The cost to evict a tenant in San Francisco typically runs from about $2,500 for a simple uncontested case to $45,000 or more when the eviction is contested or qualifies as “no-fault” under the city’s Rent Ordinance. Two variables drive almost all of the spread: whether the tenant fights the case, and whether the eviction is at-fault (non-payment, lease violation) or no-fault (owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal). No-fault evictions trigger mandatory relocation payments that can exceed $30,000 for a single unit before a lawyer is even hired.
Court and Sheriff Fees
Every eviction starts with the same baseline fees. Filing an Unlawful Detainer complaint in San Francisco Superior Court costs $435 for an unlimited civil case, which applies whenever the landlord seeks more than $35,000 in damages or unpaid rent.1Superior Court of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule San Francisco adds a local courthouse construction surcharge on top of that statewide amount.2Superior Court of California. Forms and Fees A limited civil case (under $35,000) carries a lower filing fee, but most San Francisco evictions with meaningful back rent and relocation exposure cross that threshold.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office charges $50 per service attempt for the summons and complaint. If you win and the tenant still won’t leave, executing the writ of possession costs another $180, which covers posting and the notice of restoration that ends with the lockout.3San Francisco Sheriff’s Office. Civil Division Fee Schedule The Sheriff requires prepayment, and the fees aren’t refundable if service fails.
Attorney Fees
Legal fees are where the budget actually gets decided. Most San Francisco landlords hire counsel, and the price turns almost entirely on whether the tenant responds to the lawsuit.
An uncontested eviction, where the tenant doesn’t file a response and the landlord takes a default judgment, often runs on a flat fee of roughly $2,000 to $4,000. That covers drafting the initial notice, filing the complaint, and getting the default. It’s the quick version.
Contested cases are different. Once the tenant files a response, the case moves into discovery, motion practice, and potentially a jury trial. San Francisco eviction attorneys typically charge $400 to $600 or more per hour for that work. A contested case that goes to trial can generate $15,000 to $20,000 in legal fees, and complex matters with tenant counterclaims push well beyond that. Tenants’ attorneys frequently raise habitability defenses, procedural challenges to the notice, or retaliatory eviction claims, each of which adds billable hours.
Mandatory Relocation Payments for No-Fault Evictions
In a no-fault eviction, where the tenant hasn’t done anything wrong, the San Francisco Rent Ordinance requires the landlord to pay the tenant a relocation sum set by the city. The most common triggers are owner move-in, relative move-in, demolition or removal from the rental market, and Ellis Act withdrawal. The amounts are updated annually.4American Legal Publishing. San Francisco Administrative Code SEC 37.9C – Tenants Rights to Relocation for No-Fault Evictions
Standard No-Fault Amounts
For termination notices served between March 1, 2026, and February 28, 2027, the payment is $8,245 per eligible tenant, capped at $24,733 per unit. An eligible tenant is anyone who has lived in the unit for at least 12 months.5SF.gov. Archive of Relocation Rates The payment comes in two installments: half when the notice is served, the rest when the tenant moves out.4American Legal Publishing. San Francisco Administrative Code SEC 37.9C – Tenants Rights to Relocation for No-Fault Evictions
If any tenant is 60 or older, has a disability, or the household includes a child under 18, the landlord owes an additional $5,497 per unit on top of the standard amount.5SF.gov. Archive of Relocation Rates So a unit with three long-term tenants, one of whom qualifies for protected status, requires a relocation payment of $30,230 before you’ve paid a lawyer or a court filing fee.
These payments are separate from the security deposit and can’t be offset against it.4American Legal Publishing. San Francisco Administrative Code SEC 37.9C – Tenants Rights to Relocation for No-Fault Evictions Miss the amount or the timing and the eviction can be invalidated, forcing you to start over.
Ellis Act Amounts
Ellis Act evictions, where a landlord withdraws every unit in the building from the rental market, carry higher relocation costs. For the same March 2026 through February 2027 window, the payment is $11,110.05 per tenant, capped at $33,330.13 per unit. Elderly tenants (age 62 or older under the Ellis Act, versus 60 for other no-fault evictions) and disabled tenants add $7,443.90 per unit.5SF.gov. Archive of Relocation Rates
The procedural overhead costs money too. The Notice of Intent to Withdraw filed with the Rent Board starts a 120-day clock before the withdrawal takes effect, extendable to a year for elderly or disabled tenants. After withdrawal, a five-year vacancy control period applies, and displaced tenants hold a right of first refusal for 10 years if the unit returns to the rental market.6SF.gov. Evictions Pursuant to the Ellis Act The financial consequences stretch well past the day the tenant moves out.
Buyouts as a Cost Comparison
Many landlords negotiate a buyout, paying the tenant an agreed sum to leave voluntarily instead of filing in court. A buyout usually costs less than a contested no-fault eviction and gives you a fixed number and a definite vacancy date. The tenant can refuse any offer, and the process is tightly regulated: a Rent Board disclosure form has to be given to each tenant before negotiations start, and even after signing, the tenant has 45 days to rescind in writing.7American Legal Publishing. San Francisco Administrative Code SEC 37.9E – Tenant Buyout Agreements For cost purposes, treat a buyout number as the price of certainty: typically somewhere between a contested at-fault eviction and a mandated no-fault payment, with no courtroom risk attached.
Lost Rent During the Timeline
Every month a non-paying tenant stays in the unit is a month of lost rental income, and San Francisco rents make that number significant. The California courts estimate an uncontested eviction takes roughly 30 to 45 days from service of court papers to move-out.8Superior Court of California. The Eviction Process for Landlords Contested cases in San Francisco routinely run three to six months, and jury trials or complex defenses can push longer. In a contested matter, lost rent during the delay often exceeds the combined attorney fees and relocation payments.
Ellis Act evictions are slower by design. The 120-day notice period means at least four months of waiting, and the one-year extension for elderly or disabled tenants stretches that further.6SF.gov. Evictions Pursuant to the Ellis Act
Post-Eviction Costs
Expenses continue after the tenant leaves. Professional deep cleaning of a post-eviction unit typically runs $250 to $580 or more depending on size and condition, and repairs for damage beyond normal wear and tear can add thousands. If the tenant leaves belongings behind, California law requires written notice and a wait of at least 15 days (18 if mailed) before disposal.9California Legislative Information. California Civil Code Section 1983 Storing and hauling abandoned property typically costs $60 to $700, and you may never recover storage charges if the tenant never claims the items. Other variable costs: jury fees if the tenant demands a jury, expert witness fees (building inspectors, for example), and rekeying locks after the lockout at $25 to $130 per lock.
What the Security Deposit Won’t Cover
The security deposit isn’t a backstop for legal expenses. Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5, a landlord can only deduct from the deposit for four things: unpaid rent, repair of damage beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning to restore the unit to its original condition, and restoring or replacing personal property if the lease specifically allows it.10California Legislative Information. California Civil Code Section 1950.5 Attorney fees, filing fees, and sheriff charges aren’t on that list. The deposit can offset some repair and cleaning costs. The eviction itself comes out of your pocket.
Tax Treatment of Eviction and Buyout Costs
A relocation payment or a voluntary buyout isn’t a current-year expense. Federal regulations require landlords to capitalize amounts paid to a tenant to terminate a lease rather than deduct them immediately.11eCFR. 26 CFR 1.263(a)-4 – Amounts Paid to Acquire or Create Intangibles The capitalized amount is amortized, generally over the remaining term of the terminated lease. For a month-to-month tenancy with little time left, the effect is small; for a long unexpired lease, it meaningfully delays the tax benefit. Court filing fees, attorney fees, and other litigation costs tied to the eviction itself are generally deductible as ordinary rental business expenses. A tax professional familiar with rental property can sort which cost falls into which bucket.
Total Cost Ranges by Eviction Type
Pulled together, the all-in cost looks roughly like this:
- Uncontested at-fault eviction (non-payment of rent, lease violation): court fees, sheriff service, and a flat-fee attorney add up to roughly $2,500 to $5,000. No relocation payment, because the tenant is at fault.
- Contested at-fault eviction: attorney fees alone can reach $15,000 to $20,000, plus months of lost rent. $20,000 to $40,000 or more is realistic.
- No-fault eviction (owner move-in, relative move-in): relocation payments up to $24,733 per unit, potentially plus $5,497 for protected tenants, plus attorney fees and court costs. A straightforward case lands at $30,000 to $40,000 or more.
- Ellis Act eviction: relocation payments up to $33,330.13 per unit, potentially plus $7,443.90 for protected tenants, plus the long timeline and vacancy control restrictions. Direct costs can top $45,000 before lost rent and the opportunity cost of the five-year vacancy control period.
A negotiated buyout, when it works, usually falls between a contested at-fault eviction and a mandated no-fault payment, with the advantages of a guaranteed timeline and no courtroom risk. The 45-day rescission window adds some uncertainty but still beats open-ended litigation. For most landlords running the numbers, the math favors exhausting negotiation before filing in court.