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St. Johns County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Seventh Judicial Circuit, St. Johns County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller (Brandon J. Patty) |
| Courthouse | Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 |
| Mailing address | St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084 (the Clerk publishes no separate mailing address or P.O. Box) |
| Probate judge | Division 46 (probate and guardianship): Circuit Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr., per the Seventh Judicial Circuit's published judge page (circuit7.org, verified July 2026); assignments rotate, so confirm the current judge when a hearing is set |
| Phone | (904) 819-3600 (Clerk's Office main line; the Clerk publishes no separate probate phone number) |
| [email protected] (the Probate division email published in the division directory on the Clerk's contact page) | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; closed court holidays |
| Filing fee | Per the Clerk's published probate fee schedule (stjohnsclerk.com/courts/probate, verified July 2026): formal administration $400; summary administration $345 for an estate valued at $1,000 or more, $235 for less than $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration $231. The totals include the statutory service charges set by F.S. 28.2401. |
| Local probate forms | None. The Clerk's probate page states that the office does not provide probate forms; filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, in most cases by an attorney (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030). Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set |
| 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 in St. Augustine |
| Online case search | The Clerk's own Benchmark case search at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/Benchmark, which covers probate, wills on deposit, caveat, and trust cases; anyone can search dockets, and viewing document images online requires the Clerk's Court Records Registration Agreement |
| Remote appearance | The probate division's published standard practices (Division 46, circuit7.org, updated January 2025) describe a hybrid courtroom using Zoom: hearings longer than 30 minutes default to in person, and a Zoom appearance must be requested by 2 days before the hearing, so confirm the format when a hearing is set |
| Website | https://stjohnsclerk.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in St. Johns 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. In a county where many estates include a high-value house, whether the decedent's Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, St. Augustine, or other St. Johns 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 Seventh Judicial Circuit serves St. Johns County along with Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia counties. Within St. Johns, the court covers the whole county, including St. Augustine (the county seat), St. Augustine Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, Fruit Cove, Julington Creek, Switzerland, World Golf Village, Vilano Beach, Crescent Beach, Hastings, Elkton, and the surrounding unincorporated communities. Every St. Johns County probate matter is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, in St. Augustine; the county has no branch courthouse.
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 St. Johns County for a decedent who lived here. Probate matters are heard in Division 46, the probate and guardianship division for St. Johns County; as of July 2026 the Seventh Judicial Circuit's published assignment is Circuit Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr., who presides over probate at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center. Judicial assignments rotate, so confirm the current assignment on circuit7.org before a hearing.
The jurisdiction process
- Deposit the original will with the Clerk. Under F.S. 732.901, the custodian of the original will must deposit it with the Clerk of the Circuit Court within 10 days after learning of the death, supplying the date of death or the decedent's Social Security number; the St. Johns Clerk asks that a death certificate be filed with the original will. This deposit is required whether or not an administration will be opened.
- Gather the documents. Collect 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 St. Johns estates are filed through counsel; the Clerk's probate page notes the rule and that the office cannot give legal advice.
- 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). The St. Johns Clerk posts no local probate forms; for a disposition of personal property without administration, the Clerk's probate page lists the required documentation: the original will if there is one, the death certificate, the funeral bill showing it was paid in full and by whom, and statements for the assets to be transferred.
- 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 the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084.
- Pay the filing fee. Per the Clerk's published probate fee schedule, formal administration is $400, summary administration is $345 for an estate valued at $1,000 or more or $235 for less than $1,000, and disposition of personal property without administration is $231 (verified July 2026). The totals include the statutory service charges set by F.S. 28.2401; confirm the current figure 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. Probate petitions are heard in Division 46, the county's probate and guardianship division (as of July 2026, Circuit Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr., per circuit7.org). The division's published standard practices describe a hybrid courtroom: hearings longer than 30 minutes default to in person, Zoom appearances must be requested by 2 days before the hearing, and the circuit posts a Zoom tutorial on circuit7.org, so confirm the format when the hearing is set.
- 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; certified records are also available online through the Clerk's E-Certify service.
- 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 St. Johns County
There are no local probate forms in St. Johns 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), and Florida Courts Help states that it does not provide probate forms. The St. Johns Clerk is explicit about the same point: its probate page states that Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires an attorney for many probate cases and that the Clerk's Office cannot assist with those matters and does not provide forms. The Clerk's forms library covers guardianship, mental health, small claims, eviction, and other divisions, but has no probate section. Two local checklists do exist. The Clerk's probate page lists the required documentation for a disposition of personal property without administration (the original will if there is one, the death certificate, the paid-in-full funeral bill showing who paid, and statements for the assets to be transferred). And the circuit's probate division, Division 46, publishes its standard judicial practices and a checklist for a stand-alone petition to determine homestead status on its judge page at circuit7.org. For intake questions, email the Probate division at [email protected] or call (904) 819-3600.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| St. Johns County Clerk probate page (stjohnsclerk.com/courts/probate) | The Clerk's probate overview: the will-deposit rule (F.S. 732.901), the documentation checklist for disposition of personal property without administration, and the published probate fee schedule |
| 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 |
| Division 46 probate division page (circuit7.org) | The Seventh Judicial Circuit's page for the St. Johns probate and guardianship division: the division's standard judicial practices (updated January 2025), a checklist for stand-alone petitions to determine homestead status, and remote-appearance procedures |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | The statewide portal for filing probate documents; mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers |
| St. Johns County Clerk contact page | The Clerk's division email directory, including the Probate division inbox, [email protected], and the online contact form |
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 St. Johns County Clerk publishes its own probate fee schedule on its probate page; the estate-related lines are below (verified July 2026; the Clerk does not post an effective date; the schedule also lists a $231 guardianship-side fee for a petition to determine incapacity, which is outside estate administration).
| Filing | Fee | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Formal administration | $400.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, stjohnsclerk.com/courts/probate, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Trust administration | $400.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate valued at $1,000 or more | $345.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Summary administration, estate valued at less than $1,000 | $235.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Petition and one order | $231.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026 |
| Petition and order to admit foreign wills, authenticated copies, or transcript of record | $231.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026 |
| Caveat | $41.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
| Notice of trust | $41.00 | St. Johns Clerk probate fee schedule, verified July 2026; statutory base F.S. 28.2401 |
Confirm the current total with the Clerk or on the probate page at stjohnsclerk.com/courts/probate before filing, since counties adjust these charges over time. Certified copies and records searches are charged separately; certified records, including wills, can also be purchased online through the Clerk's E-Certify service.
Local nuance
St. Johns County-specific considerations
The Clerk runs its own Benchmark case search with tiered access. Unlike the smaller counties that use the statewide CiviTek system, St. Johns County runs its own Benchmark case search at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/Benchmark, with probate, wills on deposit, caveat, and trust cases among the searchable court types. Anyone can search case dockets without an account; viewing document images online requires submitting the Clerk's Court Records Registration Agreement, which general users simply sign and date but attorneys of record and case parties must have notarized. Certified records, including wills, can be purchased online 24 hours a day through the Clerk's E-Certify service.
No local probate forms, but a dedicated probate inbox. The Clerk's probate page states plainly that the office does not provide probate forms and cannot give legal or procedural advice, reflecting the attorney requirement of Fla. Prob. R. 5.030; its forms library has no probate section. The Clerk does publish a documentation checklist for disposition of personal property without administration, a probate fee schedule, and a dedicated Probate division email, [email protected], on its contact page. The Clerk also reminds custodians that the original will must be deposited within 10 days after learning of the death (F.S. 732.901) and prefers that a death certificate be filed with it.
A published probate division judge with posted procedures. The Seventh Judicial Circuit publishes the county's probate assignment: Division 46, the probate and guardianship division, presided over as of July 2026 by Circuit Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr. at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center (circuit7.org). The division posts its standard judicial practices (updated January 2025), which set out how hearings are scheduled, a hybrid Zoom courtroom with an in-person default for hearings longer than 30 minutes, and a required checklist for stand-alone petitions to determine homestead status, a filing that matters often in a county of high-value homes. Judicial assignments rotate, so confirm the current assignment on circuit7.org.
One courthouse for Florida's fastest-growing county. St. Johns has been Florida's fastest-growing county by percentage since the 2020 census and ranks first among the state's 67 counties in median household income, so estates here often include a high-value home in communities such as Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, or St. Augustine and meaningful financial accounts. Every probate matter is still filed at a single location, the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center at 4010 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine; the county has no branch courthouse, and the Clerk publishes no separate probate phone line, so intake questions go to (904) 819-3600 or [email protected].
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in St. Johns County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, St. Augustine, or other St. Johns 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; the probate division (Division 46) publishes a required checklist for stand-alone homestead petitions on circuit7.org. 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), for which the Clerk's probate page lists the required documentation. Both are filed with the St. Johns Clerk, and an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal and confirm filings on the Clerk's Benchmark case search without repeated trips to St. Augustine. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and to locate accounts from out of state. Packet generation for the petition, prepared in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely remotely. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds real property that must be sold, it generally proceeds through formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733: the parent, represented by counsel under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, petitions the Clerk of the Circuit Court, is appointed personal representative, receives Letters of Administration, and can then sell the home and distribute the proceeds. The matter is heard by a Seventh Judicial Circuit judge assigned to St. Johns County; ask the assigned judge's office whether hearings can be held by Zoom. | 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 |
|---|---|
| St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, (904) 819-3600 (stjohnsclerk.com) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, the probate fee schedule, and the Probate division email, [email protected] |
| Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida (circuit7.org) | Court administration for St. Johns County, judicial assignments including the Division 46 probate division page with its standard practices and checklists, and Zoom remote-appearance resources |
| St. Johns County Clerk case search (apps.stjohnsclerk.com/Benchmark) | The Clerk's own Benchmark case search, covering probate cases; dockets are searchable by anyone, and viewing document images requires the Clerk's Court Records Registration Agreement |
| Clerk E-Certify (via stjohnsclerk.com/online-resources) | Electronic purchase of certified records, including wills, 24 hours a day |
| 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 |
| St. Johns County Legal Aid, (904) 827-9921 or (877) 827-9921 toll-free (jaxlegalaid.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible, elderly, and disabled residents; a branch office of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid at 222 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, with a joint pro bono program run with the St. Johns County Bar Association |
| 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. The St. Johns Clerk's own probate page points filers to this rule and provides no probate forms, so 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, all common in a county with St. Johns' property values. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving St. Johns County and the Seventh 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, St. Johns County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Florida estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition and supporting paperwork for your path, ready to file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in St. Augustine 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 St. Johns County and the Seventh 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 St. Johns County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084. St. Johns is in the Seventh Judicial Circuit. Florida has no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, and the county has no branch courthouse.
Do I have to e-file probate in St. Johns 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 St. Augustine.
Do I need an attorney for probate in St. Johns 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. The St. Johns Clerk's probate page notes this rule and states that the office cannot give legal advice and does not provide probate forms.
What do I do with the original will in St. Johns County?
Deposit it with the Clerk of the Circuit Court within 10 days after learning of the death, as F.S. 732.901 requires, supplying the date of death or the decedent's Social Security number. The St. Johns Clerk prefers that a death certificate be filed with the original will. Depositing the will is required even if no administration will be opened.
Can I look up a St. Johns County probate case online?
Yes. The Clerk runs its own Benchmark case search at apps.stjohnsclerk.com/Benchmark, and probate is one of the searchable case types. Anyone can search dockets without an account; viewing document images online requires submitting the Clerk's Court Records Registration Agreement, which general users sign and attorneys of record and case parties must have notarized.
Can I appear remotely for a St. Johns County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The probate division's published standard practices (Division 46, circuit7.org, updated January 2025) describe a hybrid courtroom using Zoom: hearings longer than 30 minutes default to in person, and a Zoom appearance must be requested by the close of court business 2 days before the hearing. The circuit posts a Zoom tutorial on circuit7.org. Confirm the format when the hearing is set.
Which judge hears probate cases in St. Johns County?
Probate and guardianship cases are assigned to Division 46 of the Seventh Judicial Circuit, heard at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center in St. Augustine. As of July 2026, the circuit's published assignment is Circuit Judge Howard O. McGillin, Jr., whose judge page on circuit7.org posts the division's standard practices and checklists. Judicial assignments rotate, so confirm the current assignment on circuit7.org.
What forms do I need for probate in St. Johns County?
There are no local probate forms; the Clerk's probate page states that the office does not provide them, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set. Formal and summary administration filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, in most cases by an attorney. For disposition of personal property without administration, the Clerk lists the required documentation: the original will if there is one, the death certificate, the paid funeral bill showing who paid, and statements for the assets to be transferred.
What does it cost to file probate in St. Johns County?
Per the Clerk's published probate fee schedule, formal administration is $400, summary administration is $345 for an estate valued at $1,000 or more or $235 for less than $1,000, and disposition of personal property without administration is $231 (verified July 2026). The totals include the statutory service charges set by F.S. 28.2401. Confirm the current figure with the Clerk at (904) 819-3600 before filing.
Do I have to travel to St. Augustine to settle an estate there?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal, and papers can be filed by mail with the Clerk in St. Augustine. Case dockets can be checked on the Clerk's Benchmark case search, certified records can be purchased online through E-Certify, and where a hearing is required, ask the assigned judge's office 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.