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How Long After a Writ of Possession Can the Landlord Evict Me in Florida?

Use the free tool — Eviction Notice Reader

What a writ of possession is

A writ of possession is the last paper in a Florida eviction, not the first. It only appears after a landlord has filed a court case, the case has gone to judgment, and the court has ordered the sheriff to remove the tenant. If you were handed this document, the case is far along — but there are still things you can do today.

The 24-hour clock

Under Fla. Stat. 83.62, once the sheriff posts the writ of possession on your door, the landlord may take back the unit after 24 hours. This is the shortest deadline anywhere in the eviction process. We cannot tell you the exact hour from a general guide — confirm the exact date and time the writ was posted, and when the sheriff plans to execute it, with the clerk of court or the sheriff's office.

How you likely got here

• First, a notice: 3 days for non-payment, not counting Saturdays, Sundays or legal holidays (Fla. Stat. 83.56(3)), or 7 days for other lease violations.
• Then a court summons: the law gives 5 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, to file a written answer and put the rent claimed into the court registry, or file a motion to determine rent (Fla. Stat. 51.011 · 83.60(2)). Missing either step usually means losing by default.
• Then a judgment, and only after that, this writ.

What this document can and can't do

• It can mean the sheriff removes you and returns the unit to the landlord after 24 hours.
• It cannot lawfully appear before a judgment exists. If you never received a court summons, or never had a hearing, tell legal aid this today.
• We cannot say whether removal will actually happen, or when. Only the court file and the sheriff's office know the current status.

What to do in the next 24 hours

• Call free legal aid right now: floridalawhelp.org, or the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-342-8011, or dial 211.
• If you have children, a disability, are a veteran, or received federal rental assistance, say so when you call — legal aid prioritizes these cases.
• Ask the clerk of court for the exact posting date and the scheduled execution date.
• Start arranging, just in case, where your belongings and any pets would go.

What we don't know

We don't know whether you filed a written answer earlier, whether the rent was deposited into the registry, or whether any motion is still pending. Only a lawyer or the court file can answer that. This is why calling legal aid today still matters, even at this late stage.

What to do next

Paste your writ of possession, or any earlier notice or court paper, into the free tool. It reads your own document and tells you, in plain words, what stage of the eviction process you are in and what to do today. Nothing you paste is stored. Eviction Notice Reader is not a lawyer and can be wrong — confirm every deadline with the clerk of court or 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.