ResourcesFAQs

The Florida Courts E-Filing Authority strives to provide an easy-to-use system for electronically filing court documents. Below are frequently asked questions about the E-Filing Portal, several FAQs downloads, and information about using the E-Service.

Registration / Accounts

Who can register on the Portal?

How do I register as a Pro Hac Vice attorney?

May I have more than one Portal Account [User Name and Password]?

Do I need a separate user name and password for every county I file in?

How much does it cost to register and file?

Can a Florida Registered Paralegal register for an account to file for the attorney they work for?

E-Filing Training

How can I receive online training for filing through the Portal?

Do you provide “hands on” training at a law firm?

Payment of Filing Fees

How do I pay the statutory filing fee?

What payment methods are accepted on the Portal?

What is the statutory convenience fee associated with the payment methods?

When is my account charged for the payment?

How will my filing fee charge appear on my bank statement?

Can I establish a credit card for an organization to be used by everyone in the organization?

How do I delete saved payment account information?

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?

As an organization, how do we become exempt from the payment of fees on the Portal?

Case Types

Can you initiate a new criminal case electronically?

Documents

What document types does the Portal support?

How does the attorney sign the document if it is computer generated and printed to PDF?

What do we do with original documents required to be maintained by the Clerk pursuant to Supreme Court Administrative Order or Florida Statutes?

If the client has physically signed and the signature has been notarized, is it preferable to scan the document, or can we sign electronically?

What are the formatting requirements for documents?

How do you date stamp the document you filed?

I understand my documents must be ADA compliant. What does that mean?

What are the file size limitations for a filing?

How do I file my document if it exceeds the maximum file size?

How do I file a document that contains confidential information?

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?

How do I know my document is really filed?

How do you file an ORIGINAL Return of Service or an ORIGINAL deposition transcript?

I cannot find the document name in the list of documents we can file. What do I do?

Why do some case styles contain a party “Unavailable”?

E-Service Through The Portal

Is service provided through the Portal considered to be in compliance with Rule 2.516?

Is E-service through the Portal mandatory?

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?

Are the parties that are listed in the Clerk’s Case Maintenance System automatically added to the E-service Recipient List?

If opposing counsel is not listed because they have not filed, can you simply send them notice through the US mail?

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.?

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.

I filed to a case and I receive E-service to the wrong email address.

Will you still receive E-service on your cases marked “Inactive”?

If you receive E-service on a document twice, how do you know which document is the correct document?

I have not filed to a case and I receive E-service on a case to the wrong email address?

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?

Access To Cases

Can we do a search for cases that are not ours?

How do we access the official court file and the documents therein?

Correction Queue

The Portal is saying my document is not named right. What should I do?

How do I see the status of my filings?

Can I save my filing so that I can access it at a later time or make corrections?

What reasons will cause a filing go to the Correction Queue?

How do we know which document has the error when more than one document is in the submission?

County-Specific Questions

How do I know which counties will allow my summonses to be submitted and paid for when filing the complaint?

Will the counties take proposed documents through the Portal?

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?

What is the best way to file exhibits?

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?

Are there any plans to force Clerk’s to be consistent?

I cannot find my case number on the Portal to file to some Broward County cases?

FAQs Downloads

For more detailed information, please visit the training manuals and materials page.