Fla. Stat. § 28.2401(1) · checked 2026-10-20
Probate court fees in Florida
Florida charges a flat $395 to open an estate, whatever its size (formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395).
- 1$100,000 estate $395
- 2Fee basis Flat fee
- 3Small-estate fee $340
- 4Schedule Fla. Stat. § 28.2401
Fee to open an estate, by value
| Estate value | Fee | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
| $50,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
| $100,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
| $250,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
| $500,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
| $1,000,000 | $395 | Formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship or conservatorship $395 |
The fee is the same at every value, so a small estate pays as much as a large one to open full administration. At $100,000, 8 of the 12 fee schedules on this site charge less and 3 charge more.
Other charges in the schedule
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Formal administration | $395 |
| Summary administration, estate of $1,000 or more | $340 |
| Summary administration, estate under $1,000 | $230 |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $230 |
| Opening an estate | $230 |
| Caveat | $40 |
The statute states these as maximum service charges.
Source: Florida Statutes § 28.2401 (clerk service charges in probate matters), last checked 2026-10-20. Courts can add copy, certification and publication costs that are not in this schedule.
The small-estate route and its cost
Florida's simplified procedure is the summary administration (Fla. Stat. § 735.201), for estates within $150,000. The schedule charges $340 for the summary administration, against $395 to open full administration of a $100,000 estate. Check the Florida limit or see how long probate takes there.
What the court fee does not cover
The schedule above is only the court's own charge. Publishing notice to creditors in a newspaper, certified copies of letters, a fiduciary bond where the court requires one, appraisals and recording fees for real estate are billed separately by whoever provides them. Those notices also start Florida's creditor claim period of 3 months (Fla. Stat. § 733.702(1)), which usually decides how soon the estate can close. Most courts can waive or defer fees for a petitioner who cannot pay; the clerk's office has the request form.
Related: probate court fees compared · what probate is · all fee schedules.
Court fees only, read from the official schedule on 2026-10-20. Not legal advice; Probate Clock does not refer anyone to lawyers. Fee waivers are usually available to people who cannot pay — ask the court clerk.