In Bonifay, Davis-Watkins - Bonifay is one of the locations of Davis-Watkins Funeral Homes & Crematory, which is family owned. The firm serves Holmes, Okaloosa and Walton counties from homes in Bonifay, Crestview, DeFuniak Springs, Fort Walton Beach and Miramar Beach.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Holmes County, Florida
How probate works in Holmes County: the Clerk of Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Holmes County Clerk of Circuit Court
Holmes County · 14th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
201 North Oklahoma Street, Bonifay, FL 32425
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
AllowedThe Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, which serves Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson and Washington counties, publishes probate forms and checklists: summary administration, disposition of personal property without administration, affidavit of heirs and the formal-administration opening and closing checklists.
P.O. Box 397
Bonifay, FL 32425
Departments
- Probate Department1-850-547-1100 · 201 North Oklahoma Street
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Holmes 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 Holmes County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 201 North Oklahoma Street, Bonifay. The court sits in the 14th Judicial Circuit. The same 14th Judicial Circuit also serves Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, 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 Holmes County
What probate costs in Holmes 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 201 North Oklahoma Street, Bonifay. 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 Holmes 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 a separate line for Probate Department.
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 Holmes County Self-Filing Assessment.
What 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 Holmes County
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Holmes County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Holmes County as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Registrar
Holmes County · Florida Department of Health in Holmes County
P.O. Box 337
Bonifay, FL 32425
Fax
1-850-547-8515
Local rule
- Valid photo identification is required when requesting the cause of death.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
District Medical Examiner
Holmes 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 Holmes County
2 funeral homes and crematories in Holmes County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In Bonifay, Peel Funeral Home has been family owned and operated since 1948, with a second location, the Vernon Chapel, in Vernon. It arranges funeral services and cremations and helps families plan services in advance.
Funeral homes by city: Bonifay
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Holmes 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 Holmes County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 201 North Oklahoma Street, Bonifay, FL 32425. Phone: 1-850-547-1100. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 397, Bonifay, FL 32425.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Holmes County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
201 North Oklahoma Street, Bonifay, FL 32425
Website
P.O. Box 397
Bonifay, FL 32425
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 Holmes County
Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Holmes 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. Holmes 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.
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.
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.
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.
Fort Lauderdale two-attorney firm in which both partners hold Florida Bar board certification: David Shulman in Wills, Trusts and Estates and Jill Ginsberg in Elder Law. Handles probate and trust administration for Broward and Palm Beach fiduciaries, plus guardianship — including emergency temporary guardianship — estate planning, and asset protection. Takes probate matters anywhere in Florida.
Winter Park firm serving Orange County and, in probate matters, the entire state of Florida. Represents estate administrators, executors, trustees, and fiduciaries; handles intestate estates, probate real estate, will contests, and probate litigation; and drafts wills, testamentary trusts, and advance directives. Co-founder John R. Gierach has 43 years of experience and an AV Preeminent rating.
Seminole firm serving Pinellas and Hillsborough County families since 1976, with St. Petersburg and Sun City Center offices. Walks personal representatives through disposition without administration, summary and formal probate, and trust administration, and litigates trust and estate disputes. Long-term-care Medicaid and elder-law planning sit alongside the settlement work.
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)
- Holmes County Clerk of Circuit Court, official page
- Holmes County Clerk of the Circuit Court, official page
- Holmes 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
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