Payment of Filing Fees
How do I pay the statutory filing fee?
During the process of submitting the filing, fees are calculated systematically and displayed. Enter your payment method and save for later use if desired.
What payment methods are accepted on the Portal?
Credit Card/Debit Card
- Discover
- MasterCard
- American Express
- VISA
Electronic Check
What is the statutory convenience fee associated with the payment methods?
- Credit Cards = 3.5% of Filing Fee
- Electronic Check = $5 flat rate
When is my account charged for the payment?
The payment method is settled at the time the filing is submitted.
How will my filing fee charge appear on my bank statement?
“ePortal”+{filing ID}
Can I establish a credit card for an organization to be used by everyone in the organization?
No. Payment information is not stored in the Portal. The Portal interfaces with the payment
engine to obtain a token to the filer of the stored payment methods for recognition by the filer. This prohibits organization accounts at the Portal level.
How do I delete saved payment account information?
Access the Portal > My Account tab > My Profile menu > Payment Accounts.
How may I have filing fees waived if filing on behalf of an entity exempt pursuant to § 28.345, Florida Statutes or if Filing an Affidavit of Indigency?
On the Fees and Payments page:
- Request Fee Waiver
- Select Waiver Reason
- Attach Waiver Form
As an organization, how do we become exempt from the payment of fees on the Portal?
An authorized organizational representative should contact their local Clerk’s office and request to have a Law Firm account established for their organization. This account can be set up to waive filing fees for all users affiliated with the account. This type of account is not exclusive to private firms, and may be utilized by state agencies, state attorneys, public defenders, and other public entity organizations that are eligible according to § 28.345, Florida Statutes.
Documents
What document types does the Portal support?
- Word Document
- PDF and PDF/A
How does the attorney sign the document if it is computer generated and printed to PDF?
The ePortal supports electronic signatures as defined in AO 09-30:
A pleading or other document is not required to bear the electronic image of the handwritten signature or an encrypted signature of the filer but may be signed in the following manner when electronically filed through a registered user’s login and password.
s/ JOHN DOE
JohnDoe@gmail.com
Florida Bar Number 12345
Attorney for (Plaintiff/Defendant)
ABC Law Firm
123 South Street Orlando, FL 32800
Telephone: (407) 123-4567
What do we do with original documents required to be maintained by the Clerk pursuant to Supreme Court Administrative Order or Florida Statutes?
Documents that must be maintained in original form may be electronically filed through the Portal but must also be deposited with the Clerk and maintained for safekeeping as defined in SC11-399. Direct your questions regarding original documents to your local Clerk’s Office.
If the client has physically signed and the signature has been notarized, is it preferable to scan the document, or can we sign electronically?
You may scan the document and then file it electronically. An alternative would be to scan only the signature page, which has the client’s wet ink signature as well as the notary’s, and then append that scanned page to the PDF document that was computer generated.
What are the formatting requirements for documents?
As defined in RJA 2.520:
- 8 ½ x 11 inches
- Portrait orientation
- 300 DPI [for a scanned document]
- Black and white not color [for a scanned document]
- 3 x 3 inch space at the top right-hand corner on the first page for those documents that are recorded
- 1 x 3 inch space at the top right-hand corner on each subsequent page for those documents that are recorded
- 1 inch margin
- Do not password protect your documents
How do you date stamp the document you filed?
The Portal will affix in the upper left-hand corner of the document the official file stamp date and time of when that submission reached the Portal. That is the official file stamp date and time of when the documents are filed and is in the Eastern Time Zone.
I understand my documents must be ADA compliant. What does that mean?
The Supreme Court requires that documents submitted electronically to the Florida State Courts System must be ADA compliant. Click here to access that page.
What are the file size limitations for a filing?
The aggregate size for the Trial Court cannot exceed 50 megabytes for one submission.
The aggregate size for the Appellate Court and The Florida Supreme Court cannot exceed 200 megabytes for one submission.
How do I file my document if it exceeds the maximum file size?
Separate the large document into multiple documents each under 50MB or for the FSC and the DCAs 200MB. Submit one Part 1 of 3 with the first filing, Part 2 of 3 with the second filing, and Part 3 of 3 with the third filing which results in the complete document being filed.
How do I file a document that contains confidential information?
Review the documents that are being filed to see if they contain confidential or sensitive information. If they contain confidential or sensitive information, attach a ‘Notice of Confidential Information within the Court Filing’ as a separate document per Rule 2.420, RJA. The form is available on the Documents page of the Portal.
Do I have to attach the Notice of Filing Confidential Information within Court Document if I am filing to a case that is confidential by statute, Administrative Order or Court Order?
No, there is an option available that will cover cases confidential by statute, Administrative Order or Court Order.
How do I know my document is really filed?
You will receive a Processing Completed for Filing #Filing ID email. The filing status is ‘Filed’ on My Filings page.
How do you file an ORIGINAL Return of Service or an ORIGINAL deposition transcript?
You would scan the original return of service and then file it electronically through the Portal. The original deposition transcript is also electronically filed. Request the file from the Court Reporter in PDF format in small file size increments if it’s a large transcript. Then upload the individual files until the complete transcript is uploaded. You can also request the transcript in the abbreviated [four pages to one] version and again in the small file size increments.
I cannot find the document name in the list of documents we can file. What do I do?
If the name of your document does not appear in the Document Type list, select the document name that is most appropriate. Counties have the ability to change the name of the document when reviewed. You may want to contact the County to see if they can add Document Types to their list.
Why do some case styles contain a party “Unavailable”?
If the case is a confidential case type, the style of the case will display Not Available and the parties will not be listed on the parties tab.
E-Service Through The Portal
Is service provided through the Portal considered to be in compliance with Rule 2.516?
Yes.
Is E-service through the Portal mandatory?
No.
If opposing counsel is not listed under other attorneys, are we required to find their email address, and insert it for them to be properly served?
Yes. When an attorney files electronically to a case they are automatically added to the Eservice Recipient List with the emails they designate as E-service email addresses for this case. If the attorney has not yet filed electronically to the case, to provide proper service through the Portal you, the filer, will have to add them to the Other Attorney/Interested Party section of the E-service Page so that they may be served. Once they file electronically to the case and are automatically added, you should then remove them from the Other Attorney/Interested Party section of the E-service page.
Are the parties that are listed in the Clerk’s Case Maintenance System automatically added to the E-service Recipient List?
No. When you file to a case you are automatically added to that cases E-service list using your Portal profile email addresses.
If opposing counsel is not listed because they have not filed, can you simply send them notice through the US mail?
Yes. E-service through the Portal is not mandatory. You may still provide service by personal email as long as you comply with Rule 2.516.
Do we need to list in the certificate service that service was via e-filing, and list their e-mail address on file, or continue to list their street address, etc.?
Yes. You should attach to every document a “traditional” service list containing all parties’ names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses so that the list of required parties to be served can be easily ascertained. The certificate of service should also state that service was performed through the Portal.
As a mediator is there any way you can file a document and not continue to be shown as a person to receive all subsequent filings that occur.
Yes. You may remove yourself from any case to which you have filed.
I filed to a case and I receive E-service to the wrong email address.
Access your E-service list of the case on the My Cases page, verify the email addresses you have specified to receive E-service is where you actually want to receive the emails.
You are either using your Profile email addresses or you have designated up to three other email addresses to be used for E-service for this case. You may change this at any time. For more information, click here.
Will you still receive E-service on your cases marked “Inactive”?
Yes. As long as you have not removed yourself from the E-service list for a case, you will continue to receive E-service on documents filed.
If you receive E-service on a document twice, how do you know which document is the correct document?
The document you received last would be the correct document. Documents are served when filings are submitted. Some filings have to be corrected and are sent to the Correction Queue. When the filer corrects and resubmits the filing, the documents are served again.
I have not filed to a case and I receive E-service on a case to the wrong email address?
Go to your My Cases page. From the Search Options select “Added as Other Attorney/Interested Party” and click on Search. From the list of cases select the one in which you are receiving E-service at the wrong email addresses. Click on the Court Case # link. Then click on your Name and make any changes to the email addresses that are necessary. Then click on Save and Save again. Then click on OK.
I am receiving E-service on a case I am not involved with in any way. How do I get off the E-service list?
Anyone added to the E-service List will receive an email notifying them that they have been added to the case and give them the contact information for the person that added them. They will also have a link in the email they receive to “Request Removal” from the E-service List for that case. If they continue to receive the NEF’s they should go to your My Cases page. From the Search Options select “Added as Other Attorney/Interested Party” and click on Search. From the list of cases, select the one in which you wish to be removed from the E-service List. Click on the Court Case # link. Then click on the red X next to your Name. Then click on OK and OK again.
County-Specific Questions
How do I know which counties will allow my summonses to be submitted and paid for when filing the complaint?
Counties that allow a summons to be filed and paid for with a filing will have the option available in the Document Description list and the screens will ask you how many defendants will need to be served. The payment screen will show that amount calculated along with the filing fee. A county that does not allow for sending the summons electronically will need it delivered in paper with a check.
Will the counties take proposed documents through the Portal?
Proposed documents may be submitted to the Judicial Officer through the Portal. When the County and the Judicial Officers are ready to receive proposed documents through the Portal, the County name will appear in the drop down on the E-Filing Map. A Proposed Document Submit button will also appear on the My Cases page when the County and the Judicial Officers are ready to accept the proposed documents.
I need to add a non-party filer or an intervenor to a case but that selection is not available as a party in the drop-down. What do I do?
The Clerk’s Office has the ability to add parties to the drop-down menus. You will need to call the Clerk’s Office in the county in which you are fling so they can add that option in the party drop-down. Until that party is available for you to select, the Clerk will add the party when they review the document before accepting for filing.
What is the best way to file exhibits?
The best way to file exhibits is to create them as separate documents. Name them the same, but append the words: “Part 1 of 4,” “Part 2 of 4,” and the like, so the Clerk can tell the documents go together. Currently, several counties require the exhibits to be part of the main document; i.e., all in one document however the Florida Courts Technology Committee [FCTC] is working on standards for filing documents that would apply to all counties.
Sometimes the E-filing Portal has not charged us for some of our summons (but charges filing fees, etc.), then we get a letter from the Clerk demanding payment of the summons fees. What should we do differently to ensure the EFiling Portal charges for the summons fee?
On case initiation, after you select the Case type and the Sub Type, if the county allows you to submit your summons electronically you will see an Additional Fee section to enter the number of summons to be issued.
When filing to an existing case, on the Case Information page, you may see an Additional Fees section if the county allows you to select additional fees to be included in your submission. The item that says “Number of Defendants” is where you would type in the number of defendants for which you wish to have summonses issued. The Portal will then calculate that summons fee
and include it in the fees section.
Summonses are handled in the Additional Fees section on the Case Information screen instead of being attached to a document type. Some counties process summons manually.
Are there any plans to force Clerk’s to be consistent?
It is a goal of the Supreme Court Chief Justice to standardize the E-Filing in Florida among all jurisdictions. Best Practices have been created and distributed. The Clerks are working on creating standard divisions, case types and sub types along with document descriptions right now. As soon as that project is completed we will be able to implement in the portal.
I cannot find my case number on the Portal to file to some Broward County cases?
Go to the Broward County web site for E-Filing instructions to obtain the Uniform Case Number.
