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Docket No. 12109 · Florida

St. Johns County
Probate Court

In Florida, estates are probated in the Circuit Court (Probate & Guardianship Division). This page gathers where to file in St. Johns County, the state rules that apply, and where every detail comes from.

County website ↗ Directions ↗
County seat
St. Augustine
Population
320,110
Court
Circuit Court
Record
County links
FL · 1210929°53′ N · 81°24′ W
Courthouse not yet mapped in OpenStreetMap
Small-estate limit
$75,000
No statutory waiting period
Creditor window
3 months
Fla. Stat. § 733.702 & § 733.710
Executor fee
By statute
Percentage set by statute
Death taxes
None
No state death tax
§ I

Where to file in St. Johns County

Handled by
Circuit Court (Probate & Guardianship Division)In Florida, probate is heard by the Probate Division of the 20 Judicial Circuit Courts. Florida has three procedures: Disposition Without Administration, Summary Administration, and Formal Administration.
Location
Probate filings are made in the county seat, St. Augustine. We have not found an open, verifiable address for the office yet — use the county website below.
Phone
No phone number published in an open source. Use the county website's contact page — we don't list numbers we can't source.
Opening hours
Not published in an open source. Check the court or county website before you go.
County website
sjcfl.usWikidata
State courts & e-filing
flcourts.govCase search: Florida Courts E-Filing Portal / County Clerk Odyssey Portals
§ II

How probate runs in St. Johns County

Six stages, with the Florida rules that set the pace.

  1. 01

    Secure the original will

    Find the original signed will and order certified death certificates. Florida deadline: Custodian must deposit will with Circuit Court Clerk within 10 days of notice of death (Fla. Stat. § 732.901).

  2. 02

    Pick the right track

    If the probate estate is under $75,000, a small-estate procedure (Fla. Stat. § 735.201 (Summary Administration)) may avoid full administration.

  3. 03

    Petition the court

    File the petition with the Circuit Court (Probate & Guardianship Division) for St. Johns County. The court appoints the executor or administrator and issues letters.

  4. 04

    Inventory the estate

    Open an estate bank account (the IRS issues the EIN), list assets at date-of-death values and file the inventory if the court requires it.

  5. 05

    Notify creditors

    Publish or send notice to creditors. Window: 3 months after the date of first publication of Notice to Creditors, or 30 days after service of direct notice (absolute 2-year bar).

  6. 06

    Account and distribute

    Pay debts, taxes and fees (Fla. Stat. § 733.617 & § 733.6171 (Attorney Fees)), file the final account if required, distribute to heirs and ask to close the estate.

Need help with an estate in St. Johns County, Florida?

Where to get help.

We don't sell leads or take referral fees. Eligibility, availability and fees depend on the provider; confirm them directly.

  1. 01 Florida courts — self-help & formsOfficial judiciary website: forms, filing rules and e-filing.
  2. 02 Legal aid directory — LawHelp.orgNonprofit directory of free and low-cost legal aid by state, including probate and estates.
  3. 03 Find a probate lawyer — American Bar AssociationState-by-state links to bar lawyer-referral services and pro bono programs.
§ III

Florida rules that apply here

Probate law is state law — these apply in all 67 Florida counties.

Small estates
$75,000 (Summary Administration) or no limit if deceased > 2 yearsFla. Stat. § 735.201 (Summary Administration)
Filing the will
Custodian must deposit will with Circuit Court Clerk within 10 days of notice of death (Fla. Stat. § 732.901)
Creditor claims
3 months after the date of first publication of Notice to Creditors, or 30 days after service of direct notice (absolute 2-year bar)Fla. Stat. § 733.702 & § 733.710
Executor fees
Presumed Reasonable Statutory Scale: 3% first $1M, 2.5% next $4M, 2% next $5M, 1.5% above $10M (Fla. Stat. § 733.617)Fla. Stat. § 733.617 & § 733.6171 (Attorney Fees) · estimate the fee
Handwritten wills
Not recognized without witnesses. Florida strictly PROHIBITS holographic (unwitnessed) wills. Even handwritten wills executed out-of-state are invalid unless executed with two attesting witnesses (Fla. Stat. § 732.502(2)).
Estate tax
No state estate tax.Florida Constitution Article VII, Section 5 prohibits any state estate tax exceeding the federal credit.
Inheritance tax
No.No state inheritance tax in Florida.
Typical duration
6 to 12 monthsA lawyer is generally required to represent the estate.
§ IV

Neighbouring probate courts

St. JohnsPutnamClayFlaglerDuvalBradford
Related officeSt. Johns County Clerk & RecorderDeath certificates, recorded deeds and marriage records for the estate file.uscountyclerks.com ↗ Related officeSt. Johns County Property AppraiserAssessed values and parcel records for the estate inventory.uspropertyappraisers.com ↗
§ V

Questions about St. Johns County probate

Where is the St. Johns County Probate Court located?
In Florida, probate is handled by the Circuit Court (Probate & Guardianship Division). Probate filings in St. Johns County are normally made in the county seat, St. Augustine. Confirm the exact office on the official county website (sjcfl.us).
What is the small estate affidavit limit in St. Johns County, FL?
Small-estate rules are set by state law, so they are the same in every Florida county: $75,000 (Summary Administration) or no limit if deceased > 2 years (Fla. Stat. § 735.201 (Summary Administration)).
How do I search probate case records in St. Johns County?
Start with the Florida judiciary website (flcourts.gov), which points to Florida Courts E-Filing Portal / County Clerk Odyssey Portals. Older files and certified copies are requested from the probate clerk in St. Augustine.
What are the deadlines for filing a will and creditor claims in St. Johns County?
Will: Custodian must deposit will with Circuit Court Clerk within 10 days of notice of death (Fla. Stat. § 732.901). Creditors: 3 months after the date of first publication of Notice to Creditors, or 30 days after service of direct notice (absolute 2-year bar) (Fla. Stat. § 733.702 & § 733.710).
How much can an executor charge in St. Johns County?
Florida rule: Presumed Reasonable Statutory Scale: 3% first $1M, 2.5% next $4M, 2% next $5M, 1.5% above $10M (Fla. Stat. § 733.617) (Fla. Stat. § 733.617 & § 733.6171 (Attorney Fees)). You can estimate the amount with our executor fee calculator.