Hillsborough County, Florida

Which bankruptcy court hears a case from Hillsborough County?

Hillsborough County is assigned to the Tampa Division of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida (M.D. Fla. LBR 1071-1(b)(3)). The district courts hold original and exclusive jurisdiction over cases under title 11 (28 U.S.C. § 1334), and a voluntary case begins when the petition is filed — that filing is itself the order for relief (11 U.S.C. § 301).

Residence alone is not the whole venue rule. A case may be commenced in the district where your domicile, residence, principal place of business in the United States, or principal assets in the United States were located for the 180 days before filing, or for a longer part of that period than any other district (28 U.S.C. § 1408). A move partway through the year, or a business or assets in another district, can therefore point somewhere other than Tampa. Venue can also follow a pending affiliate or partnership case.

What does this court require of someone filing without a lawyer?

The Middle District's electronic-filing procedures are written for attorney users: its emergency-matters procedure states that non-represented parties must file their papers in paper at the court, and that a non-represented party with an after-hours emergency should follow the court's after-hours filing procedure (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Emergency Matters (including Certificate of Necessity)).

If you file without a lawyer, you can ask to receive court-generated notices and orders by email instead of U.S. Mail. The court's form requires an original signature, must be mailed or delivered to the Clerk, and depends on your having a PACER account; each debtor in a joint case files a separate request (Bankr. M.D. Fla. official publication — Request (Pro Se Debtor) to Receive Electronic Notification).

Schedules and statements must be signed under penalty of perjury, and the court's checklist notes that schedules without signature lines need a declaration to count as signed (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Schedules Statements Plan Received After Filing).

• A list of creditors, a schedule of assets and liabilities, and a schedule of current income and current expenditures (11 U.S.C. § 521).
• A statement of financial affairs and a statement of monthly net income, itemized to show how the amount is calculated.
• Copies of all payment advices or other evidence of payment received from an employer within 60 days before the petition date.
• In a Chapter 7 case, a statement of intention for debts secured by property of the estate, due within thirty days of filing or by the date of the meeting of creditors, whichever is earlier.

How does the meeting of creditors work in this district?

The United States trustee convenes and presides at the meeting of creditors, and the court may not preside at or attend it (11 U.S.C. § 341). The district's procedure manual adds who actually runs the room: in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases the trustee assigned to the case conducts the meeting, and in Chapter 11 the United States Trustee does (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion to Continue or Reschedule 341 Meeting).

If the meeting needs to be moved, the request goes to the case trustee, or to the United States Trustee in Chapter 11 — a motion filed with the court is denied by a form order directing the movant to the trustee instead. A motion to excuse a debtor from appearing must state why, attach documentation for health problems, incarceration or active military service, and reflect whether the trustee consents (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion to Excuse Debtor Appearance at 341).

What local rules and orders change the process here?

Several district-wide orders and forms shape a Hillsborough County case more than anything county-specific does. Chapter 13 filers use the court's own plan form — Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Chapter 13 Model Plan (Non-Fillable Form) EFFECTIVE 12/04/2023 — on which the debtor must check whether the plan includes items such as a secured-claim valuation or lien avoidance; if a box is left blank or both are checked, that provision is ineffective. Plan payments include the trustee's fee and begin 30 days from the petition or conversion date.

The same district sets presumptively reasonable fees a Chapter 13 debtor's attorney may charge without filing a fee application, with separate ceilings for mortgage modification mediation and the student loan management program (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order 07-mp-00002-CED). Since October 2023, attorneys must again obtain a client's original signature before filing a petition through CM/ECF (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order FLMB-2023-2).

What does it cost to file, and can the fee be paid over time?

A Chapter 7 case carries a $245 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1)), collected with a $78 administrative fee (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8) and a $15 trustee surcharge (Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9). A Chapter 13 case carries a $235 filing fee (28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B)) plus the same $78 administrative fee. The Tampa court's published schedule states that fees are payable by money order or cashier's check made out to Clerk, US Bankruptcy Court, and that it accepts no cash, personal checks or credit cards from debtors (Bankr. M.D. Fla. official page — Filing Fees).

An individual may apply to pay in up to four installments, with the final installment due no more than 120 days after filing, extendable to 180 days for cause; this court allows three payments over a 90-day period after an initial payment (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Application for Payment of Filing Fees in Installments).

Which Florida questions should you settle before filing?

Three Florida questions do more to shape the outcome than anything the Tampa Division does. The first is which exemption list applies, because the published amounts flow from that choice. The second is homestead: Florida's constitutional homestead carries no state-law dollar ceiling, but it is limited to 160 contiguous acres outside a municipality or one-half contiguous acre inside one, and it remains subject to the constitutional creditor exceptions and to the federal bankruptcy caps (Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(1)). The third is what happens to your paycheck. Wage protection turns on Florida law and on the creditor's judgment, and where we hold no verified figure we say so instead of estimating.

Florida also exempts qualifying retirement funds, life-insurance cash value and annuity proceeds, workers' compensation and reemployment-assistance benefits (Fla. Stat. § 222.21(2); Fla. Stat. § 222.14; Fla. Stat. § 440.22; Fla. Stat. § 443.051(2)).

Where can a Hillsborough County resident get help?

The court publishes a handout for the Middle District of Florida Bankruptcy Pro Se Assistance Clinic in Tampa, a nonprofit staffed by volunteer lawyers in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association. As the handout describes it, the clinic offers on-site information and guidance and limited case-specific advice at no charge, held every Wednesday from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at the Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse, 801 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, with no appointment necessary; it does not represent anyone in court or file pleadings, and it is not affiliated with the court (Bankr. M.D. Fla. official publication — Tampa Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic). Consultations can run up to 30 minutes, and you complete an intake form and liability waiver first. Court handouts change, so confirm before you travel.

Arthur, our AI Navigator, can organize your situation and, where a participating local firm covers your county, pass an introduction along at your request.

Frequently asked questions

Does my case have to be filed in Tampa because I live in Hillsborough County?

Hillsborough County is assigned to the Tampa Division (M.D. Fla. LBR 1071-1(b)(3)), so that is where a resident's case is normally heard. The venue statute, though, looks at where your domicile, residence, principal place of business or principal assets were located for the greater part of the 180 days before filing (28 U.S.C. § 1408). A recent move or a business in another district can change the district.

Can the Chapter 7 filing fee be waived?

The court may waive the filing fee in a voluntary Chapter 7 case if it determines the debtor's income is less than 150% of the official poverty line for the debtor's family size and that the debtor is unable to pay the fee in full or in installments. The application is made on the official form, and the court may later vacate the waiver if developments show it was unwarranted (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Application for Waiver of the Chapter 7 filing Fee or to Proceed in Forma Pauperis).

Who conducts the meeting of creditors, and what does the trustee ask?

The United States trustee convenes the meeting, and in Chapter 7, 12 and 13 cases the assigned case trustee conducts it. Before the meeting concludes, the trustee orally examines a Chapter 7 debtor to confirm they understand the consequences of seeking a discharge, the effect on credit history, the option of filing under a different chapter, and what reaffirming a debt means (11 U.S.C. § 341).

Can the credit-counseling requirement be waived?

There is a district procedure for requesting it. The court's manual notes that individual debtors must complete a pre-petition credit counseling course and a post-petition financial management course, and that a debtor may request an exemption for specified reasons. The motion must be signed, state the reason for the waiver, and be properly served, and the court rules on it by order (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion for Waiver of Credit Counseling Requirement).

Does filing stop a Florida tax certificate sale on my property?

An administrative order of this court confirms that the automatic stay does not prohibit Florida tax collectors from selling tax certificates relating to property of a debtor or a bankruptcy estate. The same order does not permit the sale of tax deeds, which remain subject to the stay until it terminates by operation of law or the court modifies it (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order FLMB-2018-1).

What if I have to file something after the clerk's office closes?

The court has an after-hours procedure for when its electronic system is inaccessible or an emergency requires paper filing to meet a deadline. The first page and the signature page may be faxed to the division's fax line after the office closes, and the complete original with any required fee must reach the clerk or be filed electronically by noon the next business day; otherwise the fax has no effect (Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — After Hours Filing Procedure).

Sources

• M.D. Fla. LBR 1071-1(b)(3)
• 28 U.S.C. § 1408
• 28 U.S.C. § 1334
• 11 U.S.C. § 301
• 11 U.S.C. § 341 · official source
• 11 U.S.C. § 521 · official source
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1) · official source
• 28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B) · official source
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8
• Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. official page — Filing Fees
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Application for Payment of Filing Fees in Installments
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Application for Waiver of the Chapter 7 filing Fee or to Proceed in Forma Pauperis
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion to Continue or Reschedule 341 Meeting
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion to Excuse Debtor Appearance at 341
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Motion for Waiver of Credit Counseling Requirement
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Schedules Statements Plan Received After Filing
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Emergency Matters (including Certificate of Necessity)
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — After Hours Filing Procedure
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Procedure Manual — Chapter 13 Model Plan (Non-Fillable Form) ** EFFECTIVE 12/04/2023 **
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order 07-mp-00002-CED
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order FLMB-2023-2
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. Admin. Order FLMB-2018-1
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. official publication — Request (Pro Se Debtor) to Receive Electronic Notification
• Bankr. M.D. Fla. official publication — Tampa Pro Se Bankruptcy Clinic
• Fla. Const. art. X, § 4(a)(1)
• Fla. Stat. § 222.21(2)
• Fla. Stat. § 222.14
• Fla. Stat. § 440.22
• Fla. Stat. § 443.051(2)

Related

• Find your local bankruptcy court
• The 180-day venue rule and exemption lookbacks
• What actually happens at the 341 meeting
• What bankruptcy costs to file
• Build your personalized roadmap
• Find a bankruptcy lawyer by state

What it costs to file here

Chapter 7 — total court charges at filing

$338

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(A), (f)(1); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8; Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 9

Chapter 13 — total court charges at filing

$313

28 U.S.C. § 1930(a)(1)(B); Bankruptcy Court Miscellaneous Fee Schedule, Item 8

Court charges only. What a lawyer charges is separate and varies by district and by case. Estimate the full cost →

Florida median income

Median annual income, household of one

$69,876

USTP Median Family Income (2026-07-15 period)

The means test compares household income to the published median for the same household size. Being above it is not a bar to filing. Compare your household →

What Florida law protects

This state has opted out of the federal exemption list for debtors whose applicable exemption law is this state's law. Which state's law applies is set by 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) from where the filer was domiciled before filing, not from where they live today — and § 522(b)(3) still allows the federal list where that domicile rule would otherwise leave a debtor with no exemptions at all.

All Florida exemptions, with their statutes →