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Collier County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Collier County (Probate Division) |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (Crystal K. Kinzel), Courts Department, Collier County Government Center, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples, FL 34112 |
| Phone | (239) 252-2646 (Clerk, probate); written questions go through the Clerk's online contact form at collierclerk.com |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed weekends and scheduled court holidays |
| Filing fee | Formal administration $400.00; summary administration $345.00 for estates of $1,000 or more, $235.00 under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $235.75; caveat $41.00 (Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401) |
| Local forms | The Collier Clerk publishes probate forms and packets (summary administration, formal administration, disposition without administration, statement of claim, and petition to determine homestead status), and the Twentieth Circuit publishes Collier County probate checklists (formal administration, summary administration, and final discharge) that the attorney of record completes and certifies. Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set, and petitions are prepared under the Florida Probate Rules |
| E-filing | Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com), mandatory for attorneys and optional for self-represented filers. Original wills are deposited on paper with the Clerk |
| Case search | ShowCase online case search at cms.collierclerk.com/showcaseweb, free, searchable by party name or case number, with court events; viewing imaged documents online requires a registered account, and images can also be viewed at the Clerk's public terminals |
| Remote appearance | Most probate hearings are held remotely by Zoom under the assigned judge's published procedures; each Collier probate judge publishes Zoom meeting information on the Twentieth Circuit site, and counsel is responsible for providing the Zoom information to the client (Twentieth Circuit judges' procedures, ca.cjis20.org, verified July 2026) |
| Website | https://www.collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
The most common Collier County misstep is filing before you know what the estate holds and which administration path fits. Florida has three routes: formal administration (F.S. Chapter 733), summary administration (F.S. 735.201), and disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). Which one applies depends on the value and type of the assets, whether the decedent left Florida real property, and how long ago the death occurred; the thresholds are statewide and are covered on the Florida state page. Homestead real property often passes outside the probate estate, so a Naples or Marco Island home can transfer to the family while the estate subject to administration stays small.
Before you file, identify every bank, credit-union, brokerage, and retirement account, life-insurance policy, vehicle, business interest, and parcel of Collier County real estate, along with every debt, and identify each heir and beneficiary by name. Only then can you pick the right path, calculate the correct filing fee, and decide whether counsel is needed. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit serves Collier County together with Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties. Within Collier, the court covers the whole county, including Naples (the county seat), Marco Island, Immokalee, Everglades City, Golden Gate, Ave Maria, and the surrounding communities. Every Collier County probate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, whose Courts Department handles probate at the Collier County Government Center, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples, FL 34112. Under Florida's venue rule (F.S. 733.101), administration is proper in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death; if the decedent had no Florida domicile, in any county where the decedent owned property; and otherwise in the county where a debtor of the decedent resides. In practice, the estate of a Collier County resident, or one holding Collier County real property, is filed here.
Collier County probate cases are docketed to assigned circuit judges sitting in Naples. The Twentieth Circuit's probate page states that no probate case management is provided in Collier County: proposed orders are submitted through the e-portal directly to the assigned judge, and the Collier probate judge's published procedures state that an order may be denied if the pleadings it is based on are not visible in the court file. The circuit publishes the Collier County probate checklists on its site at ca.cjis20.org.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue and choose the path. Collier County is the right court when the decedent was domiciled here at death or owned Collier County property (F.S. 733.101). Decide, based on the assets and the time since death, whether the estate needs formal administration (F.S. Chapter 733), qualifies for summary administration (F.S. 735.201), or fits disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301); the statewide thresholds are on the Florida state page.
- Confirm whether an attorney is required. Under Florida Probate Rule 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person (or is a licensed attorney). Most Collier County formal and summary administrations therefore involve counsel; disposition without administration and sole-interested-person matters can proceed without a lawyer.
- Gather what the court needs: the original will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, a list of the estate's assets and debts, and the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and other interested persons. Florida's estate representative is the personal representative in every case, whether or not there is a will (F.S. 731.201).
- Prepare the petition and the Twentieth Circuit's Collier County checklist. The Collier Clerk publishes probate forms and packets, and the circuit publishes Collier County checklist and certification forms for petitions for formal administration and summary administration plus a final discharge checklist; the attorney of record certifies the checklist and lists the docket number of each required pleading, and the checklists direct that the checklist, proposed orders, and letters not be submitted until all documents are posted in ShowCase. Prepare the petition and supporting papers under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530).
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller. Attorneys e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com), which is mandatory for them; a self-represented filer may e-file or file on paper at the Courts Department, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples. The original will is deposited on paper with the Clerk; the custodian of a will must deposit it within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901).
- Pay the filing fee for the path: formal administration $400.00; summary administration $345.00 for an estate of $1,000 or more or $235.00 if under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $235.75; caveat $41.00 (Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401).
- Give notice. In a formal administration, serve the notice of administration on interested persons and publish and serve the notice to creditors. 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 F.S. 733.710 bars all claims 2 years after death.
- Attend any hearing. Most Collier County probate hearings are held remotely by Zoom under the assigned judge's published procedures: the Collier judge who carries the largest share of the probate docket publishes that hearings under 60 minutes, status conferences, and pre-trial conferences are held via Zoom, with the judge's Zoom meeting ID on the judge's page at ca.cjis20.org, and counsel is responsible for giving the client the Zoom information. Check the assigned judge's published procedures for scheduling and the hearing format.
- Receive authority. In a formal administration the court appoints the personal representative and the Clerk issues Letters of Administration, the representative's proof of authority for banks and title companies. In a summary administration the court enters an order distributing the assets and no personal representative is appointed.
- Administer and close. File the inventory, resolve creditor claims, obtain court authority where required to sell Collier County real property, account to the interested persons, distribute, and close the estate with the final discharge checklist.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Collier County
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). Because Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, most Collier County estates do not self-file a form packet; the attorney prepares and e-files the petitions through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Collier County publishes its own probate forms on the Clerk site. These include summary administration packets for intestate and testate estates, a petition for formal administration, a disposition of personal property without administration form, a statement of claim, a petition to determine homestead status of real property with its proposed orders, formal notice and proof of service of formal notice, and forms to designate a mailing and email address. They are on the Clerk's probate forms page.
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit adds a checklist layer of its own. The circuit publishes Collier County probate checklists on its site at ca.cjis20.org: checklist and certification forms for the petition for formal administration and the petition for summary administration, and a final discharge checklist. The attorney of record certifies the checklist and lists the docket number of each required pleading, and the checklists direct that the checklist, proposed orders, and letters not be submitted until all documents are posted in ShowCase. The Collier probate judge's published procedures add that a proposed order may be denied if the pleadings it is based on are not visible in the court file, and that an order discharging the personal representative should not be submitted until the discharge checklist appears in the court file.
The original will itself is not e-filed. The custodian of a will must deposit it with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901), and original wills are filed on paper at the Courts Department, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples. For questions about local intake, filing in person, or what the counter needs, call the Clerk at (239) 252-2646.
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 and is set county by county. The Collier County Clerk's own published probate fee schedule totals are below (verified July 2026; the schedule publishes no separate effective date).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration (the Clerk applies the same charge to guardianship, ancillary administration, curatorship, and conservatorship proceedings) | $400.00 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate value $1,000 or more | $345.00 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate value under $1,000 | $235.00 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $235.75 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Caveat | $41.00 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Petition and order to admit a foreign will, or authenticated or exemplified copies | $231.00 | Collier County Clerk published probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate/probate-fees, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
The Clerk also charges $231.00 to open an estate that is not otherwise itemized (for example, a determination of heirs that is not part of a formal administration) and $50.00 to reopen a formal administration. Confirm the current total on the Clerk's probate fee schedule at collierclerk.com before filing, since counties adjust these charges over time. Certified copies, recording, and records-search fees are charged separately.
Local nuance
Collier County-specific considerations
Collier County probate checklists. The Twentieth Judicial Circuit publishes Collier County probate checklists at ca.cjis20.org: checklist and certification forms for the petition for formal administration and the petition for summary administration, captioned for the circuit in and for Collier County, plus a final discharge checklist. The attorney of record certifies the checklist and lists the docket number of each required pleading, and the checklists direct that the checklist, proposed orders, and letters not be submitted until all documents are posted in ShowCase. The Collier probate judge's published procedures state that a proposed order may be denied if the pleadings it is based on are not visible in the court file, and that discharge orders should not be submitted until the discharge checklist appears in the court file. No probate case management is provided in Collier County, so orders go through the e-portal directly to the assigned judge.
The Clerk publishes its own probate forms. Collier County publishes probate forms and packets on the Clerk site, including summary administration packets for intestate and testate estates, a petition for formal administration, a disposition of personal property without administration form, a statement of claim, and a petition to determine homestead status of real property with proposed orders. This is more than most rural Florida counties provide, and it is separate from the statewide portal.
Look up a case in ShowCase. The Clerk's ShowCase online case search at cms.collierclerk.com/showcaseweb lets you search by party name or case number and shows court events. The search is free, but the Clerk's probate page states that imaged documents cannot be viewed over the internet unless you are a registered user; probate images can also be viewed at the public terminals at the Clerk's locations, and Florida privacy rules limit online access to certain probate records. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk at (239) 252-2646.
Most hearings are on Zoom. Hearing procedures are set judge by judge in the Twentieth Circuit, and each Collier probate judge publishes Zoom information on the circuit site at ca.cjis20.org. The Collier judge carrying the largest share of the probate docket publishes that all hearings under 60 minutes, status conferences, pre-trial conferences, and docket soundings are held via Zoom, and counsel is responsible for providing the Zoom information to the client. Check the assigned judge's page for the hearing format and how to schedule, and log on ahead of the scheduled time.
E-filing for attorneys, paper for original wills. Attorneys must e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com); self-represented filers may e-file or file on paper. The custodian of a will must deposit the original with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901), and original wills are filed on paper at the Courts Department in Naples rather than uploaded.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Collier County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Naples or Marco Island home held by the spouses as tenants by the entirety, or as homestead, generally passes to the surviving spouse outside the probate estate; the survivor records the death certificate and, where needed, files the Clerk's petition to determine homestead status of real property with the Probate Division. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need summary or formal administration, which under Florida Probate Rule 5.030 usually requires a Florida attorney unless the spouse is the sole interested person. | Asset discovery to separate what passed outside probate from what did not. Packet generation for the petition and the Twentieth Circuit checklist. A vetted Collier County probate attorney where the rule requires counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | If the parent was domiciled in Collier County and the estate is small enough, or the death was more than 2 years ago, the estate may qualify for summary administration (F.S. 735.201); if it holds only exempt and limited personal property and no real estate, disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301) may apply. An attorney typically e-files through the portal, and hearings are commonly on Zoom, so the child can often avoid traveling to Naples. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the shorter path. Packet generation for the petition and checklist. Attorney referral where Rule 5.030 requires counsel. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Formal administration in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Because there is no will, the parent's attorney petitions for appointment as personal representative and the Clerk issues Letters of Administration; the personal representative then obtains court authority where required to sell the Collier County home before the deed can transfer. Rule 5.030 requires a Florida attorney unless the parent is the sole interested person. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration petition, checklist, and sale papers. A vetted Collier County probate attorney to run the formal administration and any contested step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate (collierclerk.com/court-divisions/probate) | The Clerk's probate page, probate forms and packets, the fee schedule, contact numbers, and the ShowCase case search |
| Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Probate (ca.cjis20.org) | The court's probate page, the Collier County probate checklists, each judge's published hearing procedures and Zoom information, and the circuit's administrative orders |
| ShowCase case search (cms.collierclerk.com/showcaseweb) | Free public case search by party name or case number, with court events; viewing imaged documents online requires a registered account |
| Collier County Bar Association & Law Library (Collier County Courthouse, 5th Floor, Suite 505, (239) 252-8138) | Free public computers with internet access and legal research software; staff cannot give legal advice but can book a 30-minute consultation with a local attorney for $50 through the Collier Community Lawyer program |
| Legal Aid Services of Collier County (collierlegalaid.org, (239) 775-4555) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible Collier County residents at 4436 Tamiami Trail E., Naples; the Clerk lists its areas as family law for survivors of domestic violence, immigration, education, housing, consumer, and tax matters, and representation of children in dependency cases |
| 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 |
| The Florida Bar (floridabar.org) | Consumer pamphlet "Probate in Florida" and the statewide Lawyer Referral Service |
When to hire an attorney
Florida is an attorney-forward probate state. Under Florida Probate Rule 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person or is a licensed attorney, so most Collier County formal and summary administrations involve counsel. Beyond the rule, counsel makes practical sense when the estate is contested, when Collier County real property must be sold, when the estate is insolvent or its solvency is in doubt, when a business interest or an out-of-state asset complicates administration, or when heirs are in conflict. Disposition of personal property without administration and sole-interested-person matters can proceed without a lawyer. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Collier County probate attorney when the situation calls for counsel.
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, Collier County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and can pick the right Florida probate path for estate settlement before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Collier County filing: the petition for administration, the notice of administration and notice to creditors, the inventory, and the supporting documents, formatted for e-filing through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal with the Twentieth Circuit's Collier County probate checklist.
Find a local probate attorney. Because Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires counsel in most administrations, Sunset connects families to a vetted Collier County probate attorney to file and appear.
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 probate in Collier County, Florida?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Courts Department, at the Collier County Government Center, 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples, FL 34112. Attorneys e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). The Clerk's probate line is (239) 252-2646, and written questions go through the online contact form at collierclerk.com. Collier County is in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Collier County?
Usually yes. Under Florida Probate Rule 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person or is a licensed attorney. Most formal and summary administrations therefore involve counsel. Disposition of personal property without administration and sole-interested-person matters can proceed without a lawyer.
Do I have to e-file probate in Collier County?
Attorneys must; self-represented filers have a choice. Florida attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). A self-represented person may e-file or file on paper at the Courts Department in Naples. Original wills are always deposited on paper with the Clerk.
How much does it cost to file probate in Collier County?
The Collier County Clerk's published fee schedule is $400.00 for formal administration, $345.00 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more (or $235.00 under $1,000), $235.75 for disposition of personal property without administration, and $41.00 for a caveat (Collier County Clerk probate fee schedule, collierclerk.com, verified July 2026). These county totals sit on top of the statutory base in F.S. 28.2401. Confirm the current total on the Clerk's fee schedule before filing.
What are the Collier County probate checklists?
The Twentieth Judicial Circuit publishes Collier County checklist and certification forms for the petition for formal administration and the petition for summary administration, plus a final discharge checklist, on its site at ca.cjis20.org. The attorney of record certifies the checklist and lists the docket number of each required pleading, and the checklists direct that the checklist, proposed orders, and letters not be submitted until all documents are posted in ShowCase. The Collier probate judge's published procedures state that a proposed order may be denied if the pleadings it is based on are not visible in the court file, and that discharge orders should not be submitted until the discharge checklist appears in the court file.
Where do I deposit the original will in Collier County?
The custodian of a will must deposit the original with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901). The original will is not e-filed; it is delivered on paper to the Clerk's Courts Department at 3315 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 102, Naples, FL 34112.
How do I look up a Collier County probate case?
Use the Clerk's ShowCase online case search at cms.collierclerk.com/showcaseweb. It is free and searchable by party name or case number and shows court events. Viewing imaged documents online requires a registered account, images can also be viewed at the public terminals at the Clerk's locations, and Florida privacy rules limit online access to certain probate records. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk at (239) 252-2646.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Collier County probate hearing?
Usually yes. Hearing procedures are set judge by judge in the Twentieth Circuit, and each Collier probate judge publishes Zoom information on the circuit site at ca.cjis20.org. The Collier judge carrying the largest share of the probate docket publishes that hearings under 60 minutes, status conferences, and pre-trial conferences are held via Zoom, and counsel is responsible for providing the Zoom information to the client. Check the assigned judge's page for the hearing format, and log on ahead of the scheduled time.
What if the estate is small or the death was years ago?
The estate may qualify for summary administration (F.S. 735.201), which does not appoint a personal representative and ends with an order distributing the assets, or for disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301) if it holds only exempt and limited personal property and no real estate. The dollar thresholds are statewide and are covered on the Florida state page; both paths are filed at the same Collier County Clerk's probate counter, and the Clerk publishes a disposition without administration form for the latter.
Do I have to travel to Naples to settle an estate in Collier County?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal. Because most Collier County probate hearings are held by Zoom under the assigned judge's published procedures, an out-of-state filer working with Florida counsel can often settle a Collier County estate without repeated trips to Naples.
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.