Evicting a tenant is one of the most expensive jobs a landlord ever does, and the sticker shock usually arrives in two waves. First you write checks to the court, the process server, and your lawyer. Then, months later, you realize the bigger loss was never on the invoice: the rent you stopped collecting while the case crawled through the system, plus the cleaning, repairs, locksmith and advertising needed to get the unit re-rented. This eviction cost calculator adds every line together so you can see the true total before you file.
The default numbers — a $200 court filing fee, a $75 process server, an $800 attorney, $1,800 of lost rent, and $1,500 of turnover — land at a $4,375 total, which matches the $3,000–$5,000 all-in range industry sources quote for an uncontested eviction. If your case is contested, appealed, or in a high-cost state like California or New York, slide the attorney and lost-rent numbers upward and watch the total climb fast.
How to Use
- Enter the Court Filing Fee for your county. Eviction suits (called unlawful detainer in most states) run roughly $50 in small rural courts to $240–$400 in major metro superior courts.
- Add the Process Server Fee — the charge to formally hand the tenant the court papers. The sheriff's office often serves papers cheaply or for free; a private process server typically bills $30–$150 per attempt.
- Type your Attorney Fee. Many eviction lawyers quote a flat fee of $300–$1,000 for an uncontested case, then bill hourly ($150–$400) if the tenant fights back. Set this to $0 if you are filing pro se (representing yourself).
- Estimate Lost Rent During Eviction. The notice period, court backlog, and any appeal usually mean one to three months of unpaid rent. On a $1,800 apartment with a two-month process, that line alone is $3,600.
- Enter Turnover / Re-rental Cost — the punch list after the tenant leaves: deep cleaning, paint, carpet, locksmith, utility reconnection, listing photos, and the vacancy weeks between tenants.
- Use Other / Miscellaneous Costs for anything unusual: a writ of possession / lockout fee, furniture storage, a counterclaim from the tenant, or a damage award you have to pay before the unit clears.
The result card splits the bill into direct legal and court costs (the paperwork you actually invoice) and opportunity costs (lost rent plus turnover), then sums everything into the highlighted total.
Where the Money Actually Goes
Landlords often budget only the legal fees and are blindsided by the rest. Here is what each line really costs:
- Court filing fee — by county, not by state. A Bexar County, Texas eviction writ runs a few hundred dollars; a California unlawful detainer in Superior Court starts near $240 and rises with the claim amount.
- Process service — cheap but easy to forget. If the tenant avoids the door, the server bills you again for a second or third attempt.
- Attorney fee — the single biggest swing factor. An uncontested flat fee is predictable; a contested case with a jury demand, counterclaim, or appeal can run $5,000–$15,000 or more.
- Lost rent — the quiet killer. A 60-day court backlog on a $2,500 luxury unit is $5,000 of gone rent before you even change the locks.
- Turnover — a paint-and-clean can be $800; a wall-repair-and-carpet turn can be $3,000. Add the 3–6 weeks of vacancy while you list and show the unit.
A useful rule of thumb: the legal invoices are usually less than half the true cost. The other half is the empty apartment sitting there.
When Cash-for-Keys Is Cheaper
Before filing, run the same numbers against a cash-for-keys deal — paying the tenant to leave voluntarily and cleanly. If your projected total eviction cost is $4,375, offering $2,000–$3,000 in exchange for the keys by a fixed date saves you money, skips the court calendar, and often leaves the unit in better shape. This calculator is the baseline for that comparison: if you slide attorney fees up because the tenant has already threatened to fight, the eviction path gets worse fast, and the cash-for-keys offer looks better.
Examples
Example 1 — The baseline uncontested eviction. A small landlord files on a tenant who stopped paying $1,800/month. Court filing is $200, service is $75, the lawyer charges an $800 flat fee, the process costs one month of lost rent ($1,800), and turnover runs $1,500. The total is $4,375. That is the realistic all-in price of a routine non-contested eviction.
Example 2 — Pro se in a landlord-friendly state. In Texas, a confident landlord files without a lawyer. Court filing and service together are about $275, lost rent is $1,800, and turnover is $1,500. Setting attorney fee to $0 drops the total to $3,575 — but a single procedural mistake (bad notice, wrong form) can restart the clock and wipe out that saving.
Example 3 — Contested eviction in a high-cost market. A California landlord facing a tenant who files a counterclaim: court filing $400, service $150, attorney fees balloon to $6,000, lost rent over a four-month delay is $7,200, and turnover including damage repair is $3,500. The total is $17,250 — nearly four times the baseline, which is exactly why many landlords reach for cash-for-keys once a case turns hostile.
FAQ
How much does it actually cost to evict a tenant?
For an uncontested eviction, expect roughly $3,000–$5,000 all-in: $50–$400 court filing, $30–$150 process service, $300–$1,000 in legal fees, 1–3 months of lost rent, and $1,000–$3,000 of turnover. Contested or high-cost cases can run $10,000–$20,000+.
What is the biggest single cost in an eviction?
It is usually lost rent plus turnover, not the lawyer. The legal invoices are predictable, but an eviction that drags on for two or three months means thousands of dollars of uncollected rent, followed by weeks of vacancy while you repair and re-list the unit.
Should I hire an eviction attorney or file pro se?
Filing pro se saves the $300–$1,000 flat fee but is risky: a defective notice, missed deadline, or wrong form restarts the entire process and costs you another month of rent. Hire an attorney the moment the tenant signals a fight, a counterclaim, or an appeal.
How long does an eviction take, and why does it matter for cost?
Most uncontested evictions take 30–60 days; contested or appealed cases can stretch to 3–6 months. Every extra month adds one month of lost rent on top of your legal bill, which is why speed and clean paperwork are the cheapest cost-control tools you have.
Is cash-for-keys really cheaper than eviction?
Often yes. If your projected eviction cost is $4,375, offering the tenant $2,000–$3,000 to leave on a date certain — in writing, with the unit broom-clean — avoids court fees, attorney escalation, vacancy delay, and damage risk. Use this calculator to set the baseline before you decide.
Can I recover eviction costs from the tenant?
Sometimes, via a money judgment for back rent and court costs, but collecting on a judgment is notoriously difficult: garnishment and liens take time and the tenant may have no wages or assets. Budget as if you will not recover it, and treat any recovery as a bonus.
Disclaimer
This eviction cost calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Cost estimates are based on the line-item inputs you enter and a simple additive roll-up; actual filing fees, attorney rates, timelines, and recoverability vary widely by county, state, and the specifics of your case. Eviction laws are strict and landlord-tenant rules differ dramatically across jurisdictions. Always consult a licensed landlord-tenant attorney in your area before filing an eviction and rely on official court fee schedules for your exact county.