What to Do When Someone Dies in Nassau County, Florida

How probate works in Nassau County: the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller record, what the process costs, and how to file there.

Probate Court Record

Nassau County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller

Nassau County · 4th Judicial Circuit

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Office

76347 Veterans Way, Yulee, FL 32097

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 Clerk's Documents & Forms page carries the Disposition of Personal Property packet, with its requirements and instructions, under Probate Forms. The forms may be sworn before a deputy clerk or a notary and are filed with a deputy clerk in the Civil Department. Deputy clerks cannot give legal advice.

Accepted payment

  • At the counterFiling fees are payable to the Nassau County Clerk of Court. A check is accepted in person from the person named on it with identification, and the office does not accept checks sent by mail.

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

How Probate Works in Nassau 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 Nassau County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller at 76347 Veterans Way, Yulee. The court sits in the 4th Judicial Circuit. Nassau County shares the 4th Judicial Circuit with Clay and Duval.

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 Nassau County

What probate costs in Nassau 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 & Comptroller at 76347 Veterans Way, Yulee. The court is part of the 4th 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 & Comptroller

Probate cases in Nassau County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller. The court sits in the 4th Judicial Circuit.

Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Civil Department (probate filings) and ADA Coordinator.

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 Nassau County Self-Filing Assessment.

Nassau County Filing Requirements

These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.

Before You File

Wills are accepted for deposit only after the testator's death

The Clerk does not accept a will for deposit before the death of the person who made it.

Source

Document Requirements

Disposition of personal property without administration

The Clerk's packet requires that the decedent lived in Nassau County and owned no non-homestead real property, and that the qualifying funeral and last-60-day medical expenses, paid out of pocket, equal or exceed the non-exempt assets. The filing includes the notarized Verified Statement, an original or certified copy of the death certificate, paperwork showing the asset, the original will if not already filed, the funeral and medical bills with receipts, and notarized consents from other heirs. The judge reviews the filing and, if the criteria are met, signs a letter directing the institution to pay the person who paid the funeral bill.

Source

What to Bring

Filed with the opening petition at the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller: 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 Nassau County

In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Nassau County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Nassau County, Vital Statistics as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Vital Records Office Record

Local Registrar

Nassau County · Florida Department of Health in Nassau County, Vital Statistics

Office

1620 Nectarine Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

Certified copies

At the counter

Fax

1-904-428-5632

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Coroner or Medical Examiner Record

District Medical Examiner

Nassau County · Medical Examiner's Office

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Office

4368 North Davis Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209-4502

Serves this county

City of Jacksonville Medical Examiner's Office (District 4 (Clay, Duval and Nassau Counties))

Verified November 2, 2026 · Source

Transferring Property in Nassau 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 and Comptroller.

Deeds and other real property documents for Nassau County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller at 76347 Veterans Way, Suite 456, Yulee, FL 32097. Phone: 1-904-548-4600. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.

Nassau County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Hopdox and Simplifile.

Recording Office Record

Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller

Nassau County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Office

76347 Veterans Way, Suite 456, Yulee, FL 32097

Fees

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 Nassau County

Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Nassau 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. Nassau 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 & Comptroller, 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.

FirmFernandina Beach, FL

Amelia Law Group, PLLC

Since 2014 · Serves 2 counties

Boutique Fernandina Beach firm on Amelia Island serving Nassau County and the Jacksonville metro. Handles trust and probate administration for families settling an estate, alongside estate planning and private wealth planning for business owners and high-net-worth clients. Founder Lorie L. Chism earned her CPA in 1990 and has been named a Florida Super Lawyer every year since 2014.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningWills Trusts

Office
960194 Gateway Boulevard, Suite 101Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

Solo PracticeJacksonville, FL

Elrod & Elrod, P.A.

Since 1966 · Serves 15 counties

Jacksonville firm handling estate administration for families across northeast Florida, from Duval and Clay through Marion and Suwannee counties. Opens probate estates, investigates creditor claims, addresses estate and income taxes, and distributes assets to heirs; also drafts wills, trusts, and advance directives. Robert W. Elrod, Jr. continues a practice his father started in 1966.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateWills Trusts

Office
233 East Bay Street, 10th Floor, Suite 1032Jacksonville, FL 32202
Free consultation

FirmJacksonville, FL

Law Office of David M. Goldman PLLC

Since 2008 · Serves 6 counties

Jacksonville firm serving Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, and Baker counties, with a satellite office in Ponte Vedra Beach. Handles formal and summary probate administration, probate and trust litigation, guardianship, elder law and Medicaid crisis planning, and asset protection trusts. Practicing as this firm since 2008.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office
4115 Hendricks AvenueJacksonville, FL 32207
Free consultationVirtual consultations

Solo PracticeJacksonville, FL

Lim & Company, P.L.

Since 2007 · Serves 4 counties

Jacksonville solo practice serving Duval, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns counties. Ella Lim (Hae Kyung Lim) established the office in 2007 and handles estate planning, probate, guardianship, and business law. Concierge approach: the attorney travels to the client, with video conferencing also available.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipWills Trusts

Office
P.O. Box 350911Jacksonville, FL 32235
Virtual consultations

FirmFernandina Beach, FL

Poole & Poole, P.A.

Since 1994 · Serves 1 county

Fernandina Beach firm serving all of Nassau County -- Amelia Island, Yulee, Callahan, Hilliard, Bryceville -- since 1994, with over 55 years of combined experience. Assists families with estate administration after a death, alongside wills and revocable trusts, real estate, and civil litigation. Of counsel Wesley R. Poole is a retired Nassau County judge.

PracticesEstate PlanningProbateReal Estate LitigationWills Trusts

Office
303 Centre Street, Suite 200Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

FirmJacksonville, FL

Schnauss Naugle Law

Since 2001 · Serves 3 counties

Jacksonville firm serving Duval, Clay, and Nassau counties since 2001, and representing out-of-state families who have a Florida estate or probate matter. Attorneys Katherine Schnauss Naugle and Ellen Ball handle probate and estate administration, guardianship, and elder law, and represent estate beneficiaries during probate and trust administration.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawGuardianship

Office
810 Margaret St.Jacksonville, FL 32204
See all 26 firms serving Nassau County →

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.

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Legal Sources

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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

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