Tampa Small Claims Court: Where and How to File

Which court

Claims under $8,000 are small claims in County Civil. Claims from $8,000 to $50,000 are also County Civil but follow a different process. You can go in person to downtown Tampa or Plant City.

Where and how to file

Limit	$8,000
Court	Hillsborough County Court, Small Claims (Clerk of the Circuit Court, County Civil)
Address	George Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs St., Tampa, FL 33602
Phone	813-276-8100
Hours	Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
File online	Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/
Fees	$55 under $100, $80 for $100 to $500, $175 for $500.01 to $2,500, and $300 above $2,500. Each summons is $10.
Timing	The pretrial hearing is set within 50 days of filing, once service is complete.
Serving papers	The clerk's County Civil page lists certified mail, sheriff or process server. The clerk's service page says routine private service runs about $20 to $100, and you can't serve the papers yourself.

Hillsborough County Court, Small Claims (Clerk of the Circuit Court, County Civil) small claims page

Good to know here

If you e-file a small claim, you must still bring or send the summons to the Clerk's office on paper, with copies and postage envelopes, and pay the $10 then.
You can book a downtown Tampa visit online to shorten your wait. Choose "Civil Courts - Appt."
At the pretrial, the judge may decide the case, try to settle it, set a trial date or send you to mediation. If you're ordered to mediation, you must go.
Keep your address current with the court, because judgments are mailed to the last address on file.
The Plant City Courthouse is at 301 North Michigan Avenue, Plant City, FL 33563, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hours, fees and locations change. Call the court or check its site before you go.

Tampa Small Claims Court

Where and how to file

Good to know here

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