How probate works in Okeechobee County: the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Okeechobee County · 19th Judicial Circuit
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About the court
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 Okeechobee, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller at 312 Northwest 3rd Street, Okeechobee. The court sits in the 19th Judicial Circuit. The same 19th Judicial Circuit also serves Indian River, Martin and St Lucie.
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 Okeechobee 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 312 Northwest 3rd Street, Okeechobee. The court is part of the 19th 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 Okeechobee County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller. The court sits in the 19th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate Division, 19th Judicial Circuit.
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 Okeechobee County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Custodian must deposit the will within 10 days of learning of the death
The custodian of the will deposits it with the Clerk having venue of the estate within 10 days after learning of the death and supplies the date of death. A will cannot be deposited for safekeeping while its maker is alive, and depositing a will does not require an attorney.
SourceDisposition of personal property without administration
The court requires an original or raised-seal certified death certificate, the original will if one exists, proof that the decedent lived in Okeechobee County and owned no real estate anywhere, the paid funeral bill, last-60-day medical receipts, records of the assets, signed waivers and consents from all heirs, and the packet signed before a notary. Filers include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the certified copy of the order, and an unpaid funeral bill is paid from the assets to the funeral home.
SourceFiled 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.
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Okeechobee County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Okeechobee County, Vital Statistics as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Okeechobee County · Florida Department of Health in Okeechobee County, Vital Statistics
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| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Okeechobee County · Office of the Medical Examiner - District 19
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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 Okeechobee County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 312 Northwest 3rd Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972. Phone: 1-863-763-2131. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Okeechobee 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 Okeechobee 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. Okeechobee 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.
Solo PracticeOkeechobee, FL
Okeechobee practice serving Okeechobee County and the surrounding Heartland from an office on N.W. 6th Street. Tom W. Conely III handles probate, wills, trusts, and estate planning. The professional association has been on the state register since 1980.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateWills Trusts
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
FirmFort Lauderdale, FL
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmWinter Park, FL
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
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.
