In Englewood, All Veterans - All Families Cremations provides direct cremation, without a viewing or funeral service beforehand. It states that it honors military and non-military families equally, and it does not take pre-planning payments.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Sarasota County, Florida
How probate works in Sarasota County: the Clerk of Circuit Court & County Comptroller record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Sarasota County Clerk of Circuit Court & County Comptroller
Sarasota County · 12th Judicial Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237
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 Clerk states that formal administration must be filed by an attorney licensed in Florida unless the personal representative is the sole beneficiary. The Clerk's probate forms page carries the petition packet for a disposition of personal property without administration and the creditor statement of claim, and other probate forms are in the Twelfth Circuit forms library.
Self-help center
- Sarasota Self-Help Center & Law Library, 2002 Ringling Boulevard, 1st floor lobby, Sarasota (the Judge Lynn N. Silvertooth Judicial Center)1-941-861-8191The Clerk's probate page lists the Sarasota Self-Help Center & Law Library among the places a probate filer without a lawyer can turn for assistance.
County forms
- Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration (instructions and verified statement)The Sarasota County Clerk's instructions and petition for releasing a decedent's personal property without administration.
P.O. Box 3079
Sarasota, FL 34230-3079
About the court
- The Clerk's main office is in the Sarasota County Historic Courthouse at Main Street and U.S. 301, with Customer Services in Room 102 on the first floor. Probate, wills, guardianship and mental health matters are handled there.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Sarasota 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 Sarasota, probate runs through the Clerk of Circuit Court & County Comptroller at 2000 Main Street, Sarasota. The court sits in the 12th Judicial Circuit. The same 12th Judicial Circuit also serves DeSoto and Manatee.
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 Sarasota County
What probate costs in Sarasota 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 & County Comptroller at 2000 Main Street, Sarasota. The court is part of the 12th 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 & County Comptroller
Probate cases in Sarasota County, Florida are filed at the Clerk of Circuit Court & County Comptroller. The court sits in the 12th Judicial Circuit.
The Clerk's probate page lists the Sarasota Self-Help Center & Law Library among the places a probate filer without a lawyer can turn for assistance.
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 Sarasota County Self-Filing Assessment.
Sarasota 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
Known creditors send a case to summary administration
The Clerk's instructions state that the Sarasota County judges have consistently required a petitioner to file for summary administration instead of a disposition without administration when there are known creditors.
SourceDocument Requirements
What to file with a disposition of personal property without administration
The Clerk's instructions list the notarized four-page petition, a certified death certificate, the original will unless already filed, a copy of the paid funeral bill, paperwork showing the asset, the last 60 days of medical expenses with receipts, notarized consents of any other heirs, and a statement regarding creditors. The forms may be sworn before a deputy clerk or a notary, and the filer receives a plain and a certified copy of the order to present to the financial institution.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Clerk of Circuit Court & County 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 Sarasota County
In Florida a death is registered locally, and in Sarasota County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, Vital Statistics as well as by Florida Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Registrar
Sarasota County · Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, Vital Statistics
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 12:30 PM-4:30 PM
Office
2200 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34237
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Local rule
- A legible copy of a valid driver license, passport, state-issued ID or military identification card accompanies every request. Certificates are also issued at the Venice location, 4000 S. Tamiami Trail.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
District Medical Examiner
Sarasota County · District 12 Medical Examiner Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4510 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34232
Website
Serves this county
District 12 Medical Examiner Office (District 12 (DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota Counties))
Release of remains
1-941-861-2400 · Sarasota Medical Examiner Facility · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:30 PM
Mail and offices
Fax
1-941-361-6914
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Sarasota County
16 funeral homes and crematories in Sarasota County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In North Port, Farley Funeral Home & Crematory offers burial and cremation, funeral and memorial services, pre-need planning and body donation coordination. The location was established in 1970 and has multiple chapels and reception space.
In North Port, Gendron Funeral & Cremation Services offers funeral services and cremation options, with its own crematorium. The family-owned North Port Chapel also serves families in Port Charlotte and Venice.
In Sarasota, A. Roese Cremation & Memorial Society is a family-owned cremation and funeral provider for families throughout Southwest Florida, arranging cremation, burial and memorial services. Families meet at its office on South Tamiami Trail, at home or online, and its veteran cremation package includes delivery of cremated remains to Sarasota National Cemetery.
In Sarasota, Baldwin Brothers Funeral & Cremation Society offers cremation, burial ceremonies and pre-need arrangements on Bee Ridge Road for Sarasota and Manatee counties. Staff coordinate with Sarasota National Cemetery and assist with VA burial benefits. Se habla español.
In Sarasota, Clearview Cremation's office on S Beneva Rd arranges cremation across Sarasota County, coordinating with the District 12 Medical Examiner and local hospitals and hospices. Arrangements can be made online, by phone or at a local office, and the company states it offers support in Spanish throughout the process.
Funeral homes by city: Englewood, North Port, Sarasota, Venice
Cremation Services in Sarasota County
14 listings
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in Sarasota County
15 listings
Burial Services in Sarasota County
9 listings
Veterans Funeral Services in Sarasota County
8 listings
Funeral Transport in Sarasota County
4 listings
Spanish-Speaking Funeral Homes in Sarasota County
4 listings
Jewish Funeral Homes in Sarasota County
2 listings
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Sarasota 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 Sarasota County are recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237. Phone: 1-941-861-7400. 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.
Sarasota County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Sarasota County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237
Website
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 Sarasota County
Florida uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Sarasota 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. Sarasota 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 & County 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.
Sarasota elder-law and probate practice operating since 1983 across Sarasota, Manatee, DeSoto, and Charlotte counties. Works with personal representatives through the Twelfth Judicial Circuit on inventory, creditor claims, homestead, and accountings, plus trust administration and guardianship. Ira Wiesner is a Florida Bar board-certified elder law specialist.
Sarasota elder law and estate planning firm founded in 1995, serving Sarasota, Tampa, and St. Petersburg. Handles probate and trust administration, guardianship proceedings, long-term care planning, special needs trusts, and veterans benefits. Two of its attorneys were among the first three board certified elder law attorneys in Florida.
Sarasota estate and trust firm on Main Street, practicing in Sarasota and Manatee counties since 1971. Handles probate and estate administration, trust administration, contested wills and trusts, inheritance disputes, guardianship, and Medicaid planning across Sarasota, Bradenton, and Lakewood Ranch. R. Craig Harrison is board certified by The Florida Bar in Wills, Trusts and Estates.
Sarasota practice founded in 2011, with a second office in Lakewood Ranch, serving Sarasota and Manatee counties. Handles probate, trust administration and settlement after death, estate and gift tax planning, and probate and trust disputes including arbitration and mediation. David M. Silberstein has been Florida Bar board certified in both Tax Law and Wills, Trusts and Estates since 1998.
Sarasota firm on Fruitville Road serving Sarasota and Manatee counties, including Bradenton. Teresa K. Bowman and Chrystal R. Koch guide personal representatives, trustees, and beneficiaries through probate and trust administration, from the initial filings and creditor notices to distribution and closing. Bowman is a Certified Elder Law Attorney credentialed by the National Elder Law Foundation.
Bradenton firm serving Manatee and Sarasota counties from five offices, including Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, Anna Maria Island, and downtown Sarasota. Handles formal and summary probate administration, creditor claims, trust administration and accountings, will contests and fiduciary disputes, and guardianship proceedings. Established 1995.
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)
- Sarasota Clerk of Circuit Court & County Comptroller, official page
- Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court, official page
- Sarasota 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
Browse vetted Florida attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
