An attorney licensed in another state can appear in a specific Florida case through pro hac vice admission in Florida under Rule 2.510 of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration. The process requires a verified motion, a $250 fee to the Florida Bar, and a Florida-licensed attorney who agrees to serve as local counsel on the case.1Rule 2.510, Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration
Who Qualifies
Rule 2.510 sets eligibility conditions, and missing any one of them ends the application. The applicant must be an active member in good standing of another state’s bar and currently eligible to practice there.
Several categories of attorney are barred from using the rule at all:
- Florida residents cannot appear pro hac vice, with one narrow exception: a resident who has a pending application for Florida Bar admission and has not previously been denied.
- Someone who already holds a Florida Bar license but is currently ineligible to practice, whether suspended, inactive, or otherwise, cannot use pro hac vice as a workaround.
- An attorney who was disciplined or held in contempt for misconduct during a prior Florida pro hac vice appearance is permanently barred from future appearances, once the contempt order is final.
- Failing to pay the required fee or to give notice to the Florida Bar under the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar is independently disqualifying.
Even when an applicant satisfies every listed requirement, the court retains discretion over the motion and can impose conditions it finds appropriate.
The Three-Case Limit in a 365-Day Window
More than three appearances in separate cases within any 365-day period creates a presumption of “general practice” in Florida, which disqualifies the attorney from pro hac vice admission. Appearances at different levels of the court system in the same case, such as trial and appeal, count as a single appearance for this purpose.
The filing fee can be waived in cases involving indigent or pro bono clients, but the three-case limit is a firmer boundary. An attorney who expects to handle Florida litigation on a recurring basis should seek regular Florida Bar admission instead.
What the Verified Motion Must Contain
The Florida Supreme Court has adopted a standardized form that every applicant must use. It captures:
- Every jurisdiction where the attorney is an active member in good standing, with all bar and attorney numbers.
- Every pro hac vice motion the attorney has filed in Florida state courts in the preceding five years, with date, case name, case number, and whether each was granted or denied.
- All discipline imposed in any jurisdiction during the preceding five years, including the sanction, and any currently pending disciplinary proceedings.
- The date the representation began and the identity of the party being represented.
- The name, bar address, and membership status of the Florida Bar member serving as associated counsel.
- A statement confirming the attorney has read the applicable provisions of the Florida Rules of General Practice and Judicial Administration and the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar.
The motion must be verified, meaning signed under oath by the out-of-state attorney, and the associated Florida Bar member must also sign. The disclosure duty continues after filing. If any information changes, such as a new disciplinary action or a change in bar status, the attorney must file a supplement with the court and the Florida Bar within 10 days of learning of it. That obligation runs until the motion is denied or the attorney is no longer on the case.
Filing Steps and Fees
Two tracks run in sequence, one with the Florida Bar and one with the court.
First, submit the verified motion to the Florida Bar with a $250 nonrefundable fee, payable by debit or credit card through the Bar’s online portal. The Bar then issues a pro hac vice (PHV) number, which the attorney uses to register for electronic filing in Florida’s court system.
Second, file the motion in the specific court where the case is pending. Florida courts require electronic filing through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Until the PHV number issues, every pleading, including the motion itself, must be e-filed by the associated local counsel. Once the number is assigned, the out-of-state attorney can register with the portal using it as a Bar ID and file independently.
A separate motion is required in each court that hears the case. If a matter moves from a trial court to an appellate court, a new motion has to be filed at the appellate level even though the trial court already granted one.
For long-running cases, Florida Bar Rule 1-3.10 authorizes an annual nonrefundable renewal fee for attorneys who maintain pro hac vice status. The amount and due date are set by the Florida Bar’s executive director with Board of Governors approval, not fixed in the rule. Confirm the current amount directly with the Florida Bar.
What Local Counsel Does
Every pro hac vice appearance requires a Florida Bar member in good standing to be associated as an attorney of record on the case. The court will not grant the motion without one. The local counsel signs the verified motion to signal consent.
Rule 2.510 does not spell out a detailed list of duties. It does not require the Florida attorney to co-sign every pleading or attend every hearing. It requires that a Florida Bar member be on the case as an attorney of record, which carries the professional responsibilities that come with that designation. Many judges expect local counsel to be available for procedural questions, service, and knowledge of local rules and standing orders, but specifics vary by judge. Sort out the scope of the arrangement before the motion is filed, not after.
Local counsel also handles all electronic filings until the pro hac vice attorney has a PHV number.
Ongoing Obligations After Admission
The standardized motion includes a statement in which the out-of-state attorney agrees to comply with the Florida Rules of Professional Conduct and consents to the jurisdiction of the courts and the Florida Bar. That consent has teeth: the attorney is subject to Florida’s disciplinary system for the duration of the case, as though they held a Florida license.
Rule 4-5.5 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar confirms that any lawyer practicing in Florida under pro hac vice or another authorized exception is subject to Florida’s disciplinary authority. Misconduct during the appearance can produce contempt, sanctions, and a permanent bar on future pro hac vice admissions in the state, and can trigger reciprocal discipline in the home jurisdiction.
Florida’s conflict-of-interest rules, communication requirements, trust account rules, and advertising restrictions apply throughout the case. The home state’s rules do not substitute.
Federal Courts in Florida Are Separate
Florida’s three federal district courts operate under their own local rules for pro hac vice admission. Rule 2.510 does not reach them, and a state-court pro hac vice admission does not carry over to federal court, or the other way around.
- Southern District: the attorney must be a member in good standing of the bar of any U.S. court or the highest court of any state. A motion by local co-counsel already admitted to the district is required. The applicant must certify that they have studied the local rules, are in good standing, and have not filed more than three pro hac vice motions in different cases in the district within the last 365 days. Even after admission, the out-of-state attorney cannot file through CM/ECF; designated local co-counsel handles electronic filing.
- Middle District: the fee is $150, and admission falls under Local Rule 2.01(c) as “special admission.” The applicant must be a member in good standing of a U.S. district court bar and must not be maintaining a regular practice of law in Florida.
- Northern District: the fee is $219 per case, per attorney.
Each district applies its own version of the three-case limit. The Southern District expressly presumes that more than three motions in separate cases within 365 days constitutes general practice. A federal court can waive or modify the limit for good cause, but the attorney must file a written motion explaining why.
When the Admission Ends
Pro hac vice status is tied to a specific case. When the case concludes by final judgment, dismissal, or settlement, the authorization ends automatically after any applicable appeal period expires with no appeal filed. To withdraw earlier, the attorney follows the standard procedure under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.505(f): file a motion to withdraw, notify all parties and the client, and obtain a court order.
The court can effectively revoke pro hac vice status through a misconduct finding. A contempt order or disciplinary action during a pro hac vice case ends the current admission and, under Rule 2.510(a)(3), permanently disqualifies the attorney from future pro hac vice appearances in Florida once the order is final.