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Palm Beach County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County (Probate Division) |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller (Mike Caruso, CPA), Probate Division, Main Courthouse, 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 |
| Probate mailing address | Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Probate Division, P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402 |
| Phone | (561) 355-2986 (Probate Division); (561) 355-2996 (general information) |
| [email protected] (Probate Division) | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; closed weekends and court holidays |
| Filing fee | Formal administration $401.00; summary administration $346.00 for estates of $1,000 or more, $236.00 under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $232.00; caveat $41.00 (Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401) |
| Local forms | The Fifteenth Circuit publishes approved probate checklists (formal administration, summary administration, petition to sell real property, determination of homestead) used through its online scheduling system; 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. The original will, codicils, and authenticated copies from other jurisdictions are filed on paper with the Probate Division, in person or by mail. Proposed orders are submitted through the circuit's OLS online scheduling system, not to the Clerk |
| Case search | eCaseView at appsgp.mypalmbeachclerk.com/eCaseView, a free public case search covering probate; document images for probate are limited to registered users or the attorney of record |
| Remote appearance | Uniform Motion Calendar hearings in the probate divisions may be attended in person or by Zoom under the Fifteenth Circuit's divisional instructions; check the assigned division's instructions for the format of a given hearing |
| Website | https://www.mypalmbeachclerk.com/departments/courts/probate-of-estates |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
The most common Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County 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 Palm Beach 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 Fifteenth Judicial Circuit serves all of Palm Beach County, including West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Belle Glade, and the county's other cities and unincorporated communities. 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 Palm Beach County resident, or one holding Palm Beach County real property, is filed here.
Palm Beach County runs a dedicated Probate Division, and the Clerk's Probate Division counter is at the Main Courthouse, 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach. Under the chief judge's Administrative Order 6.101 (June 2022), the Fifteenth Circuit organizes probate into two judicial divisions, IA and IZ, and assigns new cases randomly and equitably between them, with related cases going to the same judge; division IA sits at the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach and division IZ at the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach (15thcircuit.com, verified July 2026). The circuit's probate pages also list a Clerk probate department at the North County Courthouse in Palm Beach Gardens for original documents in pending matters; the West County Courthouse in Belle Glade and the Royal Palm Beach branch are Clerk offices for other services, not probate division locations. The circuit publishes its own probate checklists and an online scheduling system for the division.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue and choose the path. Palm Beach County is the right court when the decedent was domiciled here at death or owned Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 work the checklist. The Fifteenth Circuit publishes approved probate checklists for formal administration, summary administration, petitions to sell real property, and determinations of homestead; the checklist lists the documents each petition needs and is completed through the circuit's online scheduling system when a proposed order is submitted.
- 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. The original will and codicils, bonds, and authenticated copies from other jurisdictions are filed on paper with the Probate Division at 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, in person or by mail to P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402.
- Pay the filing fee for the path: formal administration $401.00; summary administration $346.00 for an estate of $1,000 or more or $236.00 if under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $232.00; caveat $41.00 (Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, 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.
- Submit proposed orders and attend any hearing. Proposed probate orders are uploaded through the Fifteenth Circuit's OLS online scheduling system rather than sent to the Clerk. Uniform Motion Calendar hearings in the probate divisions may be attended in person or by Zoom; division IA holds its calendar on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and check the assigned division's instructions for the format of a given hearing.
- 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 Palm Beach County real property, account to the interested persons, distribute, and close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County estates do not self-file a form packet; the attorney prepares and e-files the petitions through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.
Palm Beach County adds its own local layer. The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit publishes approved probate checklists, including formal administration of a testate or intestate estate, summary administration, petition to sell real property, and determination of homestead. A filer completes the matching checklist through the circuit's OLS online scheduling system when submitting a proposed order, and proposed orders go through that system, not to the Clerk's office. The checklists and divisional instructions are on the Fifteenth Circuit site at 15thcircuit.com.
For the narrow situations where a person may self-file, the Judge Edward Rodgers Law Library posts free downloadable probate packets on the Fifteenth Circuit site, including a petition and order of summary administration (testate and intestate versions), an affidavit of heirs, and a final disposition form. The library labels them informational guides, not legal advice.
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 the original will, codicils, and authenticated copies from other courts are filed on paper at the Probate Division counter, 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach, or by mail to P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402.
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 Palm Beach County Clerk's own published probate fee schedule totals are below (verified July 2026).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration (also ancillary administration, conservatorship, and curatorship) | $401.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate value $1,000 or more | $346.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate value under $1,000 | $236.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $232.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Petition to admit foreign will, authenticated copy, or transcript; generic petition and order | $232.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Caveat | $41.00 | Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
Confirm the current total on the Clerk's fee schedule at mypalmbeachclerk.com before filing, since counties adjust these charges over time. Certified copies, recording, and records-search fees are charged separately.
Local nuance
Palm Beach County-specific considerations
A new Clerk took office in August 2025. Governor DeSantis appointed Mike Caruso, CPA, Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Palm Beach County; he was sworn in on August 19, 2025, succeeding Joseph Abruzzo, who left to become the county administrator. The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller remains the filing office for probate.
Cases are assigned randomly between two probate divisions. Under Administrative Order 6.101 (June 2022), the Fifteenth Circuit reorganized probate into two judicial divisions, IA and IZ, and new cases are assigned randomly and equitably between them, with related cases, such as an estate and a trust dispute for the same decedent, going to the same judge. Division IA sits at the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach and division IZ at the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach (15thcircuit.com, verified July 2026). Older guidance describing assignment by zip code among three courthouses reflects the superseded pre-2022 version of the order. The West County Courthouse in Belle Glade and the Royal Palm Beach branch are Clerk offices for other services, not probate division locations.
Proposed orders go through the circuit's scheduling system, not the Clerk. Proposed probate orders are uploaded through the Fifteenth Circuit's OLS online scheduling system at e-services.15thcircuit.com and are not sent to the Clerk's office. The filer completes the matching approved probate checklist in the system. The Clerk's probate FAQ states the current wait time for orders from the probate court is 6 to 8 weeks (mypalmbeachclerk.com, verified July 2026), so build that into your timeline.
Hearings can be in person or on Zoom. Uniform Motion Calendar hearings in the probate divisions may be attended in person or by Zoom under the Fifteenth Circuit's divisional instructions; division IA holds its calendar on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and division IZ lets parties who live outside Palm Beach County or out of state appear by Zoom without a court order. Follow the assigned division's published instructions and the notice of hearing for the format, date, and time.
File original wills on paper to the Probate Division. The original will is not e-filed. The custodian must deposit it with the Clerk within 10 days of learning of the death (F.S. 732.901), delivered on paper to the Probate Division counter at 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach, or mailed to P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402, with a certified death certificate. In a case that is already pending, the circuit directs original documents, wills, codicils, death certificates, and authenticated copies, by mail to the Clerk's probate department at the courthouse where the matter is pending, since its ex parte docket is suspended until further notice.
Look up a case online. The Clerk's court-records search opens eCaseView at appsgp.mypalmbeachclerk.com/eCaseView, a free public case search that covers probate. Case information is searchable as a guest; document images for probate cases are limited to registered users or the attorney of record, and registration is free.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| August 2025 | Mike Caruso, CPA, was appointed by Governor DeSantis and sworn in as Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Palm Beach County on August 19, 2025, succeeding Joseph Abruzzo, who left to become the county administrator. | mypalmbeachclerk.com; flgov.com |
| June 2022 | Administrative Order 6.101 (June 6, 2022, effective July 5, 2022) reorganized the probate and guardianship bench into divisions IA and IZ, assigned randomly and equitably; it superseded the earlier version of the order that assigned probate cases among three courthouses by zip code, guidance that still circulates. | 15thcircuit.com, Administrative Order 6.101-06/2022 |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Palm Beach County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Palm Beach County 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 a petition to determine homestead status with the Probate Division, using the Fifteenth Circuit's homestead checklist. 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. A vetted Palm Beach County probate attorney where the rule requires counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | If the parent was domiciled in Palm Beach 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 Uniform Motion Calendar hearings may be attended by Zoom, with out-of-state parties in division IZ allowed to appear by Zoom without a court order, so the child can often avoid traveling to Florida. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the shorter path. Packet generation for the petition. Attorney referral where Rule 5.030 requires counsel. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Formal administration in the Fifteenth 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, using the circuit's petition-to-sell-real-property checklist, before the Palm Beach County home 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 and sale papers. A vetted Palm Beach County probate attorney to run the formal administration and any contested step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Probate (mypalmbeachclerk.com/departments/courts/probate-of-estates) | The Clerk's probate page: filing information, the Probate Division location and mailing address, contact numbers, and the fee schedule |
| Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Probate Division (15thcircuit.com) | The court's probate division page, approved probate checklists, divisional instructions, and the OLS online scheduling system for proposed orders and hearings |
| eCaseView (appsgp.mypalmbeachclerk.com/eCaseView) | Free public case search covering probate, by party name or case number; document images for probate are limited to registered users or the attorney of record |
| Palm Beach County Law Library (Judge Edward Rodgers Law Library), (561) 355-2928 | Free public law library at the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Room 1.2200, with statutes, codes, and legal texts, plus free downloadable probate packets (summary administration, affidavit of heirs) on the Fifteenth Circuit site |
| Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, (561) 655-8944 (legalaidpbc.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible Palm Beach County residents, including wills and estates and the Heirs' Property Project for family real estate |
| Palm Beach County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (palmbeachbar.org) | Attorney referrals in Palm Beach County, including probate and 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 |
| 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 Palm Beach County formal and summary administrations involve counsel. Beyond the rule, counsel makes practical sense when the estate is contested, when Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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, Palm Beach County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value for estate settlement and can pick the right Florida probate path before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Palm Beach 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 and the Fifteenth Circuit's probate checklists.
Find a local probate attorney. Because Florida Probate Rule 5.030 requires counsel in most administrations, Sunset connects families to a vetted Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County, Florida?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller, Probate Division, at the Main Courthouse, 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, or by mail to P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402. Attorneys e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). The circuit then assigns the case to one of its two probate divisions, sitting at the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach and the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach. The Probate Division can be reached at (561) 355-2986.
Who is the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court?
Mike Caruso, CPA, is the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller for Palm Beach County. Governor DeSantis appointed him and he was sworn in in August 2025, succeeding Joseph Abruzzo. The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller is the filing office for probate.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 Probate Division. Original wills and codicils, and authenticated copies from other jurisdictions, are always filed on paper, and proposed orders are submitted through the circuit's OLS online scheduling system, not to the Clerk.
How much does it cost to file probate in Palm Beach County?
The Clerk's published fee schedule is $401.00 for formal administration, $346.00 for summary administration of an estate of $1,000 or more (or $236.00 under $1,000), $232.00 for disposition of personal property without administration, and $41.00 for a caveat (Palm Beach County Clerk probate fee schedule, mypalmbeachclerk.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.
Where do I deposit the original will in Palm Beach 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 Probate Division at 205 North Dixie Highway, 3rd Floor, Room 3.2300, West Palm Beach, or mailed to P.O. Box 4667, West Palm Beach, FL 33402, with a certified death certificate.
How do I look up a Palm Beach County probate case?
Use the Clerk's eCaseView at appsgp.mypalmbeachclerk.com/eCaseView. It is a free public case search that covers probate cases; you can search case information as a guest. Document images for probate cases are limited to registered users or the attorney of record.
Can I appear by Zoom for a Palm Beach County probate hearing?
Often yes. Uniform Motion Calendar hearings in the probate divisions may be attended in person or by Zoom under the Fifteenth Circuit's divisional instructions, and division IZ lets parties who live outside Palm Beach County or out of state appear by Zoom without a court order. Whether a particular hearing is remote or in person depends on the assigned division, so follow the division's published instructions and the notice of hearing for the format, date, and time.
Which courthouse handles my Palm Beach County probate case?
Under Administrative Order 6.101 (June 2022), the Fifteenth Circuit assigns new probate cases randomly and equitably between its two probate divisions, IA and IZ, with related cases going to the same judge; there is no zip-code assignment. Division IA sits at the Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach and division IZ at the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach (15thcircuit.com, verified July 2026). Original documents in a pending case go by mail to the Clerk's probate department at the courthouse where the matter is pending. The West County Courthouse in Belle Glade and the Royal Palm Beach branch are Clerk offices for other services, not probate division locations.
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 Palm Beach County Clerk's Probate Division.
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.