In Panama City, Heritage Funeral Home stands on North Tyndall Parkway and shares a website and staff with Heritage Shores Funeral Home in Panama City Beach. Its staff lists licensed funeral directors, an advanced planning specialist and certified cremation specialists.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Bay County, Florida
How probate works in Bay County: the Clerk of Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court
Bay County · 14th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CT
Office
300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing mandatory for attorneys since April 1, 2013. Optional for self-represented parties. Statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal for all circuit courts.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filing is permitted for proceedings that do not require formal administration. The 14th Judicial Circuit publishes pro se summary administration probate forms: Petition for Summary Administration, Order of Summary Administration, Order Admitting Will to Probate, Waiver and Consent to Probate, and a Checklist for Summary Administration.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Credit card, Debit card, Money order.The Clerk's Office accepts only cash, credit/debit cards (Discover, MasterCard, Visa, American Express), money orders or cashier's checks for all monetary transactions.
P.O. Box 2269
Panama City, FL 32402
Fax
1-850-747-5188
Departments
- Estates, Wills (Probate)1-850-747-5100 · Room 105 · webprobate@baycoclerk.com
- Guardianship1-850-747-5100 · Room 105 · webprobate@baycoclerk.com
About the court
- Office hours are in Central Time.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Bay County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Bay County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City. The court sits in the 14th Judicial Circuit. The same 14th Judicial Circuit also serves Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Florida intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Florida estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsFla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Bay County
What probate costs in Bay County, Florida comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City. The court is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit.
Florida charges $400Fla. Stat. §§ 28.2401(1)(g), (3); 44.108(1)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Florida are based on reasonable compensation — usually hourly billing or a flat fee for the engagement.
Florida sets executor compensation on a statutory schedule that is presumed reasonable — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%Fla. Stat. § 733.617Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Florida requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Fla. Stat. § 733.402Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Florida typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Clerk of Circuit Court
Probate cases in Bay County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court. The court sits in the 14th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Estates, Wills (Probate) and Guardianship.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Bay County Self-Filing Assessment.
Bay County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
14th Circuit probate checklists
The 14th Judicial Circuit publishes checklists for opening and closing formal administration, summary administration and petitions to determine homestead, plus forms for disposition of personal property in small intestate cases.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Clerk of Circuit Court: Verified Petition for Administration drafted to Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petitioner interest, decedent data, beneficiaries, venue, § 733.301 priority, will statement, asset value); Original of the decedent's last will and any codicils (deposited with the court within 10 days of knowledge of death, Fla. Stat. § 732.901), in a testate estateFla. Stat. §§ 733.101-733.402 (venue, petition, appointment, letters, bond); Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petition), 5.235 (issuance of letters, bond), 5.030 (attorney required)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Bay County
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Bay County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Bay County, Vital Statistics as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Registrar
Bay County · Florida Department of Health in Bay County, Vital Statistics
Phone
1-850-872-4455 (option 4, then option 2)
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:45 PM
Office
597 West 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Fax
1-850-462-6201
Local rule
- A legible copy of a valid driver license, passport, state-issued ID or military identification card accompanies every request.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
District Medical Examiner
Bay County · District 14 Medical Examiner
Phone
Office
3737 Frankford Avenue, Panama City, FL 32405
Serves this county
District 14 Medical Examiner (District 14 (Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington Counties))
Mail and offices
Fax
1-866-302-7565
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Bay County
5 funeral homes and crematories in Bay County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In Panama City, Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home and Cemeteries plans cremation services for families from Panama City to Lynn Haven, Cedar Grove and Callaway. Its redesigned events room can hold large gatherings, and catering is available.
In Panama City, Pasco Gainer Sr. Funeral Home serves families from its location at 915 North Cove Boulevard. Families reach the home at (850) 522-8889.
In Panama City, this family owned and operated funeral company works from its 19th Street location, which houses its Care Center and crematorium. The business was established in downtown Panama City in 1955 and now has three locations along the Gulf Coast.
In Panama City Beach, Heritage Shores Funeral Home stands on Front Beach Road and shares a website and staff with Heritage Funeral Home in Panama City. Its staff lists licensed funeral directors, an advanced planning specialist and certified cremation specialists.
Funeral homes by city: Panama City, Panama City Beach
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Bay County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Deeds and other real property documents for Bay County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401. Phone: 1-850-747-5100. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CT.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Bay County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, File and Go, Hopdox and RecordNation.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Bay County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CT
Office
300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401
Website
Fax
1-850-747-5188
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $10 |
| Each additional page | $8.5 |
Fla. Stat. 28.24(13), (13)(c), (13)(d), (13)(e); Fla. Stat. 201.02(1)(a)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Bay County
Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Bay County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Florida uses a presumed-reasonable fee schedule for probate attorneys — the percentages are a starting point that can be negotiated, especially for simple estates. Bay County firms typically follow the schedule for routine work and negotiate on complex matters.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Clerk of Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Panama City solo practice handling wills, trusts, estate planning, and Florida probate for Bay County families. Adam Hood has served clients in Panama City since 2008 and holds a master's degree in estate planning.
Shalimar firm on Eglin Parkway, near Fort Walton Beach, serving Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa, and Bay counties since 1987. Handles probate administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and tax-efficient estate planning. Founding shareholder H. Bart Fleet is admitted to the U.S. Tax Court and teaches the Wills, Trusts and Probate course at Northwest Florida State College.
Chipley solo practice serving Washington, Holmes, Calhoun, Jackson, and Bay counties in the rural Panhandle. Handles formal, summary, and ancillary probate, wills and trusts, lady bird deeds, and real estate and family law matters. James W. Batton started the firm in 2014.
Panama City solo practice on Harrison Avenue serving Bay County. Max W. McCord III guides personal representatives through Florida estate administration, including ancillary estates for non-residents who owned Florida real property, advises trustees on administering a trust, and handles probate disputes and will contests. Also plans taxable and non-taxable estates.
Boutique tax and estate practice in Panama City serving Bay County and the surrounding Northwest Florida panhandle. Advises executors and trustees on their fiduciary duties, defends estate tax and valuation audits, and handles estate and gift tax planning, business succession, and special needs planning. Laura C. Pyne is also a CPA and worked at KPMG and PwC.
Gainesville firm handling probate in every Florida county on a flat fee, with an Ocala office and a fully remote administration process. Founding partner R. Nadine David advised Florida circuit court probate judges as a probate court staff attorney before entering private practice in 2014. Handles formal and summary administration, trust administration, and estate litigation.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(8)·
- Fla. Stat. § 733.617
- Fla. Stat. §§ 28.2401(1)(g), (3); 44.108(1)
- Fla. Stat. §§ 733.101-733.402 (venue, petition, appointment, letters, bond); Fla. Prob. R. 5.200 (petition), 5.235 (issuance of letters, bond), 5.030 (attorney required)
- Fla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710
- Fla. Stat. 28.24(13), (13)(c), (13)(d), (13)(e); Fla. Stat. 201.02(1)(a)
- Bay County Clerk of Circuit Court, official page
- Bay County Clerk of the Circuit Court, official page
- Bay County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Florida statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Florida
Free tools for settling an estate in Florida: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Florida.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Florida: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysFla. Prob. R. 5.340; Fla. Stat. § 733.604Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsFla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702 (later of 3 months from first publication or 30 days from service on a served creditor), 733.703, 733.705, 733.707, 733.710Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Florida happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeFla. Stat. § 736.0101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysFla. Stat. §§ 736.0813, 736.1008, 736.10081Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Get the Answer
Hire a Florida Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Florida attorneys handling probate matters.
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Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
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