State guide
Florida
Florida probate creditors are governed mainly by Chapter 733, with a short publication period but a strict separate outside bar date. Florida also has both summary administration and disposition-without-administration paths that can reduce or avoid a full probate in smaller estates.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Publishing the notice
- Florida requires the personal representative to cause publication once a week for 2 consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the county of administration, or if none is published there, a newspaper of general circulation in that county; legal-newspaper qualifications are in Chapter 50, including sections 50.011 and 50.031.
- Creditor claim deadline
- 3 months after first publication; 30 days after service for creditors who must be served, whichever is later
- Outside deadline
- 2 years after death
- Law
- Fla. Stat. §§ 733.2121, 733.702, 733.710; legal notice qualifications in ch. 50
- Small-estate limit
- Disposition without administration for intestate personal property: nonexempt personal property not over $10,000 plus preferred funeral and last-60-days medical/hospital expenses, with death more than 1 year before filing
Official resources in Florida
Official notice-to-creditors statute covering publication and service on reasonably ascertainable creditors.
Official 2-year outside limitation on claims against estates.
Official small-estate statute for disposition without administration of intestate personal property.
Official Chapter 50 with newspaper qualification and legal-notice publication rules.
Official Florida court self-help portal for self-represented court users.
Key facts for Florida
- Notice to creditors must be published once a week for 2 consecutive weeks.
- The personal representative must diligently search for reasonably ascertainable creditors and promptly serve them with the notice.
- Claims are generally barred unless filed by the later of 3 months after first publication or 30 days after service on a creditor who had to be served.
- Florida has a separate outside bar: generally 2 years after death.
- If no county newspaper is published, publication may be in a newspaper of general circulation in that county.
- Florida allows intestate small-estate disposition without administration when nonexempt personal property does not exceed $10,000 plus specified funeral and last-illness expenses, and death was more than 1 year ago.
What to do next
- Ask the probate clerk whether your county has local probate checklists or administrative orders before publishing.
- Keep proof of publication and proof of service on known creditors because both affect claim-bar deadlines.
- If the estate may qualify for disposition without administration or summary administration, review Chapter 735 before opening a full administration.
Helpful guides
- What is a notice to creditors in probate?
- How to publish a probate notice in a newspaper
- How much does it cost to publish a probate notice?
- What counts as a legal newspaper for probate notices
Creditor deadline calculator →