How probate works in Santa Rosa County: the Clerk of Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Santa Rosa County · 1st 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 Santa Rosa County, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court at 4025 Avalon Boulevard, Milton. The court sits in the 1st Judicial Circuit. The same 1st Judicial Circuit also serves Escambia, Okaloosa and Walton.
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 Santa Rosa 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 4025 Avalon Boulevard, Milton. The court is part of the 1st 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 Santa Rosa County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court. The court sits in the 1st Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate and Guardianship.
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 Santa Rosa County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Documents to bring for a disposition of personal property without administration
The Clerk asks for the death certificate, funeral and last-illness medical bills, a statement from the institution holding the funds with the account number and amount, and the original will if one exists. The decedent must have been a Santa Rosa County resident, and stamped, addressed envelopes are needed for everyone who will receive a certified copy of the order unless every party gives an email address.
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 Santa Rosa County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, Vital Statistics as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Santa Rosa County · Florida Department of Health in Santa Rosa County, Vital Statistics
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| First certified copy | $12 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Santa Rosa County · District One Medical Examiner's Office
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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 and Comptroller.
Deeds and other real property documents for Santa Rosa County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller at 6495 Caroline Street, Suite A, Milton, FL 32570. Phone: 1-850-981-5554. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to 6495 Caroline Street, Suite A, Milton, FL 32570.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller charges $10 for the first page plus $9 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa 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. Santa Rosa 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.
FirmPensacola, FL
Pensacola firm serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, including Gulf Breeze, Cantonment, Milton, and Navarre. Handles probate, guardianships, wills and trusts, powers of attorney, and death certificate corrections. Partners report over half a century of combined legal experience.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipWills Trusts
FirmPensacola, FL
Pensacola firm practicing since 1913, with its main office less than a half mile from the Escambia County Court House where Pensacola probate cases are heard. Handles probate and estate administration, ancillary administration of non-residents' Florida property, will contests and probate litigation, guardianships, and estate tax planning. Branch offices in Pace and Miramar Beach.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
FirmShalimar, FL
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTax PlanningConservatorshipand 2 more
FirmPensacola, FL
Pensacola firm serving Escambia and Santa Rosa counties and Northwest Florida. Gary B. Leuchtman has been Florida Bar board certified in wills, trusts and estates since 1994 and holds a master's degree in taxation. The firm handles probate, guardianship, trusts, special needs planning, and business succession.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmPensacola, FL
Pensacola firm on Palafox Place serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties from offices in Pensacola and Santa Rosa Beach. Handles formal, summary, and ancillary probate administration through the Escambia County probate court, plus contested wills, executor-duty disputes, and creditor claims. Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationReal Estate Litigation
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
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.
