Landlord Eviction Cost Calculator
Evicting a tenant costs much more than the filing fee — once you factor lost rent during 30–180 day court timelines, attorney fees, turnover, and damage, the true cost can hit $5,000–$15,000. Calculate yours.
| Court filing fee | — |
| Service of process | — |
| Attorney fees | — |
| Lost rent during eviction | — |
| Turnover (cleaning + listing) | — |
| Property damage | — |
| Total eviction cost | — |
Eviction is rarely just the filing fee. The total cost — lost rent during court timeline, attorney fees, turnover, and damage — typically runs $3,000–$15,000 per case. In tenant-friendly states (CA, NY, NJ), timelines push the cost toward the high end as judicial delays consume 4–6 months of rent.
Cost Breakdown
Court filing: $150–$450. Service of process: $30–$80. Attorney: $0 (self-represent) to $2,500 (contested). Lost rent: months of court timeline × monthly rent (usually the biggest item). Turnover: cleaning + listing + 2–4 weeks vacancy = ~half a month's rent. Property damage: variable; tenant security deposit usually doesn't cover.
State Timeline Variance
Fast states (Texas, Georgia, Alabama): 30–60 days from filing to writ of possession. Medium (Florida, NC, Arizona): 45–90 days. Slow (California, NY, NJ, MA): 90–180+ days. The slower the state, the more important early action is — every week of court delay equals a week of rent loss.
Cash-for-Keys Alternative
Many landlords offer tenants $1,000–$3,500 to vacate within 14–30 days. Saves months of court time, lost rent, and damage risk. Especially attractive in slow-eviction states. Document the agreement carefully — get a signed release of any claims.
Last updated May 2026. Sources: Nolo Landlord-Tenant, National Apartment Association.