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Okaloosa County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, First Judicial Circuit, Okaloosa County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (Brad E. Embry) |
| Main courthouse | Okaloosa County Courthouse, 101 East James Lee Boulevard, Crestview, FL 32536 (Central Time); the county seat and main court facility |
| Second location | Okaloosa County Courthouse Annex Extension, 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547, (850) 651-7200; the Clerk staffs a court customer-service counter here as well as in Crestview |
| Mailing address | Okaloosa County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 101 East James Lee Boulevard, Crestview, FL 32536 (no separate P.O. Box published) |
| Phone | (850) 689-5000 (Crestview) or (850) 651-7200 (Fort Walton Beach); ask for Clerk of Court customer service |
| None published for the probate division; public-records requests go to [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (Central Time); closed legal holidays |
| Filing fee | F.S. 28.2401 sets the statutory base (formal administration $395; summary administration $340 for estates of $1,000 or more; plus a $4 additional charge on the petition). The Okaloosa Clerk's published filing fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, $231 for disposition of personal property without administration, and $41 for a caveat or notice of trust (verified July 2026); confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing |
| Local probate forms | Limited. The Clerk's probate page posts a Disposition of Personal Property Packet plus caveat, probate statement of claim, and email-designation forms (verified July 2026); there is no local packet for formal or summary administration, which 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 with the Clerk; call ahead, (850) 689-5000 Crestview or (850) 651-7200 Fort Walton Beach, to confirm which counter to use |
| Online case search | The Clerk's ClerkQuest court-records search (clerkapps.okaloosaclerk.com/ClerkQuest/) includes probate case records; anyone can run a public search, and additional documents are viewable online after completing the Clerk's registration agreement, with confidential cases excluded |
| Remote appearance | The First Judicial Circuit conducts Zoom hearings for certain case types; whether a probate matter is heard remotely is decided by the assigned judge, so contact the judge's office in advance and note that hearings run on Central Time |
| Website | https://okaloosaclerk.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Okaloosa 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 Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, or Destin 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 First Judicial Circuit serves Okaloosa County along with Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties. Within Okaloosa, the court covers the whole county, including Crestview (the county seat), Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Niceville, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Valparaiso, Cinco Bayou, Laurel Hill, and Baker. Okaloosa probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, who maintains court customer-service counters at both the main courthouse in Crestview, at 101 East James Lee Boulevard, and the Courthouse Annex Extension in Fort Walton Beach, at 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard.
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 Okaloosa County for a decedent who lived here. Probate is heard as a division of the Circuit Court, not by a separate probate 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 Okaloosa estates are filed through counsel.
- Deposit the original will. 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 filed on paper with the Clerk, not e-filed.
- 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 Okaloosa has no local packet for these two paths, so in most cases an attorney prepares and files the papers. For the limited disposition of personal property path, the Clerk posts a Disposition of Personal Property Packet on its probate page.
- 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 with the Clerk, which staffs customer-service counters at the main courthouse at 101 East James Lee Boulevard, Crestview, and at the Courthouse Annex Extension at 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard, Fort Walton Beach; the Clerk does not publish a probate-only intake counter, so call (850) 689-5000 ahead to confirm where to bring the papers.
- Pay the filing fee. F.S. 28.2401 sets the statutory base, and the Okaloosa Clerk's published filing fee schedule totals $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration (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 First Judicial Circuit judge in the probate division. The circuit conducts Zoom hearings for certain case types; ask the assigned judge's office whether your matter can be heard remotely, and note that Okaloosa hearings run on Central Time.
- 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 Okaloosa County
Okaloosa County does publish a small set of local probate forms. The Clerk's probate page posts a Disposition of Personal Property Packet with Okaloosa-captioned forms and instructions, caveat forms for an interested person and for a creditor, a probate statement of claim for creditors, a SITUS designation, and email-designation forms (verified July 2026). The packet's instructions describe disposition of personal property without administration as a path for very small estates with no real property, state that the asset may not exceed $6,000, and note that the circuit's judges have consistently required a summary administration where there are known creditors.
There is no local packet for formal or summary administration, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set: those 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 are filed through counsel via the statewide portal. The original will itself is not e-filed; it is deposited on paper with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901). For questions about local intake, filing in person, or what the counter needs, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (850) 689-5000.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Okaloosa County Clerk of the Circuit Court, probate | The Clerk's probate page, with general probate guidance, the local probate forms (including the Disposition of Personal Property Packet), the filing fee schedule, and the customer-service contacts for Crestview and Fort Walton Beach |
| 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 |
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 Okaloosa Clerk's own published filing fee schedule, which the Clerk states is effective July 1, 2014 unless otherwise specified and which carries a last-update date of December 9, 2024, lists these probate totals (verified July 2026).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration | $400.00 | Okaloosa Clerk published filing fee schedule (F.S. 28.2401 base) |
| Summary administration, estate value $1,000 or more | $345.00 | Okaloosa Clerk published filing fee schedule (F.S. 28.2401 base) |
| Summary administration, estate value under $1,000 | $235.00 | Okaloosa Clerk published filing fee schedule (F.S. 28.2401 base) |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231.00 | Okaloosa Clerk published filing fee schedule (F.S. 28.2401 base) |
| Caveat or notice of trust | $41.00 | Okaloosa Clerk published filing fee schedule (F.S. 28.2401 base) |
Confirm the current total with the filing fee schedule posted on the Clerk's site at okaloosaclerk.com or by calling the Clerk at (850) 689-5000 before filing, since counties adjust these charges over time. Certified copies and records requests are charged separately.
Local nuance
Okaloosa County-specific considerations
Two courthouses: Crestview and Fort Walton Beach. Okaloosa runs two court facilities. The main courthouse is in Crestview, the county seat, at 101 East James Lee Boulevard, in the north of the county; the Courthouse Annex Extension is in Fort Walton Beach, at 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard, closer to Destin and the coastal population. The Clerk staffs a court customer-service counter at both, with the same hours, and its own probate instructions carry both addresses, but neither the Clerk nor the circuit publishes a probate-only location split, so call ahead, (850) 689-5000 for Crestview or (850) 651-7200 for Fort Walton Beach, to confirm where to file or pick up probate papers before making the trip. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal, and the Clerk publishes no separate P.O. Box; the Crestview courthouse is the Clerk's principal address.
Central Time, an hour behind the peninsula. Okaloosa County observes Central Time, unlike most of Florida, so the Clerk's counter hours, filing cutoffs, and hearing times are an hour behind peninsular Florida. Confirm the time zone when scheduling a hearing or a Zoom appearance, and note that the offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Central.
Some hearings are on Zoom. The First Judicial Circuit conducts Zoom hearings for certain case types and publishes its video-hearing instructions for the four counties it serves. Whether a probate matter is heard remotely is decided by the assigned judge, so contact the judge's office in advance for the format and the Zoom meeting details.
Case search runs through ClerkQuest, with a registration step for more documents. The Clerk's ClerkQuest court-records search, reached from the court-records disclaimer on okaloosaclerk.com, includes probate case records. Anyone can run a public search of the docket; additional documents are viewable online after completing the Clerk's registration agreement, and cases and documents made confidential by statute or court order are excluded. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk at (850) 689-5000.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Okaloosa County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Crestview, Fort Walton Beach, or Destin 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 the spouse 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 Okaloosa Clerk, an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal, and the circuit hears certain matters by Zoom, which can reduce trips to the panhandle. | 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 in the First Judicial Circuit's probate division. | 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 |
|---|---|
| Okaloosa County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, (850) 689-5000 (okaloosaclerk.com) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, deposit of wills, the local probate forms, the filing fee schedule, and ClerkQuest case search |
| First Judicial Circuit of Florida (firstjudicialcircuit.org) | Court administration for Okaloosa County, judicial assignments, and video-hearing (Zoom) instructions for the counties the circuit serves |
| Okaloosa County Law Library, (850) 651-7256 (listed in the Clerk's phone directory) | Legal research resources for self-represented parties; call for location and hours |
| Legal Services of North Florida, Fort Walton Beach office, 133 Staff Drive, Suite B, (850) 862-3279 (lsnf.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Okaloosa and Walton counties, including elder-law matters and, in limited circumstances, some estate matters |
| 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 |
| 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 Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa County and the First 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, Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa Clerk of the Circuit Court 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 Okaloosa County and the First 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 Okaloosa County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. The Clerk staffs court customer-service counters at the main courthouse in Crestview, 101 East James Lee Boulevard, Crestview, FL 32536, (850) 689-5000, and at the Courthouse Annex Extension in Fort Walton Beach, 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard, (850) 651-7200; the Clerk does not publish which counter handles probate intake, so call ahead before filing in person. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal. Okaloosa is in the First Judicial Circuit. Florida has no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court.
Do I have to e-file probate in Okaloosa 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 Crestview or Fort Walton Beach. The original will is deposited on paper with the Clerk, not e-filed.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Okaloosa 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 Okaloosa administrations are handled through counsel.
Which Okaloosa County courthouse handles probate, Crestview or Fort Walton Beach?
Okaloosa runs two court facilities: the main courthouse in Crestview, the county seat, and the Courthouse Annex Extension in Fort Walton Beach. The Clerk staffs a court customer-service counter at both and its probate instructions list both addresses, but neither the Clerk nor the circuit publishes a probate-only location split, so call (850) 689-5000 to confirm where to file in person or where your matter will be heard. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal. Okaloosa County observes Central Time.
Can I appear remotely for an Okaloosa County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The First Judicial Circuit conducts Zoom hearings for certain case types, and the assigned judge decides whether a matter is heard remotely. Contact the judge's office in advance for the format, the Zoom meeting details, and the time, which runs on Central Time.
Can I look up an Okaloosa County probate case online?
Yes. The Clerk's ClerkQuest court-records search, reached from okaloosaclerk.com, includes probate case records. Anyone can run a public search of the docket; additional documents are viewable online after completing the Clerk's registration agreement, and cases and documents made confidential by statute or court order are excluded. You can also call the Clerk at (850) 689-5000 to confirm a filing.
What forms do I need for probate in Okaloosa County?
The Clerk's probate page posts a small set of local forms: a Disposition of Personal Property Packet for very small estates with no real property, caveat forms for an interested person or a creditor, a probate statement of claim, and email-designation forms. There is no local or statewide self-help packet for formal or summary administration; those filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, and in most cases an attorney prepares the petition. Florida Courts Help does not provide probate forms.
What does it cost to file probate in Okaloosa County?
The Okaloosa Clerk's published filing fee schedule lists $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, $231 for disposition of personal property without administration, and $41 for a caveat or notice of trust (verified July 2026; the statutory base is set by F.S. 28.2401). Confirm the current total with the Clerk at (850) 689-5000 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Crestview to settle an estate in Okaloosa County?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal, and the First Judicial Circuit hears certain matters by Zoom, so ask the assigned judge's office whether your hearing can be handled remotely. If you prefer to file on paper in Fort Walton Beach rather than Crestview, call the Courthouse Annex Extension at (850) 651-7200 first to confirm the counter there can take your probate filing.
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.