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Florida Summary Administration

Summary administration is Florida's simplified, faster probate. It is available when EITHER the value of the estate subject to administration in Florida (less property exempt from creditors) is $75,000 or less, OR the decedent has been dead more than 2 years (Fla. Stat. § 735.201). Only one condition needs to be met.

By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026

Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.

This is general information, not legal advice. Whether your estate qualifies can be fact-specific — confirm with a Florida attorney.

Summary administration is Florida’s simplified, faster probate. It avoids much of the full, court-supervised process of formal administration.

When it’s available

Summary administration is available when either of these is true (Fla. Stat. § 735.201):

  • The value of the estate subject to administration in Florida — less property exempt from creditors — is $75,000 or less; or
  • The decedent has been dead more than 2 years.

You only need to meet one of these conditions — not both. So even a larger estate can use summary administration once more than two years have passed since death.

A note on the dollar figure

Please treat the $75,000 figure as something to confirm is current before relying on it, since dollar thresholds can change. The 2-year alternative is long-standing.

What it means in practice

Because it’s simplified, summary administration is generally faster and less expensive than formal administration. It does not involve the appointment of a personal representative in the usual sense; instead, the court can direct distribution of the estate’s assets more directly.

For very small estates with no real property, see disposition without administration — even simpler. To compare against the full process, read about formal administration, and review whether you need a lawyer. Planning ahead can keep assets out of probate entirely — see avoiding probate. To get matched with a local Florida probate attorney, connect with a lawyer.

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Frequently asked questions

What is summary administration in Florida?
It is a simplified, faster form of probate that avoids the full court-supervised process of formal administration. It is governed by Fla. Stat. § 735.201.
When can I use summary administration?
When EITHER the value of the estate subject to administration in Florida (less property exempt from creditors) is $75,000 or less, OR the decedent has been dead more than 2 years (Fla. Stat. § 735.201). Only one of the two conditions must be met.
Is the $75,000 figure fixed?
Treat the $75,000 figure as something to confirm is current before relying on it. The alternative 2-year condition is long-standing. A Florida attorney can confirm what applies to your estate.

Sources

Related guides

  • Do You Need a Lawyer for Florida Probate? In a Florida formal administration, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida attorney unless the PR is the sole interested person (or is themselves a Florida attorney) — Florida Probate Rule 5.030. This is a distinctive Florida requirement. Summary administration and disposition without administration may not require counsel in the same way, but a lawyer is common.
  • Florida Disposition Without Administration For very small Florida estates with NO real property, no administration is required. This applies where the estate is only exempt personal property plus nonexempt personal property not exceeding the preferred funeral expenses plus reasonable medical/hospital expenses of the last 60 days of the last illness. A person who paid those expenses can be reimbursed (Fla. Stat. § 735.301).
  • Florida Personal Representative Duties A Florida resident who is sui juris (an adult of sound mind) can serve as personal representative (Fla. Stat. § 733.302). A non-resident can serve only if related to the decedent (Fla. Stat. § 733.304). The PR is a fiduciary who collects assets, pays valid debts, and distributes the estate, and is entitled to a commission presumed reasonable at statutory percentage tiers (Fla. Stat. § 733.617).
  • The Florida Probate Process: Formal Administration Formal administration is Florida's full court-supervised probate under chapter 733, handled by the circuit court. The court appoints a personal representative and issues letters of administration; the PR gathers assets, settles debts and creditor claims, and distributes the rest. Creditors generally must file claims within set periods, and never more than 2 years after death.

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