Eviction Cost Estimator
Estimate the total out-of-pocket cost of evicting a tenant, including court filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent during the process, and unit turnover costs.
Typical range: 3–20 weeks depending on state/county
Varies by state: typically $50–$400
Self-represented: $0; Full representation: $500–$5,000+
Typically $50–$150
Time to re-list, screen, and place a new tenant
Amount you can legally apply toward costs
Some states require landlord to store tenant belongings
Formula
Weekly Rent = Monthly Rent × 12 ÷ 52
Lost Rent (Eviction Period) = Weekly Rent × Eviction Weeks
Lost Rent (Vacancy Period) = Weekly Rent × Vacancy Weeks
Legal Costs = Filing Fee + Attorney Fees + Process Server Fee
Turnover Costs = Repair & Cleaning + Storage / Moving
Gross Total = Unpaid Rent + Legal Costs + Lost Rent (Eviction) + Lost Rent (Vacancy) + Turnover Costs
Net Out-of-Pocket = max(0, Gross Total − Security Deposit Applied)
Months of Rent Equivalent = Net Out-of-Pocket ÷ Monthly Rent
Assumptions & References
- Lost rent during the eviction period assumes the tenant has stopped paying rent from the start of the process.
- Weekly rent is derived from monthly rent using the standard annualization factor (×12 ÷ 52).
- Court filing fees vary widely by jurisdiction: typically $50–$400 in the U.S. (e.g., California ~$240, Texas ~$121, New York ~$45–$210).
- Attorney fees range from $0 (self-represented) to $5,000+ for contested cases; national average is approximately $500–$1,500 for uncontested evictions.
- Eviction timelines vary by state: as few as 3 weeks (Texas) to 20+ weeks (New York, New Jersey, California).
- Security deposit application is subject to state law; landlords must typically provide an itemized statement within 14–30 days of move-out.
- Some states (e.g., California) require landlords to store a tenant's abandoned property and may impose additional costs.
- This estimator does not account for potential judgment recovery from the tenant, which may partially offset costs.
- Sources: TransUnion SmartMove Eviction Study (avg. eviction cost $3,500–$10,000+); Nolo.com Landlord Law; state court fee schedules.