Open · taking new casesMon–Fri 8a–6p67 FL countiesFlat fees, published
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← Florida service area
North FL · Circuit 3

Columbia County probate help.

We serve Columbia County (including Lake City, Fort White, Watertown) under the 3rd Judicial Circuit, with the county seat in Lake City. Probate, estate planning, and trust administration — all on flat fees, all remote-friendly.

Columbia County (~70,000 residents) sits at the I-10 / I-75 crossroads in North Florida, with Lake City as its commercial and judicial hub. 3rd Judicial Circuit (Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor).
— A probate attorney near you

Looking for a probate or estate planning attorney near you in Columbia County?

We serve all of Columbia County — Lake City, Fort White, Watertown — with flat-fee probate, estate planning, wills, and trusts. Most of it happens by phone, email, and e-signature, so “near me” really means wherever you are in Columbia County. Call 941.352.1006 or book a free 30-minute consult.

— At a glance

Where you'll go. What you'll need.

The courthouse
Columbia County Courthouse
Address173 NE Hernando Ave, Lake City, FL 32055Phone(386) 758-1342HoursMonday–Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm

Probate at the Lake City courthouse. E-filing via myflcourtaccess.com.

Death certificates
FL Department of Health in Columbia · Vital Statistics
Address217 NE Franklin St, Lake City, FL 32055Phone(386) 758-1068HoursMonday–Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm (closed 12–1pm)
Cost · Local DOH fees vary — call ahead. Order 8–12 certified copies for an estate.

Order 8–12 certified copies — banks, title companies, the IRS, and the court each need their own. Ordering more upfront saves trips back later.

— Local notes

Probate in Columbia County, as we see it.

Columbia is the regional anchor of the 3rd Judicial Circuit — Lake City is the largest population center, the regional hospital hub, and the VA outpatient center for North Florida. Probate filings go to the Columbia County Courthouse in Lake City. The chief judge sits in Live Oak (Suwannee), but Columbia carries the bulk of the population.

Heavy interstate logistics (I-10/I-75 truck stops, distribution warehousing) means estates frequently include commercial road-frontage parcels. The Ichetucknee and Santa Fe River frontage in the south carries spring/river premium and ag-classification overlap.

— What's different about probate here

Local quirks worth knowing.

— Cities & neighborhoods

Local where you live — Columbia County, top to bottom.

Lake City
County seat at I-10/I-75 junction; regional medical, retail, and trucking center.
Fort White
Small town at the southern edge near the Ichetucknee River.
Watertown
Small unincorporated community east of Lake City.
— Other helpful local contacts

Save these to your phone.

Columbia County Property Appraiser
Address135 NE Hernando Ave, Suite 238, Lake City, FL 32055Phone(386) 758-1083

Homestead, ag classifications, river-frontage valuations

Visit ↗
Columbia County Tax Collector
Address135 NE Hernando Ave, Suite 125, Lake City, FL 32055Phone(386) 758-1077

Vehicle title transfers, property tax

Visit ↗
Florida Unclaimed Property

Search forgotten accounts in the deceased's name

Visit ↗
HCA Florida Lake City Hospital — Records
Address340 NW Commerce Dr, Lake City, FL 32055Phone(386) 719-9000

Regional hospital — records release for estate claims

Visit ↗
— Take this with you

One-tap kit for Columbia County probate.

Save Columbia probate contacts to your phone (.vcf)
.vcf

Adds the firm + courthouse + vital records + property appraiser + tax collector to your phone contacts in one tap.

Download
Columbia probate quick-reference (PDF kit)
Coming soon

Single-page printable cheatsheet — courthouse address, hours, where to get death certificates, our contact, top 5 first-call resources.

Notify me when ready
What we handle in Columbia County
Summary Administration$1,950Formal Administration$2,950+Ancillary Administration$2,450Disposition w/o Administration$1,200Determination of HomesteadAdd-on · $400
Free 30-minute consult

You're going to get through this.

Tell us what's happening. We'll tell you exactly which path applies, what it'll cost, and how long it'll take. No sales pitch. Most calls end with a 4-step plan and zero stress.

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