How long does a tenant have to respond to an eviction case in Florida?

In Florida, the time a tenant has to respond to an eviction case is governed by Fla. Stat. §§ 83.56, 83.59, 83.60, 83.62, 83.67; Fla. Stat. § 51.011. Five days excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays — and in a nonpayment case the tenant must ALSO deposit the rent claimed into the court registry to be heard on the merits.

WhatFlorida
CourtCounty Court for the county where the property is.

Notes

Florida’s registry-deposit rule is the most consequential detail in the state: a tenant who does not deposit the rent claimed loses the right to defend, and the landlord may move for a default judgment for possession.

Source

Fla. Stat. §§ 83.56, 83.59, 83.60, 83.62, 83.67; Fla. Stat. § 51.011 — last checked 2026-09-16.

This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.

How Seayora uses this rule

Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.

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