How probate works in Hardee County: the Clerk of Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Hardee County · 10th Judicial Circuit
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Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
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 Hardee County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 417 West Main Street, Suite 202, Wauchula. The court sits in the 10th Judicial Circuit. Hardee County shares the 10th Judicial Circuit with Highlands and Polk.
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 Hardee 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 417 West Main Street, Suite 202, Wauchula. The court is part of the 10th 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.
Probate cases in Hardee County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court. The court sits in the 10th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate Division.
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 Hardee County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration document checklist
Requires itemized paid funeral bills, medical expense receipts from the 60 days before death, the death certificate, a statement of the asset type, filer identification, and the applicable fee.
SourceOriginal will deposited within 10 days; no attorney required
A will must be deposited with the Clerk within ten days after the custodian receives notice of death. No attorney is required to file a will.
SourceFiled 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.
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Hardee County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Hardee County as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Hardee County · Florida Department of Health in Hardee County
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| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Hardee County · Polk County Medical Examiner's Office
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Serves this county
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
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 Hardee County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 417 West Main Street, Suite 214, Wauchula, FL 33873. Phone: 1-863-773-4174. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Hardee County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN and Hopdox.
Recording Office Record
Hardee County
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| 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
Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Hardee 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. Hardee 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.
FirmSebring, FL
Heartland Florida firm with offices in Sebring (Highlands County) and Wauchula (Hardee County), advertising over 60 years of legal experience. Handles estates and probate, guardianships, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, alongside real estate closings and civil matters.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipWills Trusts
Solo PracticeWauchula, FL
Wauchula solo practice on Main Street in the Hardee County seat, the courthouse town for Florida's Tenth Judicial Circuit and one of the few estate practices in the inland Heartland. Kenneth Evers has practiced in Florida since 1995 and registers estate planning, wills and trusts, and probate and trust litigation among his Florida Bar practice areas, alongside real estate and business work.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 3 more
Solo PracticeArcadia, FL
Arcadia solo practice and one of the few probate firms based in Florida's inland Heartland, serving DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Charlotte, Sarasota, Lee, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Paul Seusy handles probate and probate litigation alongside elder law, real estate litigation and family matters, and states plainly that he is not certified by Florida as a specialist.
PracticesProbateProbate LitigationElder LawFamily LawReal Estate Litigation
FirmBrandon, FL
Brandon firm headquartered on E. Bloomingdale Avenue, with probate offices in Lakeland and New Port Richey serving Hillsborough, Polk, and Pasco counties. Handles formal, summary, and ancillary administration, homestead and creditor-claim issues, and personal-representative duties, plus will contests, removal petitions, and trust litigation. Brice Zoecklein is the managing attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
FirmGainesville, FL
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation
FirmBradenton, FL
Bradenton firm on State Road 70 East serving Manatee and Sarasota families, and accepting probate cases in any Florida county. Guides personal representatives and trustees through probate and trust administration, and handles estate planning, wills, trusts, and elder law as a National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys member. Rodney D. Gerling and Dana Laganella Gerling founded the firm in 2004.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawWills Trusts
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.
Data sourced from Florida statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
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.
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.
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.
Florida has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Browse vetted Florida attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Florida attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Florida lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
