Last updated September 2, 2026
How Long Does Probate Take in Palm Beach County?
Short answer: Formal administration in Palm Beach County typically takes nine to eighteen months, while summary administration — available where the non-exempt estate is worth $150,000 or less, a threshold doubled from $75,000 effective 1 July 2026, or where the death was more than two years ago — usually closes in one to three months.
Important: the threshold changed in 2026
Most of what you will read online about Florida summary administration is out of date. The non-exempt estate limit was doubled from $75,000 to $150,000 by chapter 2026-57, effective 1 July 2026. If a source still quotes $75,000, it is describing the old law. Estates that would have been forced into formal administration a year ago may now qualify for the faster route, and that is frequently the difference between selling the house this quarter and selling it next year.
Whether an estate can use the shorter route is a qualification question in its own right: see do I qualify for summary administration in Florida.
The two routes, and how long each takes
| Route | When it applies | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| Summary administration | Non-exempt estate of $150,000 or less, or death more than two years ago | 1 to 3 months |
| Formal administration | Everything else, and where a personal representative needs ongoing authority | 9 to 18 months, longer if contested |
| Disposition without administration | Very small estates, limited to reimbursing certain final expenses | Weeks |
Exempt assets — which can include the homestead and certain personal property — are excluded when testing the $150,000 limit, so an estate with a substantial net worth on paper can still qualify. Whether a particular property is exempt is a legal question and it belongs with a probate attorney.
What consumes the time in a formal administration
- Opening the estate. Petition filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and letters of administration issued appointing the personal representative. Weeks, if the paperwork is clean.
- Notice to creditors. Published notice starts a three-month window for creditors to file claims. This is usually the single largest fixed block of time in the schedule, and it cannot be compressed.
- Inventory and valuation. Estate assets identified and valued as at the date of death.
- Selling the real property. Timing depends on the will, the letters of administration and whether beneficiaries consent. Some sales need specific court authority.
- Accounting, distribution and discharge. Final accounting, payment of claims, distribution to beneficiaries and closing the estate.
Why Palm Beach County can run longer than the state average
Court volume. This is a large, populous county with a high number of estates moving through the probate division at any time, so scheduling and review add time that has nothing to do with your particular family. Estates that stretch beyond eighteen months are usually delayed by one of three things: a dispute among beneficiaries, an unclear or missing will, or property that is difficult to value or sell.
When can the house actually be sold?
This is the question behind the question, because the property is usually the largest asset and it costs money every month it is held. Insurance, taxes, association dues and maintenance continue regardless. Two points matter:
- A sale generally requires a personal representative with authority to sign, which means the estate has to be opened first. There is no way around that step.
- Not everything requires probate at all. A property held in a valid living trust, in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, or subject to a recorded enhanced life estate deed may pass outside probate entirely. See our Palm Beach County probate hub for how that is established.
What we do while an estate is open is preparation rather than waiting: a written opinion of value as at the date of death, a realistic view of condition and what is worth doing, and a launch plan ready for the day authority exists. That is usually the only part of the timeline anyone can genuinely shorten.
Not legal advice
Gia Freer, our Broker of Record, holds NAR’s Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource (SFR) certification, is Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) trained, and has been licensed in Florida since 2000. This page explains the real-estate side of probate only. It is not legal advice, and how long your estate takes depends on facts a probate attorney needs to see. Tax questions, including the step-up in basis, belong with a CPA. We work alongside probate attorneys across Palm Beach County every week and can refer you to one.
Related: selling a probate or inherited home in Palm Beach County and what closing costs a seller pays here.
Questions and answers
How long does probate take in Palm Beach County?
Formal administration in Palm Beach County typically takes nine to eighteen months, and longer if the estate is contested. Summary administration is much faster and usually closes in one to three months. Palm Beach County can run at the longer end of the range because of the volume of estates moving through the probate division.
What is the summary administration threshold in Florida in 2026?
The limit is $150,000 of non-exempt estate value. It was doubled from $75,000 by chapter 2026-57, effective 1 July 2026. Summary administration is also available regardless of value where the decedent died more than two years ago. Exempt assets, which can include the homestead and certain personal property, are excluded when the limit is tested, so an estate with a high overall net worth may still qualify.
Why does the probate timeline in Palm Beach County take so long?
The largest fixed block of time is the three-month window for creditors to file claims after notice is published, and that cannot be compressed. Court volume in a county this size adds scheduling time. Estates that run past eighteen months are usually delayed by a dispute among beneficiaries, an unclear or missing will, or property that is hard to value or sell.
Can the house be sold before probate is finished?
Usually yes. The estate normally has to be opened and a personal representative appointed with authority to sign, but the sale itself does not have to wait for the estate to close. Depending on the will, the letters of administration and whether beneficiaries consent, specific court authority may be required for the sale.
Do I always need probate to sell an inherited house in Florida?
No. A property held in a valid living trust, owned in joint tenancy with right of survivorship, or covered by a recorded enhanced life estate deed can pass outside probate. Probate is generally required where the property was titled in the deceased person's name alone with no survivorship or trust arrangement, because otherwise no living person has authority to sign the deed.
What can be done while the estate is still open?
A great deal of the preparation can be finished before authority to sell exists: a written opinion of value as at the date of death, an assessment of condition and which repairs are worth doing, clearing and staging decisions, and a marketing plan ready to launch on the day the personal representative can sign. That preparation is normally the only part of the overall timeline that can genuinely be shortened.
Does Florida homestead affect the probate timeline?
Yes. If the property qualifies as Florida constitutional homestead and there is a surviving spouse or minor children, it may pass outside probate entirely and cannot be sold without their consent. That changes both the timeline and the personal representative's options, and it is one of the first things the estate's attorney should establish.
Do I need a probate attorney in Palm Beach County?
For formal administration, effectively yes: a non-attorney personal representative cannot represent the estate in court proceedings. Even in a summary administration the filing requirements make an attorney advisable. If a family does not already have one, we can refer several who handle Palm Beach and Broward estates regularly.
This page covers the real-estate side only. It is not legal or tax advice. Decisions about foreclosure defence, probate, bankruptcy or forgiven debt should involve a Florida attorney, and anything touching money or taxes should involve a CPA. We work alongside both every week and can refer you.
See what your home is worth
Every decision on this page depends on one number: what the property is actually worth today. Gia Freer, our Broker of Record, prepares a written opinion of value from our own BeachesMLS data. No automated estimate is published on this site and no price here is produced by software.
Families we have helped
PBP Real Estate holds 94 Google reviews at an average of 5.0 out of 5. Every quote below is a verbatim excerpt from a public review on that profile, shortened only where marked.
Gia and John from PBP Real Estate exceeded expectations in selling my mother's Delray Beach condo, which had previously failed to sell with another firm. Despite being in New York, I experienced excellent communication and responsiveness via phone, text, and email, making the remote process, including the closing, stress-free.
★★★★★ Robert S. · Google review, December 2024
I needed to sell my mothers home from out of state and Gia made the whole process very easy. She helped me getting the right people to get the house emptied and cleaned.
★★★★★ Roger D. · Google review, December 2024
We live in Ohio and had to sell a home in South Florida that needed a lot of work. She is extremely knowledgable and very helpful when it came to what should be done and what could be left alone to get us the most profit. Gia has a large network of reliable contractors.
★★★★★ A Google reviewer · Google review, April 2020
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