💰 Cost of Eviction by State
Total Eviction Costs in Every State — Filing Fees, Attorney Fees, Lost Rent, Damages & How to Avoid These Costs Entirely
📊 Updated • All 50 States📑 Table of Contents
Screen Every Applicant — Fast, Compliant, No Monthly Fees
FCRA-compliant credit, criminal, and eviction reports with same-day results. Used by landlords since 2004.
💸 The True Total Cost of Eviction
Most landlords dramatically underestimate the true cost of an eviction. The filing fee is just the entry price — the real costs accumulate across every phase of the process. A contested eviction in a tenant-protective state can easily run $10,000–$30,000 or more when all costs are tallied. This is why thorough tenant screening — which costs $35–$55 per applicant — is one of the highest-ROI investments in property management in . 🏠
📋 Cost Breakdown by Category
| Cost Category | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $100–$400 | Varies by state and court; higher if requesting money judgment |
| Process server / service of summons | $50–$200 | Personal service by Sheriff or professional process server |
| Attorney fees (if used) | $500–$5,000+ | Uncontested: $500–$1,500; contested: $2,000–$10,000+ |
| Sheriff/Marshal writ fee | $50–$300 | Fee to execute the lockout |
| Locksmith (at lockout) | $75–$200 | Re-keying all locks at lockout |
| Lost rent during process | $1,500–$15,000+ | 1–6+ months depending on state and contestation |
| Property damage (beyond deposit) | $0–$10,000+ | Highly variable; often significant in problem tenancies |
| Cleaning and turnover | $500–$3,000 | Cleaning, repairs, painting, re-listing |
| Vacancy between tenants | $500–$3,000+ | Time to re-market and re-rent after eviction |
| Total (uncontested, fast state) | $1,500–$4,000 | Texas, Georgia, Florida — best case |
| Total (contested, slow state) | $10,000–$30,000+ | NYC, San Francisco, Chicago contested |
🗺️ Eviction Cost Ranges by State
🚀 Fastest and Cheapest States
⚡ Lowest Total Eviction Costs
- 🤠 Texas — 3-day notice, Justice Court, low fees: $1,500–$3,500 uncontested
- 🍑 Georgia — Magistrate Court, fast hearings: $1,500–$3,500 uncontested
- 🌴 Florida — County Court, efficient process: $2,000–$4,000 uncontested
- 🌵 Arizona — Fast JP Court hearings: $2,000–$4,000 uncontested
- 🌾 North Dakota / Wyoming — Small market, fast courts: $1,500–$3,000
🐢 Slowest and Most Expensive States
💸 Highest Total Eviction Costs
- 🗽 New York City — Housing Court backlog, 6–18+ months contested: $15,000–$50,000+
- 🌴 California (SF/LA) — Tenant protections, slow courts: $8,000–$25,000+ contested
- 🌆 Chicago, Illinois — Circuit Court, tenant protections: $5,000–$15,000 contested
- 🦞 Massachusetts — Tenant-protective, attorney-heavy: $5,000–$15,000
- 🌟 New Jersey — Just cause requirements, slow: $5,000–$12,000
🛡️ How to Avoid These Costs Entirely
Every dollar of eviction cost is preventable at the tenant selection stage. The applicant who eventually costs you $10,000 in an eviction had warning signs in their screening report that were either missed or ignored:
- 🔍 Prior eviction filings — the single strongest predictor of future eviction
- 💰 Landlord collections on credit report — prior rent that went to collections
- 📞 Prior landlord wouldn’t recommend them — “well… they paid eventually”
- 💵 Income that barely meets the ratio — no financial cushion for emergencies
- 📋 Inconsistencies between application and screening report — undisclosed addresses, income discrepancies
A $35–$55 complete screening report that reveals these signals before move-in costs 1/100th of the cheapest eviction. 📊
🛡️ The Best Eviction Is the One You Never Have to File
Comprehensive tenant screening — credit, criminal, eviction history, income verification, and identity — is the most cost-effective investment in property management. One avoided eviction pays for years of screening costs.
Screen Before You Sign →❓ Frequently Asked Questions
You can request a money judgment for unpaid rent, damages, and in some states attorney fees at the eviction hearing. Getting the judgment is one thing — collecting it is another. Many evicted tenants have limited assets and income. Wage garnishment and bank levies are available tools, but collection success rates vary. Budget for eviction costs as a possible unrecovered loss — then do everything to avoid incurring them through screening.
Significantly more. An uncontested eviction (tenant doesn’t respond or doesn’t show) might take one hearing. A contested eviction with a tenant attorney can involve multiple hearings, discovery, motions, continuances, and trial — multiplying your attorney fees and vacancy time by 3–10x. In NYC and San Francisco, contested cases with attorney representation regularly run into tens of thousands of dollars total.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Eviction costs are estimates based on typical cases. Actual costs vary by jurisdiction, case complexity, and attorney rates. This guide provides general information as of .
