Union County, Florida Probate
Cost Calculator

The Union County Circuit Court in Lake Butler administers all probate matters for Union County, Florida. Local court procedures supplement the state's probate code and can affect scheduling, filing requirements, and overall costs.

The Union County Circuit Court in Lake Butler handles probate alongside other civil matters, and the lighter docket often means more scheduling flexibility. Confirm local filing norms with the clerk's office.

The typical timeline runs 6-12 months, though straightforward estates may resolve faster.

Florida establishes separate statutory fee schedules for personal representatives (§ 733.617) and attorneys (§ 733.6171). Summary administration is available for estates under $75,000 or when the decedent died more than two years ago.

For Florida's full fee tiers and filing details, see our Florida Probate Calculator.

The Union County Clerk of the Circuit Court is located at 55 W Main St, Room 103, Lake Butler, FL 32054. The court clerk can be reached at (386) 496-3711.

Visit the court's website for current forms, fee schedules, and filing instructions. Electronic filing is available.

Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.

• Florida has separate statutory fee schedules for personal representatives (§ 733.617: 3% on the first $1M, declining to 1.5% above $10M) and attorneys (§ 733.6171).
• The Union County Circuit Court in Lake Butler must approve any fees exceeding statutory amounts.
• Summary administration — for estates under $75,000 — significantly reduces court costs.

• Probate in Union County — ranked 60th of Florida's 67 counties — begins with filing a Petition for Administration at the Union County Circuit Court in Lake Butler.
• Florida offers two primary pathways: formal administration for estates above $75,000, and summary administration for smaller estates or those where the decedent has been dead for more than two years.
• The choice of pathway significantly affects both the timeline and cost of administration in Union County.

• Under formal administration, the personal representative must publish a Notice to Creditors in a Lake Butler-area newspaper, file an inventory within 60 days of appointment, and manage the estate through the creditor claims period (which runs 90 days from the first publication or 30 days from service on known creditors).
• The typical probate timeline in Union County runs 6-12 months, though summary administration can resolve qualifying estates significantly faster.
• Florida's homestead protections — among the strongest in the nation — create additional complexity for estates that include the decedent's primary residence.

Florida's summary administration procedure — available for estates valued under $75,000 or when the decedent has been dead for more than two years — provides a streamlined alternative to formal probate in Union County, ranked 60th of the state's 67 counties. Summary administration eliminates the need for a personal representative and allows the court to order direct distribution of assets to beneficiaries.

The petition is filed at the Union County Circuit Court in Lake Butler.

Florida also offers a Disposition Without Administration procedure for estates consisting solely of exempt property (including homestead) and non-exempt personal property that does not exceed the cost of preferred funeral expenses and reasonable medical expenses of the last 60 days. In Union County, where estate compositions tend toward residential property and retirement accounts, summary administration and disposition without administration handle a meaningful share of estate transfers.

Florida's strong homestead protections mean that the primary residence often passes outside the probate estate entirely, reducing the value subject to formal administration.

• Getting an accurate cost estimate before you start probate in Union County helps you budget for Florida's statutory percentage schedule plus local filing fees at the Union County Circuit Court.
• The clerk's office in Lake Butler can answer procedural questions about required forms and hearing schedules.

• This free probate calculator applies Florida's specific rules automatically — enter the estate's approximate value to get an instant breakdown of expected fees.
• No account required.