Last updated June 27, 2026 · Reviewed by Neil Alan Milestone, The Florida Bar No. 309966
Probate in Lee County is handled by Florida’s Twentieth Judicial Circuit, through the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court’s probate division in Fort Myers. As in every Florida county, cases are filed electronically through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice.
Where Lee County probate is filed
Lee County sits in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Probate matters are filed with the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate division), with the courthouse in Fort Myers. Florida uses a single statewide e-filing system — the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com — so documents are submitted online. Confirm the current filing address, division, and any local administrative requirements directly with the Lee Clerk.
Which probate path will the estate take?
Florida has more than one path — formal administration, summary administration (for smaller or older estates), and disposition without administration (for very small estates). See summary vs. formal administration, or use the free probate checker to estimate which path a Lee County estate is likely to follow.
What Lee County probate costs
Florida probate cost is largely statewide: attorney fees are presumed reasonable on a statutory schedule that scales with the estate (§733.6171), the personal representative may take a commission (§733.617), and court filing fees are set by §28.241 (roughly $400 for formal administration and about $235 for summary administration), plus publication and certified-copy costs. Estimate a specific estate with the Florida probate cost calculator.
Key deadlines
In formal administration, the personal representative publishes a notice to creditors; most claims must then be filed within the later of three months after first publication or 30 days after service (§733.702), with a two-year absolute bar from the date of death (§733.710). These run the same in Lee County as elsewhere in Florida.
More Florida probate guidance
- Florida probate, explained →
- How much probate costs in Florida →
- How to avoid probate in Florida →
- Probate in other Florida counties →
General information about Florida law, not legal advice. Court locations, fees, and local procedures change — confirm with the Lee Clerk of the Circuit Court and a licensed Florida attorney. EstateDraftFL is software, not a law firm.
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I file probate in Lee County, Florida?
- Lee County probate is handled by the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, through the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court's probate division in Fort Myers. Like all Florida counties, filings are submitted electronically through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Confirm the current filing location and any local requirements with the Lee Clerk.
- Do I need probate in Lee County?
- It depends on how the assets are titled. Assets in the deceased's sole name (no beneficiary, joint owner, or trust) generally require probate; assets that pass by beneficiary designation, survivorship, or a funded trust may not. Smaller or older Lee County estates may qualify for summary administration.
- How much does probate cost in Lee County?
- Florida sets attorney fees and the personal-representative commission by statute (§733.6171 and §733.617), scaling with the estate, plus court filing fees set by §28.241 (roughly $400 for formal administration and about $235 for summary administration) and publication costs. The same schedule applies statewide, including Lee County.
- How long does Lee County probate take?
- Summary administration can take a few weeks to a couple of months; formal administration commonly runs several months to a year, largely because of the creditor-claim period. Timelines vary by estate and the court's docket in Fort Myers.
General information about Florida law, not legal advice.