Texas evictions: $1,000 flat attorney fee. $0 to start, billed per completed stage. Flat-Fee Evictions Filed by Licensed Attorneys.
$1,000 flat fee for an uncontested eviction. $0 to start. Court costs are separate.
Notice, filing, citation, default judgment and the writ. A contested case carries a further flat charge of $1,000. Handled and signed by a licensed Texas attorney, filed under the new statewide eviction rules effective January 2026. Court costs are set by your county and shown here as estimates.
What to expect in Texas
Uniform statewide procedure
Texas rewrote eviction procedure effective Jan 1, 2026 (SB 38 / Rule 510). One rule set, all 254 counties, no local surprises.
Timelines
Trial is set 10–21 days after filing. Courts control the calendar; timelines vary.
First-delinquency rule
Since 2026, a first missed payment requires a pay-rent-or-vacate notice. Our engine tracks this automatically. It is a common DIY mistake.
Filed where your county accepts it
Once your case clears attorney review, we file through eFileTexas where the county takes e-filing and by mail where it does not.
The Texas calendar, day by day
Uniform statewide procedure since Jan 1, 2026 (SB 38 / Rule 510).
- Day 0USNotice servedSET BY LAW3-day notice to vacate, generated from the statute and served for you.Tex. Prop. Code 24.005
- Day 3USEarliest filingSET BY LAWThe soonest the petition may be filed. Once the case clears attorney review, we file through eFileTexas where the county takes e-filing and by mail where it does not.Rule 510.4
- Day 10COURTService attemptedSET BY LAWThe constable must attempt service by the 5th business day after filing.Rule 510.4(a)(4)
- Day 13COURTTrial window opensSET BY LAWTrial may be set no earlier than 10 days after filing.Rule 510.4(a)(10)
- Day 24COURTTrial must be set bySET BY LAWNo later than 21 days after filing. The attorney handles the hearing and may ask you to appear.Rule 510.4(a)(10)
- Day 29COURTAppeal window closesSET BY LAW5 days after judgment. If the tenant does not appeal, possession is final.Rule 510.9
- Day 30USWrit may issueSET BY LAWWe request the writ of possession when it is available.Rule 510.8(d)
- Day 33COURTKeys backCOURT’S CALENDARThe constable schedules and executes the lockout.
A writ must be executed within 90 days of judgment. We calendar that outer date on every case.
Day counts run from the day the notice is served. Statutory intervals are fixed by law; hearing, judgment, and lockout dates are set by the court and the constable or sheriff and vary by county. No result or date is guaranteed.
Court costs in major counties
These are the courts’ charges, not ours, estimated for your county and billed at the amount the court or officer charges.
| County | Filing & service | Writ |
|---|---|---|
| Harris (Houston) | $139 | $160 |
| Dallas | $134 | $405 |
| Tarrant (Fort Worth) | $144 | $185 |
| Travis (Austin) | $144 | $205 |
| Bexar (San Antonio) | $171 | $287 |
| Denton | $134 | $175 |
Not in these figures: when carrying out a writ takes more than two hours, Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Travis and Denton counties bill the constable's further time by the hour for each deputy, $50 to $80 an hour. Estimates from the courts' published schedules, not a quote. Costs are billed at the amount charged.
Texas eviction questions, answered
How long does an eviction take in Texas?
Most uncontested Texas evictions run three to five weeks from notice to writ. Under the 2026 rules, trial is set 10 to 21 days after filing, and your portal shows every deadline on your case as it happens. Contested cases and appeals take longer. A contested case carries a further flat charge, and an appeal is a separate engagement quoted in writing.
What notice do I have to give before filing?
Texas requires a written notice to vacate before you can file (Tex. Prop. Code 24.005). Since January 1, 2026, a tenant's first missed rent payment generally calls for a notice to pay or vacate first, and notice can now be delivered by hand, mail, commercial carrier, or in some cases email. We prepare and serve the notice your lease and the statute actually require.
Can I file an eviction myself in Texas?
Many owners can, but Texas rewrote eviction procedure effective January 1, 2026 (SB 38 / Rule 510), and the failure points moved: notice type, service windows measured in business days, and appeal deposits are all new. A notice or filing error usually means starting the clock over. For a published flat fee, a licensed Texas attorney signs and files it.
What happens if my tenant appeals?
Under the 2026 rules an appeal no longer automatically pauses enforcement. The tenant must post the required deposit within five days and keep paying rent into the court registry while the county court holds a new trial within 21 days. An appeal is a separate engagement, quoted in writing before any work.
Does the CARES Act still apply in 2026?
Yes. If a property has federally backed financing or participates in certain federal housing programs, federal law still requires a 30-day notice to vacate for nonpayment. Filing on a state notice for a covered property is one of the most common ways landlords lose weeks. We screen every case for CARES coverage before anything is served.
What mistakes most often delay a Texas eviction?
A notice period that does not match the lease, no proof of how notice was delivered, naming the wrong occupants, and missing the new business-day service windows. Each one can send you back to day zero. Our intake checks all of them before your case is filed.
General information about Texas law, not legal advice about your case. Every case turns on its facts.