Orange County Small Claims Court Florida

Filing in Orange County

Orange County small claims cases are heard in the County Court of the 9th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Osceola County. The Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando handles small claims filings, with additional clerk locations in Apopka, Ocoee, and Winter Park.

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

Orange County operates a dedicated Self-Help Center that offers low-cost attorney consultations alongside standard filing packets — a resource worth knowing about if you're filing for the first time.

Filing Fees

Orange County follows 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. The clerk also sells physical form packets at the courthouse satellite locations.

If you can't afford the fees, apply for civil indigent status under Fla. Stat. § 57.082. Approval waives the filing fee, summons fee, and Sheriff service costs. Deferred charges (certified copies, transcripts) require a $25 clerk payment plan.

Service of Process

Three ways to serve the defendant:

• Orange County Sheriff — $40 per defendant for personal service
• Certified process server — private servers charge $45 to $85
• Clerk's certified mail — available when the defendant lives in Orange County; 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 the defendant 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.

Orlando's tourism and construction economy generates a high volume of contractor disputes, unpaid service invoices, and property damage claims. For business defendants, verify the legal entity name and registered agent on Sunbiz (search.sunbiz.org). The 9th Circuit requires its own Civil Cover Sheet — make sure you use the Orange County version, not a generic statewide form.

The Pretrial Conference

The clerk schedules a pretrial conference within 50 days of filing. Both parties must appear.

This is a mediation and settlement session — not the trial. Bring your documents: contract, invoices, photos, and a written damage summary. Don't bring witnesses.

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.

If the defendant doesn't show, the clerk enters a default. For claims with a fixed dollar amount, the judge enters a default final judgment immediately. For claims requiring proof of damages (repair estimates, lost-value calculations), the court schedules a separate hearing.

Venue

File in Orange County if the defendant lives here, the breach or damage occurred here, or the property is located here. Orange County borders Seminole, Osceola, Lake, and Volusia counties — in the metro Orlando area, disputes frequently cross county lines. Filing in the wrong county lets the defendant move to transfer, and you lose time without a fee refund.

For the complete Orange County filing process — from the demand letter through the hearing and judgment enforcement — our Florida Small Claims Filing Guide covers all 67 Florida counties with their specific forms, fees, and deadlines.

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