Enter the dates from your foreclosure papers and see how much time you have — and what to do next.
An estimate for planning, not legal advice — timelines can vary by county and case. Confirm every date with your papers, the court, or your attorney. Free help: find a HUD-approved housing counselor.
Florida uses a judicial foreclosure process. The sale date itself is court-set: the final judgment must schedule the sale 20–35 days after the judgment date (Fla. Stat. §45.031(1)(a)), but the exact date is printed in the judgment — the homeowner should read it there rather than compute it.
No STATUTORY right to reinstate in Florida. However, the standard Fannie/Freddie mortgage contract ('Borrower's Right to Reinstate After Acceleration') typically lets the borrower reinstate by paying arrears, fees, and costs — generally until entry of judgment. Also, the contract's breach-letter clause (usually paragraph 22) requires a letter giving at least 30 days to cure before acceleration/suit. Check the mortgage document; do not promise a statutory cure right. Contractual (standard uniform mortgage covenant); no Florida statute grants reinstatement
Before the sale: Statutory equity of redemption until the LATER of the clerk's filing of the certificate of sale or the time stated in the judgment — pay the full amount in the judgment plus reasonable foreclosure expenses and attorney's fees (Fla. Stat. §45.0315).
After the sale: None once the certificate of sale is filed ('Otherwise, there is no right of redemption'). The 10-day post-sale period is only for objections to the sale, not redemption. Fla. Stat. §45.0315 · Fla. Stat. §45.031(4)-(6)
Until the auction (strictly, until the clerk files the certificate of sale — usually the same day as the auction or the next day). A homeowner can list, sell, and pay off the judgment right up to the sale date and keep all remaining equity; after the certificate of sale is filed, only surplus auction proceeds (if the bid exceeded the judgment) can be claimed.
Want the fuller picture beyond the dates? Read the Florida foreclosure guide — timeline, rights & options.
Property taxes: the county sells a tax CERTIFICATE (lien) first; the owner may redeem the certificate at any time before a tax DEED is issued (or full tax-deed payment is made to the clerk). A certificate holder cannot even apply for a tax deed until 2 years after April 1 of the year the taxes became delinquent (Fla. Stat. §197.502). So the practical deadline is the tax-deed sale, at least ~2 years out. Fla. Stat. §197.472(1); Fla. Stat. §197.502
Practitioner estimate: roughly 8–14 months from filing to sale if uncontested; 2–3+ years if actively defended. Florida is judicial-only, so every case goes through court. (Practitioner estimate, not a statute.)
If your mortgage predates your military service, the federal SCRA generally requires a court order to foreclose during active duty and for 12 months after (50 U.S.C. §3953). These protections must be raised — tell the court and your counselor.