{
  "slug": "eviction-cost-calculator",
  "title": "Eviction Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Eviction Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/eviction-cost-calculator",
  "summary": "Court costs, lost rent, legal fees, and turnover cost of an eviction, totaled.",
  "description": "An eviction is rarely just a filing fee. By the time it's over, most landlords have absorbed weeks or months of unpaid rent during the legal process, attorney or filing fees, a sheriff's lockout fee in some jurisdictions, the cost of the unit sitting vacant after the tenant leaves, plus make-ready and re-leasing costs because the unit is usually left in worse condition than a normal move-out. This calculator adds every piece so you know the real cost before deciding whether to pursue an eviction, negotiate a cash-for-keys exit, or work out a payment plan — cash-for-keys is very often cheaper even though it feels like paying a tenant to leave.",
  "formula": "Total eviction cost = unpaid rent during process + court/filing/attorney fees + lockout fee + make-ready + re-lease vacancy and marketing.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=eviction-cost-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "rent",
      "label": "Monthly rent",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1600,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "processMonths",
      "label": "Months from filing to possession",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2.5,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": 12
    },
    {
      "id": "legalFees",
      "label": "Court filing + attorney fees",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 800,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "lockoutFee",
      "label": "Sheriff / lockout fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 150,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "makeReady",
      "label": "Make-ready after unit left in poor condition",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "releaseVacancyDays",
      "label": "Vacancy after eviction before re-lease",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": "days",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 180
    },
    {
      "id": "recoveryPct",
      "label": "Chance of recovering back rent via judgment",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "netCost",
      "label": "Net eviction cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "grossCost",
      "label": "Gross cost before recovery",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "expectedRecovery",
      "label": "Expected judgment recovery",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "unpaidRent",
      "label": "Unpaid rent during process",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "cashForKeysBreakeven",
      "label": "Cash-for-keys still cheaper below this",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Monthly rent: 1600 $",
      "Months from filing to possession: 2.5",
      "Court filing + attorney fees: 800 $",
      "Sheriff / lockout fee: 150 $",
      "Make-ready after unit left in poor condition: 2200 $",
      "Vacancy after eviction before re-lease: 30 days",
      "Chance of recovering back rent via judgment: 15 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Net eviction cost: $8,150",
      "Gross cost before recovery: $8,750",
      "Expected judgment recovery: $600",
      "Unpaid rent during process: $4,000",
      "Cash-for-keys still cheaper below this: $6,125"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter monthly rent ($).",
      "Enter months from filing to possession.",
      "Enter court filing + attorney fees ($).",
      "Enter sheriff / lockout fee ($).",
      "Enter make-ready after unit left in poor condition ($).",
      "Enter vacancy after eviction before re-lease (days).",
      "Enter chance of recovering back rent via judgment (%).",
      "Read your net eviction cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "rent": 950,
        "processMonths": 1.5,
        "legalFees": 500,
        "lockoutFee": 100,
        "makeReady": 1300,
        "releaseVacancyDays": 20,
        "recoveryPct": 10
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "rent": 1600,
        "processMonths": 2.5,
        "legalFees": 800,
        "lockoutFee": 150,
        "makeReady": 2200,
        "releaseVacancyDays": 30,
        "recoveryPct": 15
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "rent": 2550,
        "processMonths": 4,
        "legalFees": 1300,
        "lockoutFee": 250,
        "makeReady": 3500,
        "releaseVacancyDays": 50,
        "recoveryPct": 25
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How long does an eviction actually take?",
      "a": "It varies enormously by state and even by county court backlog — as fast as 3-4 weeks in landlord-friendly states with uncontested cases, to 4-6 months or more in tenant-protective jurisdictions or when the tenant contests. Always check current local timelines rather than a national average, since this single input drives most of the total cost."
    },
    {
      "q": "What is cash-for-keys and when does it make sense?",
      "a": "It's paying a tenant a lump sum (commonly $500-$2,000) to vacate voluntarily and leave the unit in reasonable condition, avoiding the court process entirely. It almost always makes sense when the eviction timeline is long, since even a generous cash-for-keys offer is typically cheaper than two to three months of unpaid rent plus legal fees."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can I recover back rent after an eviction?",
      "a": "You can get a money judgment, but actually collecting from a tenant who couldn't pay rent is difficult — most landlords recover well under 25% of judgments, and it takes ongoing effort like wage garnishment where allowed. Budget the eviction as if you won't collect, and treat any recovery as a bonus."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does landlord insurance cover eviction costs?",
      "a": "Standard landlord policies generally don't cover eviction costs or lost rent from nonpayment — that requires a separate rent-guarantee or eviction-protection add-on, which some insurers and property managers now offer for a monthly fee per unit."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/rent-collection-loss-rate"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Eviction Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/eviction-cost-calculator)"
}