Hillsborough County Small Claims Court

Filing in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County small claims cases are heard in the County Court of the 13th Judicial Circuit, headquartered at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in downtown Tampa. The county also operates a courthouse in Plant City.

The small claims division handles disputes up to $8,000 under Fla. Stat. § 34.01. You can file electronically through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) or in person at the Clerk of the Circuit Court.

One detail specific to Hillsborough: the 13th Circuit requires its own cover sheet for civil filings, and the clerk enforces mandatory document redaction compliance checks. If your documents contain unredacted Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, or full birth dates, the clerk will reject the filing.

Filing Fees

Hillsborough uses the statewide fee schedule:

Add $10 per summons and service costs. E-filing charges 3.5% for credit card or $5.00 for e-check.

If you can't afford the fees, apply for indigent status under Fla. Stat. § 57.082. Approval waives the filing fee, summons fee, and Sheriff service costs. If the clerk denies your application, you can request a hearing before a county court judge.

Service of Process

Three options for serving the defendant:

• Hillsborough County Sheriff — $40 per defendant for personal service
• Certified process server — private servers charge $45 to $85 and often move faster
• Clerk's certified mail — available for defendants residing in Hillsborough; the defendant or someone authorized to receive mail at the defendant's residence or principal place of business must sign the return receipt

You cannot serve papers yourself. After service, the Return of Service must be filed with the clerk before the pretrial date. Rule 7.070(b) sets a 120-day initial service period; if you request extra time before it expires, the rule provides another 120 days.

Tampa's economy drives a high volume of contractor disputes, unpaid commercial invoices, and landlord-tenant claims. If you're suing a business, verify the legal entity name and registered agent on Sunbiz (search.sunbiz.org) — the 13th Circuit sees frequent delays from filers who name only a trade name or DBA.

The Pretrial Conference

The clerk schedules a pretrial conference within 50 days of filing. Both sides must attend.

This is a mediation session, not the trial. Bring your contract, invoices, photos, and a written summary of damages. Leave witnesses at home. Any agreement reached at mediation must be in a written stipulation; the court may enter the stipulation as an order. If mediation fails, the court sets a trial within 60 days.

Hillsborough requires a Mediation Summary Sheet, which the clerk provides. Fill it out before the conference — it helps the mediator understand the dispute quickly.

If the defendant doesn't appear, the clerk enters a default. On a fixed-amount claim, the judge enters a default final judgment immediately.

Venue

File in Hillsborough County if the defendant lives here, the breach or damage occurred here, or the property at issue is located here. With Hillsborough bordering Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, and Manatee, cross-county venue disputes are common. Filing in the wrong county means the defendant can move to transfer, costing you time without a fee refund.

For the full Hillsborough County filing process — demand letter through hearing and judgment collection — our Florida Small Claims Filing Guide covers every step across all 67 counties.

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