Can You Self-File Probate in Polk County, Florida?

File at the Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, 255 N. Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. Phone: 863-534-4000. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Polk County requires e-filing for probate matters. E-filing mandatory for attorneys since April 1, 2013. Optional for self-represented parties. Statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal for all circuit courts.

You can technically file without a lawyer, but Florida has no standardized statewide probate form — the opening petition must be drafted as a formal legal pleading.Fla. Stat. § 733.402 (bond — required by default: "Unless the bond requirement has been waived by the will or by the court, every fiduciary to whom letters are granted shall execute and file a bond with surety"; banks/trust companies exempt under (3)), § 733.617(2) (PR commission presumed reasonable: 3% first $1M, 2.5% $1M-$5M, 2% $5M-$10M, 1.5% above $10M), § 733.6171(3) (attorney compensation presumed reasonable: $1,500 for estates $40,000 or less; +$750 $40K-$70K; +$750 $70K-$100K; "3 percent on the next $900,000"; 2.5% $1M-$3M; 2% $3M-$5M; 1.5% $5M-$10M; 1% above $10M; written disclosure of negotiability required by (2)(b)), § 733.604(1)(a) (PR self-values the estate in a verified inventory — no court appraiser), § 733.702(1) (creditor claims: later of 3 months from first publication OR 30 days from service on the creditor), § 733.710(1) (absolute 2-year nonclaim bar from date of death), § 733.2121(2) (publication "once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered"), § 735.201(2) (summary administration: estate less exempt property "does not exceed $150,000 ... or ... the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years" — $150,000 per Ch. 2026-57 § 7, in force since 2026-07-01), § 735.301(1) (disposition without administration: decedent "leaving only personal property" whose nonexempt value does not exceed preferred funeral expenses + last-60-days medical/hospital expenses; no fixed dollar cap; not amended by Ch. 2026-57). Re-verified 2026-09-08 by live fetch of the 2026 codified sections on leg.state.fl.us and flsenate.gov (§§ 733.402, 733.403, 733.604, 733.617, 733.6171, 733.702, 733.710, 733.2121, 735.201, 735.301, 28.2401). The 2026 annual republication now carries the Ch. 2026-57 figures, so the summary-administration cap no longer rests on the enrolled chapter law alone.Verified Sep 8, 2026 Most people in this situation work with an attorney, though small-estate procedures remain simpler to handle independently.

Court filing fees in Florida vary by county.Fla. Stat. § 733.402 (bond — required by default: "Unless the bond requirement has been waived by the will or by the court, every fiduciary to whom letters are granted shall execute and file a bond with surety"; banks/trust companies exempt under (3)), § 733.617(2) (PR commission presumed reasonable: 3% first $1M, 2.5% $1M-$5M, 2% $5M-$10M, 1.5% above $10M), § 733.6171(3) (attorney compensation presumed reasonable: $1,500 for estates $40,000 or less; +$750 $40K-$70K; +$750 $70K-$100K; "3 percent on the next $900,000"; 2.5% $1M-$3M; 2% $3M-$5M; 1.5% $5M-$10M; 1% above $10M; written disclosure of negotiability required by (2)(b)), § 733.604(1)(a) (PR self-values the estate in a verified inventory — no court appraiser), § 733.702(1) (creditor claims: later of 3 months from first publication OR 30 days from service on the creditor), § 733.710(1) (absolute 2-year nonclaim bar from date of death), § 733.2121(2) (publication "once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered"), § 735.201(2) (summary administration: estate less exempt property "does not exceed $150,000 ... or ... the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years" — $150,000 per Ch. 2026-57 § 7, in force since 2026-07-01), § 735.301(1) (disposition without administration: decedent "leaving only personal property" whose nonexempt value does not exceed preferred funeral expenses + last-60-days medical/hospital expenses; no fixed dollar cap; not amended by Ch. 2026-57). Re-verified 2026-09-08 by live fetch of the 2026 codified sections on leg.state.fl.us and flsenate.gov (§§ 733.402, 733.403, 733.604, 733.617, 733.6171, 733.702, 733.710, 733.2121, 735.201, 735.301, 28.2401). The 2026 annual republication now carries the Ch. 2026-57 figures, so the summary-administration cap no longer rests on the enrolled chapter law alone.Verified Sep 8, 2026 Self-filing costs typically include the court petition fee, publication costs, and bond premiums. The filing fee is a fraction of total probate costs. See a full breakdown with the Florida probate calculator.