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Florida Statute 48.183 - Full Text and Legal Analysis Florida Statute 48.183 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Fla. Stat. § 48.183 (2026) Copy Cite Official Site Syfertize CourtListener Amendments
48.183 Service of process in action for possession of premises.
(1) In an action for possession of any residential premises, including those under chapters 83, 723, and 513, or nonresidential premises, if the tenant cannot be found in the county or there is no person 15 years of age or older residing at the tenant’s usual place of abode in the county after at least two attempts to obtain service as provided above in this subsection, summons may be served by attaching a copy to a conspicuous place on the property described in the complaint or summons. The minimum time delay between the two attempts to obtain service shall be 6 hours. Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting service of process on a tenant as is otherwise provided on defendants in civil cases.
(2) If a landlord causes or anticipates causing a defendant to be served with a summons and complaint solely by attaching them to some conspicuous place on the property described in the complaint or summons, the landlord shall provide the clerk of the court with an additional copy of the complaint and a prestamped envelope addressed to the defendant at the premises involved in the proceeding. The clerk of the court shall immediately mail the copy of the summons and complaint by first-class mail, note the fact of mailing in the docket, and file a certificate in the court file of the fact and date of mailing. Service shall be effective on the date of posting or mailing, whichever occurs later, and at least 5 days must elapse from the date of service before a judgment for final removal of the defendant may be entered.
History.s. 4, ch. 73-330; s. 1, ch. 75-34; s. 1, ch. 83-39; s. 2, ch. 84-339; s. 4, ch. 87-405; s. 1, ch. 88-379; s. 3, ch. 94-170; s. 2, ch. 98-410; s. 1, ch. 2003-263.

Cases Citing F.S. 48.183

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·In Re Amendments to Fla. Rules Civ. Proc., 604 So. 2d 1110 (Fla. 1992).

Cited 15 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 1992 WL 163953

...The summons form for personal service on natural persons is to be used for service on natural persons under the following provisions: Florida Statutes § sections 48.031 (service of process generally), § 48.041 (service on minors), § 48.042 (service on incompetents), § 48.051 (service on state prisoners), § 48.183 (service of process in action for possession of residential premises), and § 48.194 (personal service outside the state), Florida Statutes....
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Cited as authoritySarras (2014)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityAlmeida (1997)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityNatkow (1997)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·In Re Amendments to Rules of Civ. Proc., 536 So. 2d 974 (Fla. 1988).

Cited 9 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida

...The summons form for personal service on natural persons is to be used for service on natural persons under the following provisions: Florida Statutes § 48.031 (service of process generally), § 48.041 (service on minors), § 48.042 (service on incompetents), § 48.051 (service on state prisoners), § 48.183 (service of process in action for possession of residential premises), and § 48.194 (personal service outside the state)....
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Cited as authorityThreadgill (2017)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityAmaran (2010)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityYangco (2005)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Springbrook Commons, Ltd. v. Brown, 761 So. 2d 1192 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000).

Cited 5 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal | 2000 Fla. App. LEXIS 8078, 2000 WL 827322

...The county court has certified the following question as one of great public importance: IN AN EVICTION ACTION WHICH ONLY OBTAINS THE RELIEF OF POSSESSION, AND NOTICE OF THE ACTION IS GIVEN ONLY BY POSTING THE COMPLAINT ON THE FRONT DOOR OF THE PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 48.183, FLORIDA STATUTES (1999), CAN THE COURT ENTER A MONEY JUDGMENT FOR COSTS AGAINST THE TENANT? The trial court concluded that it could not assess costs because it did not have personal jurisdiction over the tenant. We affirm. Appellant landlord brought this eviction action for failure to pay rent and, after two attempts at personal service were unsuccessful, served notice of the action by posting the complaint on the front door of the unit pursuant to section 48.183, Florida Statutes (1999)....
0 red0 yellow3 green0 procedural
Cited as authority(citing case) (2022)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2019)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authority(citing case) (2017)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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·Lane v. Brith, 313 So. 2d 91 (Fla. 4th DCA 1975).

Cited 3 times | Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

...Upon being dispossessed, appellants promptly retained counsel, who filed on their behalf a motion to vacate the judgment. That motion, which was denied, was premised upon the same constitutional arguments now made in this court. *92 Service of process was made on appellants by posting on the property as provided in § 48.183, F.S....
0 red0 yellow2 green4 procedural
Cited as authorityAC (1998)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cited as authorityA.C. (1998)
phrase: "rule_authority"
Cert. deniedAC (1998)
phrase: "cert. denied"
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·Sewell v. Colee, 132 So. 3d 1186 (Fla. 3d DCA 2014).

Cited 2 times | Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal | 2014 WL 228702, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 613

...Sewell retained attorney Christopher Waldera to represent him in resolving the dispute between the parties. Upon filing the complaint, the respondents served Mr. Waldera but did not personally serve Mr. Sewell or post notice on the property pursuant to section 48.183, Florida Statutes (2003)....
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Cited as authority(citing case) (2024)
phrase: "rule_authority"
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Hager v. Illes, 431 So. 2d 1037 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida | 1983 Fla. App. LEXIS 19895

...At the expiration of a two year written lease, appellant filed her complaint to evict appellees after they refused to vacate the residential premises at 2760 Southeast 13th Court in Pompano Beach. A deputy sheriff served process by posting the premises pursuant to Section 48.183, Florida Statutes (1981)....
...nnot waive any constitutional due process defect by actively litigating the eviction. Appel-lees’ “changed law” argument has no merit in light of their actual notice of service and active litigation of the issues. We would add our comment that Section 48.183, Florida Statutes (1981), which allows service by posting in an action for possession of residential premises, appears to be substantially the same as the Kentucky posting statute struck down by the Supreme Court in Greene v. Lindsey, supra. The legislature may wish-to review Section 48.183 and make such changes as may be necessary to meet the due process objections raised in Greene ....
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Sniders Jean-Jacques v. 2201 N. Miami Ave Owner, LLC, Etc. (Fla. 3d DCA 2025).

Published | Florida 3rd District Court of Appeal

...Morris Legal, LLC, and J. Wil Morris, for appellant. Barfield McCain, P.A., and Donna S. Barfield and Ryan R. McCain (Palm Beach Gardens), for appellee. Before LOGUE, C.J., and EMAS and BOKOR, JJ. PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See § 48.183, Fla....

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