What qualifies for summary administration in Florida?

An estate qualifies for Florida summary administration under Chapter 735 when the value of the probate estate, less property exempt from creditors' claims, is $150,000 or less — the threshold was raised from $75,000 effective July 1, 2026 — OR when the decedent has been dead for more than two years, regardless of estate size. The estate must not require the appointment of a personal representative.

How much does summary administration cost in Florida?

Truestead Law handles qualifying uncontested summary administrations for a flat $1,495 with no real property, or $2,495 when the estate includes real property (which adds the homestead determination work needed to clear title). Court filing fees (roughly $235–$405 depending on county), recording, and any publication costs are paid separately at cost. Many Florida firms charge $3,500 or more for the same petition.

How long does summary administration take?

For an uncontested estate with cooperative beneficiaries and complete paperwork, plan on roughly three to eight weeks from filing to signed orders, varying by county and judicial workload. There is no personal representative and no months-long creditor administration — the court orders distribution directly.

Do I even need probate for a very small estate?

Sometimes not. Florida's Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration lets certain very small estates — exempt personal property and final-expense reimbursements, with no real estate — be handled through a simple clerk filing without an attorney. If your situation fits, we'll tell you that for free rather than sell you a probate you don't need.

Attorney-Handled · Statewide · Flat $1,495 / $2,495 + court costs

Small-Estate Probate, Priced Like the Paperwork It Is

Florida's summary administration exists so qualifying estates can skip the long form of probate — no personal representative, no months of creditor administration, just a petition done right and orders signed. Most firms charge $3,500 for it. We handle it flat-fee, statewide, from a firm that does this daily.

Start — Flat $1,495 Not Sure You Qualify? Ask First

Received — we're on it. We'll reach out within one business day to gather the decedent's information, the will (if any), and the beneficiary details, and confirm qualification before anything is filed. Urgent? Call (888) 388-8445.

⚖️ The law just changed in your favor: effective July 1, 2026, Florida doubled the summary administration threshold from $75,000 to $150,000 of non-exempt probate assets. Estates that needed full formal probate last year may qualify for this faster, cheaper track today — and estates where the death was more than two years ago qualify at any size.

Flat Fees

Two prices. Court costs at cost. No surprises.

Most Estates

Summary Administration — No Real Property

$1,495 flat + court costs at cost

Qualification review before anything is filed
Petition, beneficiary consents/joinders, proposed orders
Filed in the proper county, statewide
Bank accounts, vehicles, and personal property distributed by court order
Typical timeline: 3–8 weeks uncontested

Start — $1,495

Summary Administration — With Real Property

$2,495 flat + court costs at cost

Everything in the standard package
Homestead determination petition where applicable
Orders drafted to actually clear title — the part title companies reject when done wrong
Coordination with our real estate side for the sale or the deed that follows

Start — $2,495

Court costs are the state's, not ours, and are billed at cost: filing fees roughly $235–$405 by county, recording for real-property orders, and publication only where required. Flat fees assume an uncontested estate with cooperative, locatable beneficiaries — see the scope note below.

Straight Answers

Three things most probate pages won't tell you

You might not need us at all

Florida's Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration handles certain very small, no-real-estate estates through a clerk filing — no attorney required. If that's your situation, we'll say so for free.

Two years changes everything

If the death was more than two years ago, creditor claims are barred and summary administration is available at ANY estate size — the cleanup tool for old, never-probated estates and stuck titles.

The order is the product

A summary administration order that misdescribes property or skips the homestead determination gets rejected by title companies years later. The petition is easy; drafting orders that hold up is the lawyering.

The Process

Four steps, no personal representative

Qualify

We confirm eligibility ($150,000 non-exempt or 2+ years) and map assets, will, heirs, and any creditor issues — before you owe us the flat fee's work.

Petition

Petition for summary administration, beneficiary joinders/consents, homestead petition where real property is involved.

Orders

The court enters orders distributing assets directly to the people entitled to them. No PR, no letters, no long administration.

Distribute

Certified orders to banks, DMV, and — for real property — the official records, clearing title. Done.

FAQ

Summary administration — common questions

Does the $150,000 count the house?

Protected homestead is generally exempt from creditors' claims and doesn't count against the threshold — which is why many estates with a home still qualify. Getting the homestead treated correctly is exactly what the $2,495 tier's homestead petition is for.

What if there's a will? What if there isn't?

Both work. With a will, it's admitted with the petition and distribution follows its terms; without one, Florida's intestacy statutes control. Either way, all beneficiaries sign on or are served.

What knocks an estate out of the flat fee?

Disputes among beneficiaries, unknown or missing heirs, insolvency fights with creditors, or the discovery that the estate exceeds the threshold — those convert to formal administration or contested work, which we quote before proceeding. The qualification review exists to catch this up front.

The death was years ago and a property is stuck in the deceased's name. Is this the fix?

Usually, yes — the two-year rule makes summary administration the standard tool for clearing old titles, and it pairs with our real estate practice for the sale or the deed work that follows.

Want the details first? The full guide series: the complete guide · the new $150,000 limit · costs · timeline · forms checklist · with a house · the two-year rule.

Settle it properly. Move forward.

A flat fee, a real attorney, and orders that hold up — filed statewide from Ormond Beach.

Start My Summary Administration

Attorney advertising. Flat fees cover an uncontested summary administration under Chapter 735, Florida Statutes, with cooperative, locatable beneficiaries and the services listed; court filing fees, recording, and publication are government charges billed at cost. Matters that become contested, involve unknown heirs, exceed the statutory threshold, or require formal administration are quoted separately before any additional work. Purchasing initiates an engagement completed by intake, conflict check, and our engagement terms; if the estate does not qualify, the fee is refunded less any qualification-review time actually incurred, as stated in the engagement letter. Responsible attorney: Arthur Simpson, Esq., Florida Bar #529265, Ormond Beach.