Citrus County probate help.

Clerk and filing

E-filing and records search

• The Florida ePortal, governed by the Florida eFiling Authority Board, is the gateway to submitting court documents to the clerk. citrusclerk.org
• Since October 1, 2022 the original death certificate is no longer required in a probate case. An electronic copy filed through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is enough. citrusclerk.org
• Proposed orders in Citrus County go through the portal as Submit Proposed Order(s) to Judiciary (Court) - Citrus, in Word (.docx) format. circuit5.org
• Court records are searched through the Secure Courts Online Record Search System (SCORSS). citrusclerk.org

Probate filing fees posted by the clerk

Source: Citrus County Clerk of the Circuit Court fee schedule, checked October 16, 2026. Each posted fee that has a § 28.2401 amount is $1 above that amount (plus the $4 petition charge where § 28.2401(3) applies), except the $7.00 exemplified certificate, which matches it.

Judges and divisions

5th Judicial Circuit. Serves Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.

Courthouses that hear probate

• Citrus County Courthouse, 110 North Apopka Avenue, Inverness, FL 34450; (352) 341-6700 circuit5.org probate assignment

• The circuit lists Citrus County Courthouse at 110 North Apopka Avenue, Inverness, with the number (352) 341-6700. circuit5.org
• The circuit judiciary page lists County Judge Edward C. Spaight among the Citrus County judges. circuit5.org
• The Florida Courts site lists the Fifth Circuit as Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. flcourts.gov

Administrative orders

Orders of the 5th Judicial Circuit that apply to probate and guardianship cases in Citrus County. Circuit order index.

• AO C-2025-45-D, Amended Administrative Order Re Duty Judge Rotation and Judicial Assignments for the Calendar Year 2026. Date: Effective June 22, 2026. Assigns probate and guardianship cases, including adversarial matters, to County Judge Edward C. Spaight, and lets General Magistrate Keith M. Schenck hear referred probate and guardianship matters.
• AO A-2026-13-A, Amended Administrative Order In Re The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Court Filings and Proceedings and The Protection of Confidential Information. Date: 2026. Applies to every filing in Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties and reminds each signer that Rule 2.515(d)(2) requires the cited legal authorities to exist and be accurately cited.
• AO C-2002-10, Administrative Order Regarding Guardianship Reports, Audits and Budgets. Date: Effective March 1, 2002. Lets a guardian elect a simplified accounting when § 744.3679 criteria are met, requires an annual budget of monthly living expenses, and bars the clerk from accepting an inventory or accounting without the audit fee.

Local requirements and forms

Filing and venue

• The clerk files every type of probate proceeding. A will is deposited with the clerk in the decedent's county of residence (§ 732.901). citrusclerk.org
• The circuit lists Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties as its five counties; each county has its own administrative orders and judicial assignments. circuit5.org
• Probate and guardianship correspondence and filings to Judge Spaight go through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Items sent straight to the judge or judicial assistant, other than hearing requests or items the court asked for, are rejected. circuit5.org
• Certain probate documents filed after October 1, 2022 are recorded only if the filer starts the recording. Recording costs $10.00 for the first page, $8.50 for each added page and $1.00 per name after four for indexing. citrusclerk.org

Wills

• The original will goes to the clerk, with no filing fee, within 10 days of the custodian learning of the death. citrusclerk.org
• Certified copies of a will cost $1.00 per page plus $2.00 for certification. citrusclerk.org

Small estates

• Disposition of personal property without administration cannot be used when real property is involved. The filing fee is due with the petition, and one certified copy of the order is charged. citrusclerk.org
• The clerk posts a Statement of Claim form for creditors. citrusclerk.org
• The clerk page prints $75,000 as the summary administration limit; § 735.201(2) reads $150,000 under chapter 2026-57, effective July 1, 2026. flsenate.gov

Proposed orders

• Proposed orders go through the portal for Citrus, Hernando, Marion and Sumter, in Word (.docx) only. A cover letter is optional and must be a PDF. circuit5.org
• Orders are submitted only when ready for immediate entry, through Submit Proposed Order(s) to Judiciary (Court) - Citrus. circuit5.org

Hearings

• Hearing requests go to the judicial assistant by e-mail copied to the other parties. Hearings are not scheduled by telephone and run first come, first served. circuit5.org
• The party coordinating the hearing gives the court a courtesy copy of the notice of hearing to finalize the setting. circuit5.org
• Cross-noticing a motion on an existing hearing needs the court's permission. circuit5.org
• Case law and memoranda go to the judicial assistant electronically. circuit5.org
• Evidence for a virtual hearing is delivered to the court in advance. circuit5.org

Guardianship and filings

• A guardian may elect a simplified accounting when § 744.3679 criteria are met, and must file an annual budget of monthly living expenses (AO C-2002-10). circuit5.org
• Every filing in the five counties falls under the circuit order on artificial intelligence (AO A-2026-13-A). circuit5.org
• An Alleged Incapacitated Person coversheet applies to Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. circuit5.org

Forms and checklists

• Affidavit of Heirs, Citrus County Clerk
• Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration, Citrus County Clerk
• Statement of Claim, Citrus County Clerk
• Alleged Incapacitated Person Coversheet (five-county circuit form), Fifth Judicial Circuit
• Circuit sample proposed orders and instructions, Fifth Judicial Circuit

Property and homestead

• The homestead application goes to the property appraiser by March 1; a by-mail application is sent to the Homestead Department at the Inverness office. citruspa.org
• A homestead assessment-cap benefit moves to a new homestead only with Form DR-501T filed by March 1. citruspa.org
• The property appraiser has an Inverness office (Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM) and a Crystal River office (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). citruspa.org

Death certificates

• Death certificates cover deaths in Florida from 2009 to the present. Earlier deaths go to the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Jacksonville. A copy of valid identification goes with each request, and cause of death is released to family members and legal representatives. citrus.floridahealth.gov

Records and help

• The clerk accepts payment online, by phone, in person or by mail, and adds a service fee for credit and debit cards. citrusclerk.org
• Section 735.201(2) in the 2026 Florida Statutes reads $150,000, as amended by chapter 2026-57. flsenate.gov
• Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida, took effect July 1, 2026. laws.flrules.org
• The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service takes calls at 800-342-8011, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. floridabar.org

Sources

Last checked: October 16, 2026. Each source shows the text that supports the facts above.

1. Florida Statutes § 28.2401, probate service charges and filing fees (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Fee for formal administration, guardianship, ancillary, curatorship, or conservatorship proceedings .......... $395
   • Fee for summary administration - estates valued at $1,000 or more .......... $340
   • Fee for summary administration - estates valued at less than $1,000 .......... $230
   • Charge for caveat .......... $40
   • Fee for disposition of personal property without administration .......... $230
   • Fee for guardianship proceedings of person only .......... $230
   • Charge for exemplified certificates .......... $7
   • An additional service charge of $4 on petitions seeking summary administration, formal administration, ancillary administration, guardianship, curatorship, and conservatorship shall be paid to the clerk.
   • Recording shall be required for all petitions opening and closing an estate; petitions regarding real estate; and orders, letters, bonds, oaths, wills, proofs of wills, returns, and such other papers as the judge shall deem advisable to record or that shall be required to be recorded under the Florida Probate Code.
2. Florida Statutes § 28.241, filing fees for trial and appellate proceedings (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Reopen fees are due at the time a party files a pleading to reopen a proceeding if at least 90 days have elapsed since the filing of a final order or final judgment with the clerk.
3. Florida Statutes § 732.901, production of wills (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • The custodian of a will must deposit the will with the clerk of the court having venue of the estate of the decedent within 10 days after receiving information that the testator is dead.
   • the clerk shall retain and preserve the original will in its original form for at least 20 years
4. Florida Statutes § 735.201, summary administration (2026), checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • does not exceed $150,000 or that the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years
   • s. 7, ch. 2026-57
5. Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Section 7. Subsection (2) of section 735.201, Florida Statutes, is amended
   • Section 14. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
6. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal serves as a single, statewide access point connecting thousands of users to Florida's court system.
7. The Florida Bar, Lawyer Referral Service, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Call 800-342-8011, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
8. Fifth Judicial Circuit, home page, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Citrus County
   • Hernando County
   • Lake County
   • Marion County
   • Sumter County
9. Fifth Judicial Circuit, Administrative Orders index, checked October 16, 2026
   Supporting text

   • Administrative Orders are directives that are necessary to properly administer the court's affairs
   • Orders are grouped by their jurisdiction: circuit-wide and individual counties.
   • For the current list of Orders and Rules, please call 352-401-7841
10. Florida Courts, Trial Courts - Circuit, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Fifth Circuit - Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter
11. Fifth Judicial Circuit, Citrus County court page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Citrus County Courthouse
    • 110 North Apopka Avenue
    • Inverness, Florida 34450
    • (352) 341-6700
12. Fifth Judicial Circuit, Citrus County judiciary, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Edward C. Spaight County Judge
    • Carol Falvey Administrative Judge
13. Fifth Judicial Circuit, AO C-2025-45-D Duty Judge Rotation and Judicial Assignments 2026 (PDF), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • AMENDED ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. C-2025-45-D
    • effective June 22, 2026
    • Judge Edward C. Spaight- All general civil matters within the jurisdiction of the County Court except civil infractions, evictions, small claims, traffic, unlawful detainer and prohibited practices matters; probate and guardianship cases, including adversarial probate and guardianship matters.
    • General Magistrate Keith M. Schenck
    • probate matters referred pursuant to Fla. Prob. R. 5.697
    • guardianship proceedings pursuant to Fla. Stat.

    Note: The circuit publishes this order as a scanned PDF with no text layer. The quoted text was read from the scan by OCR on 2026-10-16.

14. Fifth Judicial Circuit, AO C-2002-10 Guardianship Reports, Audits and Budgets (PDF), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER REGARDING GUARDIANSHIP REPORTS, AUDITS AND BUDGETS
    • If a guardianship estate meets the criteria set forth in s744.3679, Fla. Stat., the Guardian may elect to file a simplified accounting.
    • guardians who are required to make such payments shall file a budget on an annual basis setting forth the monthly living expenses of the ward
    • The Clerk shall not accept the inventory or annual accounting for filing if it is not accompanied by the statutory audit fee
    • This Order shall be effective on March 1, 2002.

    Note: Scanned PDF with no text layer. Quoted text read by OCR on 2026-10-16.

15. Fifth Judicial Circuit, AO A-2026-13-A Use of Artificial Intelligence in Court Filings (PDF), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • AMENDED ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. A-2026-13-A
    • This Order applies to all filings and written materials submitted through the Florida Courts e-Filing Portal or otherwise presented to any division in Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties.
    • require each signer of a filing to represent that they have read the document, that there are good grounds supporting the document, and that the legal authorities identified in the filing exist and are accurately cited

    Note: Scanned PDF with no text layer. Quoted text read by OCR on 2026-10-16.

16. Fifth Judicial Circuit, Submitting Proposed Orders, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • The following Fifth Circuit Counties DO ACCEPT Proposed Orders via Florida's E-filing Portal:
    • Citrus
    • Hernando
    • Marion
    • Sumter
    • LAKE COUNTY - DOES NOT ACCEPT Proposed Orders via Florida's E-Filing Portal.
    • Proposed Orders must be SUBMITTED IN WORD FORMAT (.docx) ONLY
    • COVER LETTERS are OPTIONAL. Cover Letters must be in Adobe .pdf format.
17. Fifth Judicial Circuit, County Judge Edward C. Spaight procedures, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Parties requesting a hearing shall send an e-mail request to Joan Gaither as hearings are not scheduled by telephone.
    • Hearing times are set on a first come, first served basis.
    • The coordinating party must provide the Court with a courtesy copy of the Notice of Hearing to finalize the hearing selection.
    • Evidence for virtual hearings must be physically delivered to the Court, in advance of the hearing
    • Any party desiring to cross-notice a motion with a previously scheduled hearing may do so only with permission of the Court.
    • Any party desiring to submit case law and/or a memorandum of law for an upcoming hearing may submit these materials electronically to Joan Gaither.
    • Orders should not be submitted unless ready for immediate entry.
    • Submit Proposed Order(s) to Judiciary (Court)
    • MUST be submitted in Word format (.docx) only
    • All correspondence and submissions to the Court on Probate and Guardianship matters, other than Proposed Orders that are ready for immediate entry
    • shall be made through the Florida Courts E-filing portal
    • Any filings or emails sent directly to the Judge or to the Judicial Assistant
    • other than requests for Hearing or submissions specifically requested by the Court will be rejected
18. Fifth Judicial Circuit, Alleged Incapacitated Persons forms, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Alleged Incapacitated Person Coversheet (Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter)
19. Citrus County Clerk, Probate page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • the original death certificate will no longer be required. An electronic copy filed through the Florida Courts E-filing Portal will suffice.
    • it will be the responsibility of the filer to initiate the process of having the document recorded.
    • $10.00 for the first page $8.50 for each additional page $1.00 per name, after four names, for indexing
    • Summary administration may be filed when the value of the entire estate does not exceed $75,000
    • These forms may not be used when real property is involved.
    • The filing fee is due at the time the Petition is filed.
    • there is no charge or filing fee to deposit a will
    • at the rate of $1.00 per page, plus a $2.00 charge for certification
    • Phone: 352-341-6424
    • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m
    • within 10 days of the date of death

    Note: The $75,000 summary administration limit printed on this page was replaced by $150,000 in § 735.201(2) (chapter 2026-57).

20. Citrus County Clerk, Courthouse location, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADDRESS 110 N. Apopka Ave Inverness FL, 34450
    • PHONE (352) 341-6424
    • Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Excluding designated holidays.
    • Services Provided All Court Services.
21. Citrus County Clerk, Dennis Damato Government Center, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • ADDRESS 1540 N Meadowcrest Blvd Crystal River, FL 34429
    • Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm Excluding designated holidays.
    • Record Documents in the Official Records
    • Purchase Family and Civil Court Packets
22. Citrus County Clerk, eFiling Portal, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • The Florida ePortal , governed by the Florida eFiling Authority Board , is the gateway to managing your court document submissions to the Clerk of Court.
23. Citrus County Clerk, Court Records Search (SCORSS), checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • You may access court records through the Secure Courts Online Record Search System (SCORSS) as the general public or register for the appropriate role as outlined below.
24. Citrus County Clerk, Fee Schedule, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Caveat or Notice of Trust $41.00
    • Disposition of personal property without administration $231.00
    • Guardianship of Person Only $235.00
    • Petition for determination of incapacity $231.00
    • Petitions to admit foreign wills, authenticated or exemplified copies or transcripts of record $231.00
    • Reopen Fee $50.00
    • Will Deposit No Fee
    • Exemplified Certificates, including signing and sealing $7.00
    • Certifying copies of any instrument in public records $2.00
    • Opening any estate of one document or more
    • Not for issuance of letters or orders of summary administration $231.00
    • Probate Administration Ancillary Curatorship Formal Summary Administration: $1000 or more Summary Administration: less than $1000 $400.00 $400.00 $400.00 $345.00 $235.00
    • Guardianship of Person and Property $400.00
25. Citrus County Clerk, Probate Forms and Packets, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Affidavit of Heirs (PDF)
    • Disposition of Personal Property Without Administration (PDF)
    • Statement of Claim (PDF)
    • You may also reference Florida Statute 735.303
26. Citrus County Clerk, Fee Schedule page, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Payments may be made online or over the phone 352-341-6424 or in person or mail to: 110 N Apopka , Inverness, Fl 34450
    • A credit card service fee will be applied for payments made with a credit or debit card.
27. Citrus County Property Appraiser, Homestead Application, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Remit the application to
    • Inverness Courthouse Annex 210 N. Apopka Ave., Suite 200
    • Crystal River West Citrus Center 1540 North Meadowcrest Blvd Suite 400
    • Phone - 352-341-6600
    • File Homestead Exemption By Mail
    • you must file a "Transfer of Homestead Assessment Difference" form, DR-501T by March 1
28. Citrus County Property Appraiser, Contact, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • THE PROPERTY APPRAISER HAS TWO OFFICES IN THE COUNTY.
    • INVERNESS OFFICE 210 N. Apopka Ave., Suite 200 Inverness, FL 34450 (352) 341-6600 (office)
    • Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
    • CRYSTAL RIVER OFFICE 1540 N. Meadowcrest Blvd., Suite 400 Crystal River, FL 34429
    • Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

    Note: The Homestead Application page prints Inverness hours as 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM; this contact page prints 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. The contact page is used.

29. Florida Department of Health in Citrus County, Death Certificates, checked October 16, 2026
    Supporting text

    • Death Certificates are available for deaths occurring in the state of Florida from 2009 to present.
    • Any death prior to 2009 must be requested from
    • A legible copy of a valid driver
    • You must be a family member or legal representative when requesting cause of death.
    • Lecanto office
    • Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
    • $13 Death Certificate
    • $13 Additional Certificates
    • 352-527-0068
    • 3700 West Sovereign Path Lecanto, FL 34461