Bay County Probate Statistics

Use this county view to check filing-fee patterns, e-filing access, and timing signals before you rely on a probate cost estimate or start preparing a petition.

Published: January 15, 2026Updated: January 5, 2026Data quality: High

What This County Snapshot Covers

This page is meant to answer the fast operational questions first: what the county charges to open common probate proceedings, whether e-filing is available, how long creditor claims may run, and where to verify the court record.

Fee Rows Captured

Yes

E-Filing Available

3 mo

Creditor Claim Period

High

Data Quality

Official Sources to Verify

Court Forms or Filing Portal

Review the county or court forms page tied to this probate workflow.

Court Website

Go straight to the county probate court website for clerk notices and local instructions.

Filing Fee Schedule

Disposition Without Administration	$232
Summary Administration (estate under $1,000)	$236
Summary Administration (estate over $1,000)	$346
Formal Administration	$401
Ancillary Administration	$401
Will Deposit	$0
Caveat Filing	$42
Notice of Trust	$42
Person Only	$236
Property Only	$401
Person And Property	$401
Veteran	$236
Reopen Case	$50
Certified Copy (per page)	$1
Certification (per document)	$2
Exemplification Per Document	$7
Search Fee Per Year	$2
Pro Hac Vice	$100
Professional Guardian Filing	$7.5
Threshold	$25,000
Fee Under Threshold	$0
Fee Over Threshold	$85
Foreign Will Petition	$232
Guardianship (Person Only)	$236
Va Guardianship	$236
Incapacity Petition	$232
Case Reopen	$50
Opening Estate Misc	$232
Exemplified Certificates	$7
Initial Inventory Over 25000	$85
Annual Under 25000	$20
Annual 25000 To 100000	$85
Annual 100000 To 500000	$170
Annual Over 500000	$250

Filing Options

in person

e file

E-filing portal: Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (Required for attorneys)

Key Deadlines

Creditor Claim Period3 months

Court Information

Probate Division - 14th Judicial Circuit

300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401

Phone: (850) 763-9061

Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM CST

Court Website →

← Florida Probate Statistics

Compare all Florida counties

Bay County Reference →

Open the deeper fee, rules, and filing-reference version of this county page

Bay County Guide →

Full probate guide for this county

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Bay County probate fees on this page the full cost of the case?

Not necessarily. Filing fees are only one part of probate cost. Publication charges, certified copies, appraisal expenses, attorney fees, and other estate-administration costs may still apply.

What does e-filing status mean for Bay County probate cases?

E-filing status tells you whether the county accepts online filing and, when available in the dataset, whether attorneys are required to use it. That still does not replace checking the current clerk instructions before filing.

Why might a fee or deadline be missing?

Some counties publish fees in fragmented schedules, update procedures without a clean machine-readable source, or handle certain deadlines in local instructions rather than a simple statewide field. Use the county reference page and court website to verify anything missing.

Information current as of January 5, 2026

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in Florida can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.