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Calhoun County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Calhoun County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (Robin "Cissy" Barfield) |
| Courthouse | 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, FL 32424 |
| Mailing address | Calhoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, FL 32424 (the Clerk publishes no separate post office box) |
| Phone | (850) 674-4545 |
| Fax | (850) 674-5553 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Central time; closed legal holidays |
| Filing fee | The statutory base under F.S. 28.2401 is $395 for formal administration and $340 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, plus a $4 additional charge on the petition; the Calhoun Clerk's posted fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration and $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000 ($235 under $1,000, $231 for disposition without administration) (Clerk fee schedule, verified July 2026). Confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing. |
| Local probate forms | None. The Clerk publishes no local probate forms, 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 |
| Online case search | Statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Calhoun County (county 07), with a public anonymous access option; official records are searched separately through MyFloridaCounty |
| Remote appearance | The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit conducts many hearings by Zoom; the Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk or the circuit whether a remote appearance is available for your matter |
| Website | https://calhounclerk.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Calhoun 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 Blountstown, Altha, or rural Calhoun County 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 Calhoun County along with Bay, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. Within Calhoun, the court covers the whole county, including Blountstown (the county seat), the town of Altha, and rural communities such as Clarksville, Kinard, and Scotts Ferry. Calhoun probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the courthouse at 20859 Central Avenue E. in Blountstown. The court has no separate probate division; probate is heard on the Circuit Court's general docket, and the Clerk's court services staff, listed under the office's probate and guardianship department, handle estate, will, and guardianship inquiries at the same counter.
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 Calhoun County for a decedent who lived here.
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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun has no local packet, 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 or file on paper at the Clerk's counter at 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, or by mail to that address.
- Pay the filing fee. The statutory base under F.S. 28.2401 is $395 for formal administration and $340 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, plus a $4 additional charge on the petition; the Calhoun Clerk's posted fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration and $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000 (verified July 2026). Confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing.
- 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. Many hearings in the circuit can be held by Zoom; the Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk or the circuit 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 Calhoun County
Calhoun County publishes no local probate forms of its own, 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 Blountstown counter needs, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (850) 674-4545.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Calhoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court, contact | Local intake questions, filing in person or by mail, hours, and the court records counter |
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 Calhoun County Clerk's own posted fee schedule totals are below (Clerk fee schedule PDF, updated August 2023, posted on calhounclerk.com; verified July 2026).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration (also guardianship, ancillary administration, curatorship, and conservatorship, regardless of inventory) | $400.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value more than $1,000 | $345.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Summary administration, estate value less than $1,000 | $235.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Petition and order to admit to record | $231.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Caveat or notice of trust | $41.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Exemplified certificate | $7.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
| Reopening a closed case | $50.00 | Calhoun County Clerk posted fee schedule |
The schedule is a PDF linked from the Fees menu on calhounclerk.com. Fee amounts change when the Legislature amends the statutory charges, so confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 674-4545 before filing. Certified copies and record searches are charged separately.
Local nuance
Calhoun County-specific considerations
Calhoun keeps Central time. Calhoun County is in the Central time zone, unlike most of Florida, which is on Eastern time. The Clerk's office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Central time, so plan filing deadlines, phone calls, and any hearing times around the Central-time clock and the 4:00 PM close.
File by mail or at the Blountstown counter. The Clerk's office is at 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, and publishes no separate post office box, so paper filings go to that courthouse address. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal; a self-represented filer may e-file, mail the papers to the courthouse, or file in person at the counter.
Court and official records are searched separately. Court case records for Calhoun County are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search (county 07), which offers a public anonymous access option. Official records such as deeds and recorded documents are searched through a separate MyFloridaCounty portal. To confirm a filing, you can also call the Clerk's office directly.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Calhoun County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Blountstown or rural Calhoun County 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 Calhoun Clerk, and an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal without repeated trips to Blountstown. | 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. A Fourteenth Judicial Circuit judge hears the matter. | 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 |
|---|---|
| Calhoun County Clerk of the Circuit Court, (850) 674-4545 (calhounclerk.com) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, case search, and court records |
| Fourteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida (jud14.flcourts.org) | Court administration for Calhoun County, judicial assignments, and the circuit's published Zoom remote-appearance guidance |
| 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, Quincy office, (850) 875-9881 (lsnf.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; its service area includes Calhoun County |
| 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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, Calhoun County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Florida path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition and supporting paperwork for your estate settlement path, ready to file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Blountstown 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Calhoun County courthouse, 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, FL 32424, or by mail to that address. Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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 or file on paper at the Clerk's counter in Blountstown or by mail to the courthouse.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Calhoun 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 Calhoun administrations are handled through counsel.
What time zone and hours does the Calhoun County Clerk keep?
Calhoun County is in the Central time zone, unlike most of Florida. The Clerk's office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Central time, and is closed on legal holidays, so plan filings and calls around the Central-time clock.
Can I appear remotely for a Calhoun County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit conducts many hearings by Zoom. The Zoom link comes from the court notice or the judge's judicial assistant, so ask the Clerk at (850) 674-4545 or the circuit whether a remote appearance is available when a hearing is set.
Can I look up a Calhoun County probate case online?
Yes. Court records are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Calhoun County (county 07), which offers a public anonymous access option. Official records such as deeds are searched on a separate MyFloridaCounty portal. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (850) 674-4545.
What forms do I need for probate in Calhoun County?
Calhoun County publishes no local probate forms, 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. Call the Clerk at (850) 674-4545 with questions about local intake.
What does it cost to file probate in Calhoun County?
The Calhoun Clerk's posted fee schedule lists $400 for formal administration (the same total applies to guardianship, ancillary administration, curatorship, and conservatorship), $345 for summary administration of an estate of more than $1,000, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration (verified July 2026). These totals sit on the statutory base set by F.S. 28.2401. Confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 674-4545 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Blountstown 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 20859 Central Avenue E., Room 130, Blountstown, FL 32424. Where a hearing is required, ask the Clerk or the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit whether it can be held by Zoom.
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.