Uncontested: 20–30 days · Contested: 45–110 days · Under Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies)
The Florida eviction process requires a court-ordered judgment before a landlord can remove a tenant. Timeline figures below begin after the pre-filing notice period expires and the landlord files the complaint with the court. Add 3–60+ days for the applicable pre-filing notice period (pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or no-fault) depending on the eviction reason.
| Uncontested eviction (after filing) | 20–30 days | Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies) |
| Contested eviction (after filing) | 45–110 days | Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies) |
| Pre-filing notice: Non-payment of rent | 3 days | Fla. Stat. § 83.56(3) |
| Pre-filing notice: Material non-compliance (curable) | 7 days | Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)(b) |
| Pre-filing notice: Material non-compliance (non-curable) | 7 days | Fla. Stat. § 83.56(2)(a) |
| Pre-filing notice: End of lease term, month-to-month | 15 days | Fla. Stat. § 83.57(3) |
| Pre-filing notice: Squatter or unauthorized occupant (no rental agreement) | 0 days | Fla. Stat. § 82.036 (HB-621, 2024) |
| Court filing fee | $185–$400 | Fla. Stat. § 83 Part II (Residential Tenancies) |
Written notice taped to the door, hand-delivered, or mailed. Day of service does not count. Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays do not count. Most Florida evictions die at this step because the landlord miscounts. Call the county clerk before serving and confirm the deadline.
After the 3 days run (correctly counted), file a Complaint for Eviction in the County Court for the county where the property sits. Filing fee runs about $185 plus service costs. Attach a copy of the lease and the served notice with proof of service.
Sheriff or process server delivers the summons to the tenant. Tenant has 5 days (extended if the deadline lands on a weekend or holiday) to file an answer AND deposit any rent that comes due into the court registry. No answer and no deposit means the landlord moves for default judgment.
If the tenant did not answer, the clerk enters default and the judge signs a Final Judgment for Possession the same week. If the tenant answered, the case gets a non-jury trial within about 20 days, often shorter. Most contested Florida evictions are decided on registry compliance, not on the merits.
Clerk issues the writ within 1 to 3 days of judgment. Sheriff posts the writ on the door. After 24 hours, the sheriff returns, the landlord enters with law enforcement standing by, and the locks get changed. Florida is one of the fastest states for back-end execution.
Informational only, not legal advice. Consult a licensed Florida attorney. Source attribution in the Sources band below.
