A clear breakdown of what a Florida eviction actually costs in 2026 -- clerk filing fees, summons and service fees, and writ of possession costs by county -- plus how flat-fee attorney pricing works and why a "cheap" DIY filing often costs the most.
In Florida, the court costs to evict a tenant usually run about $235 to $400+ per case -- roughly $185 to file with the clerk, about $10 per tenant for the summons, $40 to $90 per tenant to serve it, and an additional sheriff fee to enforce the writ of possession if the tenant will not leave. Those are court costs only. Attorney's fees are separate, and the single biggest hidden cost is having a case dismissed for a defective notice and starting over. Because the right number depends on your county, the number of tenants, and whether the tenant fights the case, contact FLA Evictions for a flat-fee quote on your specific case.
This is the fee to open the eviction case (a Complaint for Removal of Tenant) with the county clerk. Under Florida's statewide fee schedule, the base filing fee for this type of county-court action is around $185. Some counties add small local surcharges, so Miami-Dade is often quoted near $190.
You pay this once per case, no matter how many tenants are named.
Fla. Stat. 28.241The clerk charges roughly $10 to issue each summons -- one per tenant named in the case. Counties that require e-filing may add a small electronic-filing charge of about $5.
Unlike the filing fee, this cost scales with the number of tenants you name.
Per-tenant costEach tenant must be formally served by the county sheriff or a private process server, at about $40 to $90 per tenant depending on county and method.
If the tenant still will not move after the judge rules, the sheriff charges an additional fee -- commonly $90 to $115 -- to post and enforce the writ of possession.
Fla. Stat. 48.183 | Fla. Stat. 83.62This is the part that varies most. FLA Evictions handles landlord evictions on a flat-fee basis rather than hourly, so you know the number up front. The fee depends on whether the case is residential or commercial, whether the tenant contests it, and what notice was served.
Many Florida leases, and Florida Statute 83.48, allow a prevailing landlord to recover reasonable attorney's fees and court costs from the tenant. Tell us about your situation and we will quote it.
Fla. Stat. 83.48| County | Clerk Filing Fee | Summons (per tenant) | Service of Process | Writ of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | ~$190 | ~$10 | ~$40 / address (sheriff) | ~$115 (default/writ package) |
| Broward | ~$185 (+ ~$5 e-file) | ~$10 | ~$55 / tenant (process server) | ~$90 (sheriff) |
| Palm Beach | ~$185 | ~$10 | ~$50-$100 / tenant | ~$100 (sheriff) |
Figures are court-cost estimates for general guidance and do not include attorney's fees. Verify current amounts with the Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach Clerk of Court before filing.
The most expensive eviction is the one that gets thrown out. In Florida, the most common reasons a landlord's case is dismissed are a miscalculated three-day notice (Florida Statute 83.56(3) excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays), the wrong notice for the situation (a three-day notice for nonpayment versus a seven-day notice for a lease violation), naming the wrong parties, or an error in service of process.
A dismissal means you pay the filing and service fees again and -- more painfully -- you lose weeks of rent while the tenant stays. For a landlord, the delay is usually the real cost, not the filing fee.
Florida eviction is a summary procedure (Florida Statute 51.011), designed to be fast -- but only when the paperwork is correct. Getting the notice, the complaint, and the service right the first time is what keeps the case on the fast track.
Court costs typically total about $235 to $400+ for a single-tenant residential case: roughly $185 to file with the clerk, about $10 per tenant for the summons, $40 to $90 per tenant for service of process, and an additional sheriff fee to enforce the writ of possession if the tenant does not leave. Attorney's fees are separate. Because the total depends on your county and whether the tenant contests the case, contact FLA Evictions for a flat-fee quote.
No. The clerk filing fee, summons fee, service-of-process fee, and writ fee are paid to the clerk and sheriff. Attorney's fees are separate. FLA Evictions charges a flat fee so the cost is known up front, and under Florida Statute 83.48 and most leases, a prevailing landlord may be able to recover reasonable attorney's fees and court costs from the tenant.
The clerk filing fee is charged once per case no matter how many tenants are named, but the summons and service-of-process fees are charged per tenant. Naming additional tenants increases the per-tenant costs but not the base filing fee.
Having the case dismissed and starting over. A defective three-day notice under Florida Statute 83.56(3), the wrong type of notice, incorrect party names, or improper service of process can all lead to dismissal -- meaning you pay the filing and service fees again and lose additional weeks of rent while the tenant remains.
An uncontested residential eviction generally takes about three to five weeks from filing to the writ of possession. If the tenant contests it and deposits rent into the court registry under Florida Statute 83.60(2), the case is set for hearing and takes longer.
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