Florida Statute 48.183 - Full Text and Legal Analysis

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title VI
CIVIL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

Chapter 48
PROCESS AND SERVICE OF PROCESS

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F.S. 48.183

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.

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Amendments to 48.183

Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 48.183

Total Results: 7

In Re Amendments to Fla. Rules Civ. Proc.

604 So. 2d 1110, 1992 WL 163953

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Jul 16, 1992 | Docket: 1686576

Cited 15 times | Published

incompetents), § 48.051 (service on state prisoners), § 48.183 (service of process in action for possession of

In Re Amendments to Rules of Civ. Proc.

536 So. 2d 974

Supreme Court of Florida | Filed: Dec 30, 1988 | Docket: 1759905

Cited 9 times | Published

incompetents), § 48.051 (service on state prisoners), § 48.183 (service of process in action for possession of

Springbrook Commons, Ltd. v. Brown

761 So. 2d 1192, 2000 Fla. App. LEXIS 8078, 2000 WL 827322

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jun 28, 2000 | Docket: 1299970

Cited 5 times | Published

THE FRONT DOOR OF THE PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 48.183, FLORIDA STATUTES (1999), CAN THE COURT ENTER

Lane v. Brith

313 So. 2d 91

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 9, 1975 | Docket: 1508443

Cited 3 times | Published

appellants by posting on the property as provided in § 48.183, F.S. 1973. Appellants contend that this statute

Sewell v. Colee

132 So. 3d 1186, 2014 WL 228702, 2014 Fla. App. LEXIS 613

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Jan 22, 2014 | Docket: 60238333

Cited 2 times | Published

or post notice on the property pursuant to section 48.183, Florida Statutes (2003). The record contains

Sniders Jean-Jacques v. 2201 N. Miami Ave Owner, LLC, Etc.

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: Mar 26, 2025 | Docket: 69793055

Published

BOKOR, JJ. PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See § 48.183, Fla. Stat. (providing that service of process

Hager v. Illes

431 So. 2d 1037, 1983 Fla. App. LEXIS 19895

District Court of Appeal of Florida | Filed: May 11, 1983 | Docket: 64597169

Published

process by posting the premises pursuant to Section 48.183, Florida Statutes (1981). Appellees answered