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Bay County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Bay County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (Bill Kinsaul), Probate and Court Records department, Room 105 |
| Courthouse | Bay County Courthouse, 300 East 4th Street, Room 105, Panama City, FL 32401 |
| Mailing address | Bay County Clerk of Court, Probate, P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402 |
| Phone | (850) 747-5100 (Probate and Court Records); (850) 763-9061 (general information) |
| Fax | (850) 747-5163 (Probate and Court Records) |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central time; closed legal holidays |
| Filing fee | Per the Bay County Clerk's published probate fee schedule (verified July 2026): formal administration $400; summary administration $345 for an estate of $1,000 or more, $235 under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $231. These totals sit on top of the statutory base in F.S. 28.2401, and the Clerk notes that fee increases are added during the legislative session, so confirm the current total before filing. |
| Local probate forms | A few. The Clerk's probate page posts a small set of local forms, chiefly a creditor's Statement of Claim and vulnerable-adult injunction forms, but no packet for opening an estate, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set; probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, in most cases by an attorney |
| E-filing | Through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com); mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers, who may also file on paper at the Clerk's counter or by mail |
| Online case search | The Clerk's own BenchmarkWeb2 portal (court.baycoclerk.com/BenchmarkWeb2), searchable by name or case number; no login is needed to look up a specific case, and probate case numbers end in CP |
| Remote appearance | The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit hears some proceedings by Zoom video conferencing; whether a remote appearance is available depends on the matter and the assigned judge, so confirm with the judge's office when a hearing is set |
| Website | https://www.baycoclerk.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Bay County, know exactly what is in the estate. Which Florida path fits depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets: formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733, summary administration under F.S. 735.201 for a smaller estate, or disposition of personal property without administration under F.S. 735.301 for a limited class of estates with no real property. The dollar thresholds that separate these paths are statewide and are explained on the Florida state page; identify the estate first so you and your attorney file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the Clerk. Whether the decedent's Panama City or Panama City Beach home was homestead property matters, because Florida homestead often passes outside the probate estate and is not counted toward the summary-administration limit. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Circuit Court of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit serves Bay County along with Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. Within Bay, the court covers the whole county, including Panama City (the county seat), Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, Callaway, Springfield, Parker, and Mexico Beach. Bay County probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller at the Bay County Courthouse, 300 East 4th Street, Room 105, in Panama City, and are heard by a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge there.
Venue for a decedent's estate is governed by F.S. 733.101. Administration is proper first in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, then, if the decedent had no Florida domicile, in a county where the decedent's property is located, and, if the decedent had neither domicile nor property in Florida, in the county where any debtor of the decedent resides. In practice, file in Bay County for a decedent who lived here. There is no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and other interested persons, and a list of the assets and debts with values.
- Choose the path based on the estate. Depending on whether there is a will and on the value and type of assets, the route may be formal administration (F.S. Chapter 733), summary administration (F.S. 735.201), or disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Florida state page.
- Confirm whether an attorney is required. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person (or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most administrations involve more than one interested person, most Bay County estates are filed through counsel.
- Prepare the petition. For a formal or summary administration, prepare the petition and supporting documents under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530). Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set, and the Bay County Clerk posts only a few specific probate forms (such as a creditor's Statement of Claim), not a packet for opening an estate, so in most cases an attorney prepares and files the papers.
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the portal, file on paper at the Clerk's Probate and Court Records counter in Room 105 at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, or mail the papers to P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402.
- Pay the filing fee. The Bay County Clerk's published probate fee schedule (verified July 2026) lists $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more ($235 under $1,000), and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration; these totals sit on top of the statutory base in F.S. 28.2401, and the Clerk notes that fee increases are added during the legislative session, so confirm the current total when you file.
- Give notice and publish. The personal representative serves notice on interested persons and publishes a notice to creditors, which opens the creditor-claim period. A creditor must file its claim by the later of 3 months after first publication or 30 days after being served (F.S. 733.702), and in all events within 2 years of death (F.S. 733.710).
- Attend the hearing if one is set. The petition is presented to a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge in Panama City. The circuit hears some proceedings by Zoom video conferencing, so ask the assigned judge's office whether your matter can be handled remotely.
- Receive the authority document. On appointment the court issues Letters of Administration, the proof of the personal representative's authority to act, in every case, whether or not there is a will. Request enough certified copies for the banks and institutions involved.
- Administer and close. Inventory the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, account to the interested persons, distribute the remaining assets, and close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bay County
The Bay County Clerk's probate page posts a small set of local probate forms, chiefly a Statement of Claim for creditors of an estate and the petition forms for an injunction for protection against exploitation of a vulnerable adult. There is no local packet for opening an estate, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set: probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530), and Florida Courts Help states that it does not provide probate forms. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, most estates do not self-file a probate packet: the attorney prepares the petition and files it through the statewide portal. For questions about local intake, filing in person versus by mail, or what the Room 105 counter needs, call the Clerk's Probate and Court Records department at (850) 747-5100.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Bay County Clerk of Court, probate division (baycoclerk.com) | The Clerk's probate page, with the posted local forms (including the Statement of Claim), the published probate fee schedule, and contact information |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov) | The judiciary's probate self-help page; it explains that no statewide probate forms are provided and points to the Florida Probate Code and local resources |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | The statewide portal for filing probate documents; mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers |
| Bay County Clerk of Court, office directory | The Probate and Court Records department contact, Room 105 location, mailing address, and hours for local intake questions |
Fees
Florida sets the Clerk's base probate service charges by statute (F.S. 28.2401): formal administration $395, summary administration $340 for an estate of $1,000 or more, and disposition of personal property without administration $230, plus a $4 additional service charge on administration petitions. On top of that statutory base, counties add further mandatory statutory charges, so the Clerk's published total is higher than the bare base. The Bay County Clerk's own published probate fee schedule totals are below (verified July 2026).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration (also guardianship, ancillary administration, curatorship, and conservatorship) | $400.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value $1,000 or more | $345.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value under $1,000 | $235.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Caveat or notice of trust | $41.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Exemplified certificate | $7.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
| Reopening a closed case | $50.00 | Bay County Clerk published fee schedule |
The schedule appears on the Clerk's probate page at baycoclerk.com, which notes that fee increases are added during the legislative session, so confirm the current total before filing. Certified copies and records searches are charged separately.
Local nuance
Bay County-specific considerations
Probate has its own counter and mailing address. Bay County probate, guardianship, and mental health matters are handled by the Clerk's Probate and Court Records department in Room 105 of the courthouse at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, reachable at (850) 747-5100 and [email protected]. Paper filings can be mailed to P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402, which is separate from the street address.
Case search runs on the Clerk's own Benchmark portal. Bay County does not use the statewide CiviTek system. Court records are searched through the Clerk's own BenchmarkWeb2 portal (court.baycoclerk.com/BenchmarkWeb2), searchable by name or case number. No login is needed to look up a specific case and see its docket events; a free secure login, requested through a Bay County Access Agreement, unlocks the full court-docket calendar. Probate case numbers end in CP, and guardianship cases end in GA.
Hearings may be held by video. The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit hears some proceedings by Zoom video conferencing, and the Zoom link is included in the court notice or provided by the judge's judicial assistant. Whether a remote appearance is available depends on the matter and the assigned judge, so confirm the format with the judge's office when a hearing is set rather than assuming an in-person or remote appearance.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Bay County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Panama City or Panama City Beach home was the decedent's homestead, Florida homestead protections usually let it pass to the surviving spouse outside the probate estate, often confirmed by a petition to determine homestead status filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. If other assets must be administered, the spouse (through counsel, unless she is the sole interested person under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030) files a summary or formal administration and is issued Letters of Administration. | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held and what else is in the estate. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. A vetted attorney referral where Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | A smaller estate that meets the statewide threshold can proceed by summary administration under F.S. 735.201, which appoints no personal representative and ends in an order distributing the assets; a very limited estate with no real property may qualify for disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). Both are filed with the Bay County Clerk, and an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal without repeated trips to Panama City. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and to locate accounts from out of state. Packet generation for the petition, prepared in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely remotely. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds real property that must be sold, it generally proceeds through formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733: the parent, represented by counsel under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, petitions the Clerk of the Circuit Court, is appointed personal representative, receives Letters of Administration, and can then sell the home and distribute the proceeds. The matter is heard by a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge in Panama City. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the formal administration filing. Attorney referral, and help if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Bay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller, Probate and Court Records, (850) 747-5100 (baycoclerk.com) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, case search, and the Room 105 probate counter |
| Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida (jud14.flcourts.org) | Court administration for Bay County, judicial assignments, administrative orders, and general information on video hearings |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/other-resources/probate) | The judiciary's probate self-help page, with plain-language information on the probate process |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | Registration and self-help for e-filing probate documents, the option available to self-represented filers |
| Legal Services of North Florida, Panama City office, 211 East 11th Street, (850) 769-3581 (lsnf.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; the Panama City office serves Bay, Gulf, Holmes, and Washington counties |
| The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service, (800) 342-8011 (floridabar.org) | Statewide referrals to Florida-licensed probate attorneys, plus the consumer pamphlet Probate in Florida |
When to hire an attorney
Florida makes counsel the norm in probate. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person, or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons, or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most Bay County estates have more than one interested person, most formal and summary administrations here are handled through counsel, who also e-files through the statewide portal. Consider an attorney early when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or creditors are pressing, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Bay County and the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Bay County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Florida estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition and supporting paperwork for your path, ready to file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Panama City through the statewide e-filing portal or on paper.
Find a local probate attorney. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, Sunset connects families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Bay County and the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Bay County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller at the Bay County Courthouse, 300 East 4th Street, Room 105, Panama City, FL 32401, or by mail to P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402. Bay County is in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Florida has no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court.
Do I have to e-file probate in Bay County?
Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the same portal, file on paper at the Clerk's Probate counter in Room 105 in Panama City, or mail the papers to the Clerk's post office box.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Bay County?
Usually yes. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person (or the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most estates have more than one interested person, most Bay County administrations are handled through counsel.
Who is the Bay County Clerk of Court?
Bill Kinsaul is the elected Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Bay County. The Clerk's Probate and Court Records department, which handles estates, wills, and guardianships, is in Room 105 of the courthouse at 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, and can be reached at (850) 747-5100.
Can I appear remotely for a Bay County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit hears some proceedings by Zoom video conferencing, and the Zoom link is included in the court notice or provided by the judge's judicial assistant. Whether a remote appearance is available depends on the matter and the assigned judge, so confirm the format with the judge's office when a hearing is set.
Can I look up a Bay County probate case online?
Yes. Court records are searched through the Clerk's own BenchmarkWeb2 portal at court.baycoclerk.com/BenchmarkWeb2, searchable by name or case number. No login is needed to look up a specific case and see its docket events; probate case numbers end in CP. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk's office at (850) 763-9061.
What forms do I need for probate in Bay County?
The Clerk's probate page posts a few local forms, chiefly a Statement of Claim for creditors and vulnerable-adult injunction forms, but there is no local packet for opening an estate and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set. Probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, and in most cases an attorney prepares the petition. The Clerk's Probate and Court Records department at (850) 747-5100 can answer questions about local intake.
What does it cost to file probate in Bay County?
Per the Bay County Clerk's published probate fee schedule (verified July 2026), formal administration is $400, summary administration is $345 for an estate of $1,000 or more ($235 under $1,000), and disposition of personal property without administration is $231. These totals sit on top of the statutory base in F.S. 28.2401, and fee increases are added during the legislative session, so confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 747-5100 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Panama City to settle an estate there?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal, and papers can be mailed to the Clerk at P.O. Box 2269, Panama City, FL 32402. Where a hearing is required, the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit uses video conferencing for some matters, so ask the assigned judge's office whether it can be held remotely.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.