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Where can I find free legal help for an eviction in my Florida county?

Use the free tool — Eviction Notice Reader

You are not alone with this

An eviction notice is scary. Free legal help exists for renters in every Florida county. This page tells you where to find it and what to do while you wait for someone to call you back.

Where to start

• Search floridalawhelp.org for your county. It lists free civil legal aid programs by area, for people who qualify.
• Call the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service: 1-800-342-8011.
• Dial 211. This connects you to local help, including housing help, in most of Florida.

We don't have a phone number or office name for your specific county. Use the links above to find the exact program near you.

Say this when you call

• The type of paper you got — a notice on the door, or a court summons.
• Any date on it, and when you received it.
• If you have children, a disability, are a veteran, or received federal rental help. Legal aid programs often prioritize these cases — say so when you call.

Why calling today matters

Florida eviction cases move fast. A non-payment notice gives 3 days, not counting Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays (Fla. Stat. 83.56(3)). Once a notice runs out, the landlord can file a court case any day — the next paper will be a summons.

If you get a court summons, you must file a written answer within 5 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, and you must deposit the rent the landlord claims into the court registry, or file a motion to determine rent (Fla. Stat. 51.011; 83.60(2)). Missing either step usually means losing the case automatically. If a sheriff posts a writ of possession, the landlord can take back the unit as soon as 24 hours later (Fla. Stat. 83.62) — this is the last step, not the first.

Confirm the exact day count with the clerk of court or with legal aid. Don't guess.

What legal aid can help with

• Reviewing the notice or summons for problems.
• Helping you write and file an answer on time.
• Explaining the court registry rule and how to meet it.
• Representing you in court, if they have capacity.

Legal aid offices get many calls. Call as many numbers as you can, and keep calling back if you don't hear back right away.

What to do next

Paste your notice or court papers into Eviction Notice Reader. It reads your own document and tells you, in plain words, how many days you have, what the paper can and can't do, and the one thing to do today. Nothing is saved. This is not legal advice — confirm every deadline with the clerk of court or with free legal aid at floridalawhelp.org.

Eviction Notice Reader explains a document in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. Deadlines are counted from statutes as published (Fla. Stat. ch. 83, Part II and 51.011) — confirm the exact day with the clerk of court or legal aid. Free civil legal aid: floridalawhelp.org · The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral 1-800-342-8011 · dial 211. Nothing you paste is stored.