Florida Small Claims Court Fees

Filing Fees by Claim Amount

County-court filing fees are capped by Fla. Stat. § 34.041 and listed by clerks in tiers based on the principal amount of your claim:

These are the filing fees listed by the Broward and Miami-Dade clerks. Check your county clerk's current schedule for the amount due where you file.

Filing fees are non-refundable. If you win, you can ask the court to include these costs in the judgment so the defendant reimburses them.

Costs Beyond the Filing Fee

The filing fee is just the start. Budget for these additional charges:

• Summons issuance — $10 per defendant, per Fla. Stat. § 28.24. Suing two defendants means $20 in summons fees alone.
• Sheriff service of process — $40 per defendant under Fla. Stat. § 30.231. Paid directly to the county sheriff's office, not to the clerk.
• Private process server — $45 to $85 or more, depending on the circuit and the server's rates. Often faster than the sheriff but not regulated on price.
• Certified mail service — available through the clerk for Florida residents. The return receipt may be signed by the defendant or someone authorized to receive mail at the defendant's residence or principal place of business; the clerk charges postage.
• Copies — charges vary by clerk. Broward, for example, lists $1.00 per photocopied page and $2.00 to certify a filed copy.
• E-filing portal fees — 3.5% of the filing fee for credit card payments, or a flat $5.00 for e-check through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com).

A realistic total for a single-defendant case in the $2,500.01–$8,000 tier: $300 filing + $10 summons + $40 sheriff service = $350 minimum, before copies and portal surcharges.

Fee Waivers for Indigent Filers

If you can't afford the fees, Florida law provides a path under Fla. Stat. § 57.082. File an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status (Form CCCH 200 series) with the clerk.

The clerk generally finds an applicant indigent when household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. There is a presumption against indigence if the applicant has nonexempt assets with net equity of $2,500 or more, excluding a homestead and one vehicle with net value not exceeding $5,000. Approval waives filing fees and summons charges and removes the requirement to prepay eligible court, clerk, and sheriff costs. Costs that remain payable are handled through a payment plan with a $25 one-time administrative processing charge; waived filing fees are not included in that plan.

If the clerk denies your application, you can request a judicial review hearing before a county court judge at no cost.

The waiver covers court fees only. If you choose a private process server instead of the sheriff, you'll pay that out of pocket regardless of indigent status.

Can You Recover Your Fees?

If you get a judgment in your favor, the court can award your filing fee, service costs, and other out-of-pocket court expenses as part of the judgment. These costs are added on top of the $8,000 jurisdictional limit — they don't count against it.

Whether you actually collect those costs depends on enforcement. The judgment gives you the legal right; collection tools like garnishment and liens are the mechanism.

Knowing the full cost upfront — not just the filing fee — helps you decide whether small claims is worth pursuing for the amount at stake. Our Florida Small Claims Filing Guide includes a fee worksheet that totals everything by county and claim tier so there are no surprises at the clerk's window.

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