute during the coronavirus pandemic, but completing the paperwork associated with such deals became somewhat easier earlier this month.

That’s because a new law took effect this month that eliminates a previous requirement that commercial and residential leases be signed by an “in-person” witness. As more and more transactions occur digitally — pandemic or no — the requirement that someone sign a document personally has become increasingly antiquated.