Probate in Taylor County: Where It’s Filed
Perry is in Taylor County, which sits in Florida’s 3rd Judicial Circuit. Probate is filed with Gary Knowles, Jr., the Taylor County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. Cases are handled at the Taylor County Courthouse at 108 North Jefferson Street in Perry, where the Clerk’s counter is in Suite 102. The Probate Division has one circuit judge, a former chief judge of the circuit, who also carries the county’s felony trial docket. Attorneys e-file every document through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, which is why an out-of-state family can have a Taylor County estate handled without anyone traveling to the courthouse.
Taylor probate case numbers carry the county code 62 in front of the year, in the form 62-2026-CP-000. Taylor is the only county in the circuit that posts a probate fee schedule without publishing a probate page, so the fee table is the whole of the Clerk’s published probate guidance, and mail goes to P.O. Box 620 in ZIP 32348 while the counter is at 108 North Jefferson Street in ZIP 32347. We serve Perry and Taylor County residents, including Perry, Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach, Salem, Shady Grove, Foley, Dekle Beach.
Which Kind of Probate You’ll Need
Most Taylor County estates pass through one of three doors. The cheapest one may be open.
- Disposition without administration. Tiny estates with only exempt property and final-expense reimbursement; days to weeks.
- Summary administration. Estates of $150,000 or less (raised from $75,000 on July 1, 2026) after exempt property, or when the decedent died more than two years ago; often weeks.
- Formal administration. Everything else; a personal representative is appointed and the case runs about 6 to 12 months.
We confirm which applies at your consult and quote a flat fee. Estimate the cost and timeline first →
How Long, and What It Costs
Formal administration is paced by the 3-month creditor-claim window; clean distribution waits for it to pass. Florida law sets a presumed-reasonable attorney fee scaled to the estate, but it’s a ceiling, not a mandate. Our flat fees start at $1,500 (disposition), $2,500 (summary), and $3,500 (formal). Government costs, the Taylor County filing fee (about $400), newspaper publication, and certified copies, are additional and passed through at cost. See the full Florida probate guide →
Out-of-State Personal Representatives
Under Florida law, you can serve as personal representative of a Taylor County estate from another state if you’re related to the decedent by blood, adoption, or marriage; an out-of-state child qualifies. We represent personal representatives across Perry and Taylor County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Local Rules, Judges, and the Clerk’s Probate Office
Every circuit publishes administrative orders and local procedures that control how probate actually runs in Taylor County, including which division gets the case, which checklists are required, and how proposed orders reach the judge. The Third Circuit is one court visiting seven courthouses in Columbia, Suwannee, Taylor, Madison, Dixie, Hamilton and Lafayette counties. One general magistrate, Christina N. Seifert, carries probate, guardianship and trust matters in all seven, and the circuit’s six-month master calendar does not carry a probate docket in any county, so every hearing is specially set through the assigned judge’s judicial assistant. After hours one duty judge covers all seven counties and is reached through the local Sheriff’s Office dispatch. No administrative order in this circuit governs decedent probate practice. The circuit’s own Probate and Guardianship order category holds three orders and none of them is about administering an estate, and the circuit publishes no probate checklist, packet or form. What governs instead is the general assignment order, rewritten every six months and expiring December 31, 2026, plus the two general magistrate orders.
- Administrative orders of the Third Judicial Circuit
- Third Judicial Circuit judges directory
- The clerk’s probate office for Taylor County
You do not have to learn any of this yourself. Part of what a flat fee covers is an attorney who already files under these rules, so nothing bounces back for a missing checklist.
Rather handle the filing yourself? Our Taylor County Probate Court filing guide is the procedural version of this page, with the courthouse address, where the original will goes, which forms the county wants, the posted filing fee, and an eleven-step checklist for opening the estate.
Handling a Perry estate?
A free 30-minute consult tells you which kind of probate applies and what it will cost.
Book your free consultFrequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a probate lawyer in Perry?
Ask the same four questions everywhere in Florida. Is the fee flat or the statutory percentage, in writing? Does the lawyer litigate if a will contest or objection erupts mid-case? Can the whole case be handled without you coming to Florida, since Florida probate e-files statewide? And does the estate, not you personally, pay the fee? We answer flat, yes, yes, and yes for Perry and Taylor County families.
Where is probate filed in Taylor County?
Probate is filed with Gary Knowles, Jr., the Taylor County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller, in the 3rd Judicial Circuit, where the decedent was domiciled. Attorneys e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, so you don't have to appear in person. We handle Taylor County estates wherever you are.
How long will it take?
Formal administration in any Florida county usually runs 6 to 12 months because the 3-month creditor-claim window (§733.702) must pass. Summary administration is faster, often a few weeks to about two months.
Do I need a local attorney if I live out of state?
You need a Florida attorney for most formal administrations (Fla. Prob. R. 5.030), but you don't need to be local. We represent personal representatives across Perry and Taylor County by phone, video, and e-signature.
Sources
- Fla. Stat. ch. 733 to 735 (administration); §733.304 (nonresident PR); §733.702 (creditor claims); Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 (attorney required). Filing via Gary Knowles, Jr., the Taylor County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller (3rd Judicial Circuit) and the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. (retrieved 2026-06-07)
Updated August 12, 2026. Reviewed by Kevin D. Klagge, Esq., Fla. Bar No. 99502. Attorney Kevin Klagge represents families, businesses, and international clients in estate and tax planning, business structuring, and international law, with a focus on Florida legal tools. He litigates estate and business issues in court. General information about Florida law, not legal advice. We serve Perry and Taylor County residents from Miami; this is not a Perry office.