Search Pasco County Probate Records

Probate court records in Pasco County are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and handled by judges of the 6th Judicial Circuit, which covers both Pasco and Pinellas counties. Filings for estates, guardianships, and trust proceedings related to Pasco County decedents go through the Dade City main courthouse or the New Port Richey branch, depending on where in the county the decedent lived. This page covers how to find those records, what kinds of cases the court handles, and what to expect when navigating the local probate process.

Pasco County Probate Court

Nikki Alvarez-Sowles serves as Clerk of the Circuit Court for Pasco County. The Clerk's office accepts probate filings, assigns case numbers, and maintains all official estate records. Pasco County has two courthouse locations that handle probate matters. The main courthouse is in Dade City, which is the county seat. The west Pasco branch, called the West Pasco Government Center, is in New Port Richey and is more convenient for residents in the coastal and western parts of the county.

The 6th Circuit shares circuit-level resources between Pasco and Pinellas counties, but each county's clerk maintains its own records independently. A Pasco County probate case is always filed in Pasco, not in Pinellas, regardless of where family members live.

The Pasco Clerk's website provides access to online case search, forms, and filing information for probate matters.

The Pasco County Clerk's official website includes links to the online case portal and instructions for filing common probate documents.

The clerk's homepage lists contact numbers for each department, including the circuit civil division that handles probate cases.

How to Search Probate Records in Pasco County

Pasco County's online case search tool is available through the clerk's website at pascoclerk.com. You can search by name, case number, or date range. The system returns case details, parties, and docket entries. However, under Florida law, the clerk cannot post actual probate documents to a publicly accessible website, so document images may not be available online for all case types.

In-person record access is available at both courthouse locations. If you are not sure which location has the case, start with pascoclerk.com's online search to identify the case number and filing location. Bring a photo ID when visiting. Staff can pull physical files or print case summaries.

Mail requests for certified copies work the same way here as in other Florida counties. Write a letter identifying the case by name or number, state what documents you need, and include payment. The clerk accepts checks or money orders made payable to the Pasco County Clerk. Call (352) 521-4408 to confirm current fees and mailing address before sending your request.

The Florida Courts Find a Clerk page also lists Pasco County clerk contact information if you need a backup reference.

The Florida Courts clerk directory confirms current clerk contact information for Pasco County.

This statewide resource is maintained by the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator and is updated when clerk contact details change.

Types of Probate Cases Filed

Pasco County courts handle all four types of Florida probate proceedings. The type of case that applies to a given estate depends mainly on the estate's value and how long the person has been deceased.

Formal Administration is the standard process for estates worth more than $75,000. It requires a personal representative, court supervision, creditor notice, inventory, and an accounting. In most cases, Florida law requires an attorney to handle formal administration unless the personal representative is the only beneficiary. Pasco County sees a steady volume of these cases given the county's growing population and aging demographics.

Summary Administration is open to estates valued at $75,000 or less, or to any estate where the decedent died more than two years ago. No personal representative is appointed. The court issues an order directing asset distribution. This process is faster and less expensive. Many Pasco County families with modest estates use summary administration to avoid the full formal process.

Disposition Without Administration applies only in narrow circumstances: there is no real property, the only debts are funeral and final medical expenses, and the personal property to be distributed is $6,000 or less. A simple petition to the clerk is all that is needed.

Ancillary Administration covers estates where the decedent lived outside Florida but owned property in Pasco County at the time of death. The primary probate takes place in the decedent's home state, and the Pasco ancillary proceeding handles just the local assets.

Filing Fees and Costs

Filing fees in Pasco County follow the statewide fee schedule set by the Florida Legislature. For formal administration, the fee is $400 for estates up to $1,000, with additional tiers up to $1,500 for very large estates. Summary administration carries a flat filing fee of $235. Disposition without administration also costs $235. These are base filing fees only and do not include publication costs, service fees, or attorney charges.

Certified copies of records cost $2.00 per page plus a $1.00 certification fee. If you need Letters of Administration, each certified set costs the same. Most banks and title companies will need original certified letters rather than plain copies, so order enough sets when you first request them. Going back for additional sets means paying again.

Publication of a notice to creditors in a local Pasco County newspaper is a required step in formal administration. The cost varies by publication but generally runs between $100 and $200 for the required two-week run. The personal representative is responsible for arranging and paying for publication, and the proof of publication must be filed with the court.

The Probate Process in Pasco County

The probate process in Pasco County starts when someone files a petition with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. If the decedent left a will, Florida law under section 732.901 requires the person holding it to deposit it with the clerk within 10 days of learning of the death. This is true even if no probate is planned. Wills held back are a source of legal trouble for families, so it is best to file promptly.

Once the petition is filed and a judge reviews it, the court issues an order admitting the will and appointing the personal representative. The personal representative then gets Letters of Administration, which are the official documents that let them act on the estate's behalf. Banks, title companies, and other institutions require these letters before releasing assets or information.

The personal representative must publish a notice to creditors in a Pasco County newspaper for two consecutive weeks. Creditors have 90 days from first publication to file claims. After that window closes, the personal representative can start distributing assets and paying verified debts. A final accounting is filed with the court, and the judge issues an order of discharge, which formally closes the estate.

Uncontested formal administrations in Pasco County typically take six to nine months. Cases with disputes, unclear property titles, or missing heirs take longer. Summary administration cases, if all paperwork is correct at the time of filing, can be resolved in one to three months.

Legal Resources and Self-Help

Florida Courts offers self-help resources and probate forms online at flcourts.gov. Forms for summary administration and disposition without administration are available in fillable PDF format. Formal administration forms exist too, but the process is complex enough that most people need an attorney to complete them correctly.

Bay Area Legal Services provides free legal help to low-income Pasco County residents and handles some probate matters. Their main line is (813) 232-1343. They have intake procedures to determine eligibility, and probate cases may be referred to their elder law unit.

The Pasco County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service can connect you with a local probate attorney. Many probate lawyers offer a free or low-cost first meeting to review the situation. You can also use the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 342-8011 to find probate attorneys licensed in Florida.

The Florida Probate Code is found in Chapters 731 through 735 of the Florida Statutes. Chapter 732 covers rights of intestate succession and will requirements. Chapter 733 covers probate administration. These are free to read on the Florida Legislature's website.

Cities in Pasco County

No cities in Pasco County currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page. Probate records for all Pasco County cities and unincorporated areas are handled at the county level through the Clerk of the Circuit Court offices in Dade City and New Port Richey.

Nearby Counties