Seminole County Small Claims Court
Filing in Seminole County
Seminole County small claims cases are heard in the County Court of the 18th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Brevard County. The Seminole County Civil Courthouse in Sanford handles small claims filings.
The small claims division covers 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.
Seminole County sits just north of Orange County in the Orlando metro area. Disputes often involve contractors, property management companies, and service businesses operating across county lines — so venue selection matters more here than in many other Florida counties.
Filing Fees
Seminole County uses the statewide fee schedule:
| Claim Amount | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| Less than $100 | $55 |
| $100 – $500 | $80 |
| $500.01 – $2,500 | $175 |
| $2,500.01 – $8,000 | $300 |
Add $10 per summons and service costs. E-filing adds a 3.5% credit card surcharge or $5.00 for e-check.
Filers who qualify under 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines can apply for civil indigent status under Fla. Stat. § 57.082, waiving filing, summons, and Sheriff service fees.
Service of Process
Three options to serve the defendant:
- Seminole County Sheriff — $40 per defendant for personal service
- Certified process server — private servers charge $45 to $85
- Clerk's certified mail — available for defendants residing in Seminole 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 is completed, the Return of Service must be filed with the clerk before the pretrial conference. If service fails, request an alias summons. 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.
For business defendants, look up the legal entity name and registered agent on Sunbiz (search.sunbiz.org) before requesting service. Seminole County businesses frequently operate under fictitious names — suing the trade name instead of the legal entity delays your case.
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The Pretrial Conference
After filing, the clerk schedules a pretrial conference within 50 days. Both parties must attend.
The pretrial conference is for mediation and settlement discussion — not the trial. Bring your contract, invoices, photos, and a 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 schedules a trial within 60 days. If the defendant doesn't appear, the clerk enters a default — for liquidated claims (a fixed dollar amount), the judge enters a default final judgment immediately.
Venue
File in Seminole County if the defendant lives here, the dispute occurred here, or the property is located here. Since Seminole borders Orange, Volusia, and Lake counties, cross-county disputes are common in the metro Orlando area. Filing in the wrong county lets the defendant move to transfer, costing you time and non-refundable fees.
For the complete Seminole County filing process — from the demand letter through the hearing and judgment enforcement — our Florida Small Claims Filing Guide covers all 67 Florida counties step by step.
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