The Florida Notice of Filing Inventory is the cover document a personal representative or guardian files with the circuit court to confirm that an estate or guardianship inventory has been served on the people entitled to receive it under Florida Probate Rule 5.340 and Florida Probate Rule 5.620. It tells the judge, the clerk, and every interested party that the fiduciary has met the duty under Florida Statute § 733.604 to disclose the assets, values, and locations of property under the fiduciary’s control.
Filing the Notice late, leaving off a beneficiary, or misstating a date-of-death value can lead to surcharge, removal, or a contempt order from the probate division. According to the Florida Courts Annual Statistical Reference Guide, Florida circuit courts open more than 100,000 probate and guardianship cases each year, and inventory-related deficiencies are one of the top three reasons clerks issue deficiency notices.
- 📋 What the Notice of Filing Inventory does and which Rule controls it
- 🧾 Every line, box, and signature block on the form, in plain English
- 👥 Three filled-out walkthroughs covering small estates, large estates, and guardianships
- 🖥️ How to e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and how to file on paper
- ⚠️ The mistakes that trigger surcharge, sanctions, or removal — and how to avoid them
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
The Notice of Filing Inventory is a one-page cover pleading that accompanies the actual Inventory listing every probate or guardianship asset. The Inventory itself is the substantive list; the Notice is the certificate that tells the clerk the Inventory has been filed and served. Both documents travel together, and the court treats them as a single filing event under Rule 5.340(d) for estates and Rule 5.620(a) for guardianships.
The personal representative of a formal probate estate must file the Inventory within 60 days after issuance of Letters of Administration. The guardian of the property of a ward must file the initial guardianship inventory within 60 days after issuance of Letters of Guardianship under Florida Statute § 744.365. Both deadlines are jurisdictional in practice — the clerk flags missing inventories and the judge may issue an Order to Show Cause if no Notice of Filing Inventory hits the docket on day 61.
The form revision most counties accept is the version dated September 2023, available through the Florida Courts probate forms page. Some counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, and Duval, post local templates through their clerk of court — for example the Miami-Dade Clerk’s probate forms and the Broward Clerk’s probate page. Local templates are acceptable as long as the substance matches Rule 5.340 or Rule 5.620.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
You cannot draft a clean Notice of Filing Inventory without the underlying Inventory itself, and the Inventory needs hard data. Pulling the documents below before opening the form prevents the most common cause of an amended inventory: a guessed value that turns out wrong. Florida Bar probate practice manuals, including the Florida Probate Rules Handbook, recommend a written checklist before drafting.
- Letters of Administration or Letters of Guardianship — confirms your authority and gives you the case number and date of issuance, which sets the 60-day clock.
- Death certificate (probate) — fixes the valuation date as the date of death under § 733.604(1)(a).
- Bank and brokerage statements as of the date of death or letters issuance — needed to set fair market value down to the penny.
- Real property deeds and most recent county property appraiser records — used for legal description and assessed value.
- Vehicle, vessel, and aircraft titles — VINs and Kelley Blue Book or NADA values support the entry.
- Life insurance and retirement account statements — only probate-payable proceeds belong on the Inventory; beneficiary-designated assets do not.
- Business interest documents — operating agreements, K-1s, or shareholder ledgers fix the percentage owned.
- Beneficiary or interested-person list — names and current mailing addresses for each person entitled to service under Rule 5.340(d).
- Florida Department of Revenue contact information when Medicaid recovery may apply, per § 733.2121.
- Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing when Social Security numbers, account numbers, or minor’s data appear, under Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.420.
If any one of these is missing, the Inventory either becomes inaccurate or violates the confidentiality rule, and the clerk’s deficiency unit will reject the filing.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official statewide template lives on the Florida Courts forms library and is also distributed through the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar. Each judicial circuit publishes the same core form, but a few — including the Eleventh Circuit (Miami-Dade) and the Seventeenth Circuit (Broward) — add a local caption block.
You can download the form as a fillable PDF or as a Word document. The fillable PDF is preferred because the E-Filing Portal accepts PDF submissions and rejects scanned images that fall below 300 dpi. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader rather than a browser preview, because browser previews flatten the form fields and strip the digital signature layer.
If you do not have a computer, the clerk of court in every Florida county provides a public-access kiosk. The Hillsborough County Clerk’s self-help center and the Orange County Clerk’s probate counter both stock paper copies of the Notice of Filing Inventory. Pro se filers should ask for the most recent revision because some county counters still hand out the 2019 version.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Florida Notice of Filing Inventory Line by Line
The Notice of Filing Inventory follows the standard Florida probate caption, then a one-paragraph notice statement, then a certificate of service, then the signature block. Every field below has its own H3 because each one is a documented source of clerk rejections in the Florida Probate Rules Committee minutes. Read the field, follow the format, and copy the example exactly.
Field 1: Court Caption — Judicial Circuit and County
The first block at the top of the page asks you to identify the court that issued your Letters. You write the circuit number and the county on two stacked lines, all in capital letters, matching the wording on the Letters of Administration. Format the lines as IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA on top and PROBATE DIVISION below.
For example, Maria Lopez, personal representative of her late father’s estate in Hialeah, types IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA and then PROBATE DIVISION on the next line.
A common edge case is the filer who lives in a different county than where the decedent died. Venue follows the decedent’s domicile under § 733.101, not the filer’s county, so use the county listed on the Letters.
The most common mistake is writing the wrong circuit number — for instance, putting “Eleventh” when the decedent died in Broward (Seventeenth). The clerk will reject the filing and you will lose two or three days against the 60-day clock.
A frequent misconception is that the caption must include the judge’s name. It does not — the case number alone routes the filing to the correct division.
Field 2: Case Number
Directly under the caption you must enter the probate case number exactly as it appears on the Letters. The case number format in most counties is YYYY-CP-NNNNNN for circuit probate or YYYY-GA-NNNNNN for guardianship of an adult.
For instance, Carlos Rivera, the guardian of his minor son after a settlement, writes 2026-GA-001234 in this box, copying it character-for-character from the Letters of Guardianship.
If your case has a hyphen-suffixed division code such as -04 for Probate Division 04, include it. Some counties, including Hillsborough, use a four-character division code that is mandatory for routing.
The most common mistake is reusing the case number from a prior summary administration when a formal administration has been opened later. The clerk treats those as different cases and the filing will be rejected as filed in the wrong case.
A misconception is that the case number changes if the personal representative is replaced. It does not — the case number stays with the estate for its entire life.
Field 3: Style of the Case (Decedent or Ward Name)
The style identifies the estate or guardianship. For probate it reads IN RE: ESTATE OF [FULL LEGAL NAME], Deceased. For guardianship it reads IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF [FULL LEGAL NAME], an Incapacitated Person or a Minor.
For example, Janet Pierce, personal representative for her mother who died in Sarasota, types IN RE: ESTATE OF ELEANOR M. PIERCE, Deceased.
If the decedent used a maiden name on title to a homestead, add the a/k/a line: IN RE: ESTATE OF ELEANOR M. PIERCE a/k/a ELEANOR M. SCHMIDT, Deceased. Florida title practice under the Florida Land Title Association requires the a/k/a so deeds match.
The most common mistake is dropping the word Deceased or Incapacitated Person, which makes the filing read like a civil case caption and triggers a clerk’s deficiency notice.
A misconception is that the style must use all capital letters. The Probate Rules require only that names appear as on the Letters; readable mixed case is acceptable, though all-caps is the regional norm.
Field 4: Title of the Document
The title of the pleading sits centered below the case number and reads NOTICE OF FILING INVENTORY. For a guardianship initial inventory the title reads NOTICE OF FILING INITIAL GUARDIANSHIP INVENTORY. For an amended filing the title reads NOTICE OF FILING AMENDED INVENTORY.
For example, Marcus Wells, the personal representative who discovered a hidden brokerage account three months after the original Inventory, writes NOTICE OF FILING AMENDED INVENTORY and attaches an amended Inventory marked Amended in the upper right.
If the case is a curatorship, an ancillary administration, or a temporary guardianship, change the title to track the role — NOTICE OF FILING CURATOR’S INVENTORY, for example, under § 733.501.
The most common mistake is titling the cover document INVENTORY instead of NOTICE OF FILING INVENTORY. The clerk will index it as the Inventory itself and may not flag the missing service certificate.
A misconception is that an amendment requires a new Notice every time a value is updated by pennies. Only material changes require an amended Notice; minor reconciliations may be addressed in the next accounting.
Field 5: Notice Statement Paragraph
The body paragraph states that the personal representative or guardian “has filed the Inventory in this estate” and has served it on the persons listed in the certificate of service. The standard language reads: The undersigned personal representative gives notice that the Inventory in the above-styled estate was filed with the Clerk of this Court on [DATE] and a copy has been served on each interested person as shown below.
For example, Maria Lopez fills in April 14, 2026 on the date line because that is the day she uploaded the Inventory through the E-Filing Portal.
If the Inventory is being filed simultaneously with the Notice, write contemporaneously herewith instead of a date — many circuits accept this phrasing because the portal stamps both documents with the same time.
The most common mistake is filing the Notice on a different day than the Inventory itself, with no explanation. The clerk will see a Notice in the docket but no Inventory, and will issue a “filing without underlying document” deficiency.
A misconception is that the paragraph must list every asset. It does not — the Inventory document does that. The Notice only confirms filing and service.
Field 6: Date of Filing
The date line states the day the Inventory was filed. Use MM/DD/YYYY format and pull the date from the e-Portal confirmation email, not from your calendar memory.
For example, Carlos Rivera’s portal confirmation reads 03/22/2026 11:47 EDT, so he writes 03/22/2026 in this box.
If you mailed the Inventory rather than e-filed, the filing date is the date the clerk stamps the document, not the date you mailed it. The mailbox rule does not apply to probate filings under Rule 5.040.
The most common mistake is back-dating the field to fit the 60-day deadline after a missed filing. Back-dating is a fraud on the court and grounds for removal under § 733.504.
A misconception is that holidays and weekends extend the date. They do extend the deadline under Rule 5.042, but the filing date itself is whatever date the clerk stamps.
Field 7: Certificate of Service Block
The Certificate of Service confirms each interested person received a copy of the Inventory. List each name, the mailing or email address served, and the method of service (e-mail, U.S. Mail, hand delivery). Use the format required by Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.516.
For example, Janet Pierce lists her brother Robert Pierce, robert.pierce@example.com, and her sister Linda Pierce-Gomez, 14 Bay Drive, Tampa, FL 33602, and notes served by e-mail and served by U.S. Mail respectively.
If a beneficiary is a minor, serve the natural guardian and note the relationship on the certificate. If a beneficiary is incapacitated and has a guardian, serve the guardian.
The most common mistake is omitting the surviving spouse when a homestead is involved. The spouse always has an interest under Article X, Section 4 of the Florida Constitution and must be served.
A misconception is that publication of a notice to creditors substitutes for service of the Inventory. It does not — the Inventory must be personally or e-served on each beneficiary.
Field 8: Signature, Florida Bar Number, and Filer Information
The signature block carries the filer’s e-signature in the format /s/ Maria Lopez, the typed full legal name, the role (Personal Representative or Guardian), the mailing address, the phone number, and the email address designated for service under Rule 2.516(b). If an attorney signs, the bar number must follow the name.
For example, attorney David Chen, Florida Bar No. 0123456, signs /s/ David Chen and lists his primary email service@chenprobate.com and a secondary email david@chenprobate.com.
If the filer is pro se, write Pro Se under the signature line and provide a designated email. Email designation is mandatory for any litigant who has an email account.
The most common mistake is using a wet signature on the e-Portal upload. The portal accepts the /s/ convention; a scanned wet signature is not required and may strip metadata that the clerk uses for indexing.
A misconception is that the personal representative must sign in front of a notary. The Notice of Filing Inventory does not require notarization — only the Inventory’s verification, when used, requires it.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Each scenario below walks one named filer through the form. Each table has exactly two columns and shows the most important fields a clerk reviews first.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez — Small Estate with One Bank Account and a Vehicle
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Court Caption | IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA — PROBATE DIVISION |
| Case Number | 2026-CP-000456 |
| Style | IN RE: ESTATE OF JOSE A. LOPEZ, Deceased |
| Title | NOTICE OF FILING INVENTORY |
| Notice Statement | The Inventory was filed contemporaneously herewith and served on each interested person. |
| Date of Filing | 04/14/2026 |
| Certificate of Service | Maria Lopez, daughter, served by e-mail; Jorge Lopez, son, served by U.S. Mail |
| Signature | /s/ Maria Lopez, Personal Representative, Pro Se, maria.lopez@example.com |
Scenario 2: Marcus Wells — Mid-Size Estate with Homestead, Brokerage, and Vehicle
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Court Caption | IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA — PROBATE DIVISION 04 |
| Case Number | 2026-CP-001789-O |
| Style | IN RE: ESTATE OF HELEN R. WELLS, Deceased |
| Title | NOTICE OF FILING INVENTORY |
| Notice Statement | The Inventory in the above-styled estate was filed with the Clerk on April 2, 2026 and served on each interested person. |
| Date of Filing | 04/02/2026 |
| Certificate of Service | Marcus Wells, son; Sarah Wells-Khan, daughter; Florida Department of Revenue (Medicaid recovery) |
| Signature | /s/ David Chen, Florida Bar No. 0123456, Attorney for Personal Representative |
Scenario 3: Carlos Rivera — Guardianship of a Minor After an Injury Settlement
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Court Caption | IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA — PROBATE/GUARDIANSHIP DIVISION |
| Case Number | 2026-GA-001234 |
| Style | IN RE: GUARDIANSHIP OF DANIEL J. RIVERA, a Minor |
| Title | NOTICE OF FILING INITIAL GUARDIANSHIP INVENTORY |
| Notice Statement | The Initial Guardianship Inventory was filed within 60 days of issuance of Letters of Guardianship and served on the Office of the Attorney Ad Litem and the natural mother. |
| Date of Filing | 03/22/2026 |
| Certificate of Service | Lisa Rivera (natural mother), served by e-mail; Office of the Attorney Ad Litem, served by e-mail |
| Signature | /s/ Carlos Rivera, Guardian of the Property, Pro Se, c.rivera@example.com |
How to File the Completed Form
Florida offers three filing channels for the Notice of Filing Inventory: the statewide e-Portal, paper at the clerk’s counter, and U.S. Mail to the clerk. Each channel has its own rules for fees, payment, and proof of filing.
E-Filing Portal. The primary channel is the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. There is no filing fee for the Notice of Filing Inventory itself because it is part of an open probate or guardianship case that already paid the opening fee under § 28.241. Submit a flattened PDF, watch for the confirmation email, and save the Filing Reference Number as proof. Processing time is typically 24–48 hours before docketing.
In Person. Walk into the clerk’s probate counter — for example, the Broward County Clerk probate intake at the courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Bring two paper copies; the clerk stamps one and returns it to you as proof. No fee applies.
By U.S. Mail. Mail two copies plus a self-addressed stamped envelope to the probate clerk in the county of administration. The clerk stamps the second copy and mails it back as proof. Use Certified Mail with Return Receipt for tracking. Processing time can stretch to 7–10 business days.
By Fax. Most Florida circuits no longer accept faxed pleadings under AOSC20-23 directing electronic filing. Confirm with the local clerk before relying on fax.
What Happens After You File
Once docketed, the Notice and the Inventory become part of the estate’s permanent file. The judge’s judicial assistant flags the docket entry, and the clerk closes the open “Inventory Due” tickler. If the Inventory is served correctly, the 30-day window for any beneficiary to object under Rule 5.340(d) begins on the date of service.
A beneficiary who disputes a value may file an objection or a motion to compel an appraisal. The judge can order an independent appraisal at the estate’s expense under § 733.604(2). For guardianships, the court reviews the inventory and may set the bond under § 744.351 based on the value of liquid assets.
If the Inventory is missing, late, or incomplete, the court may issue an Order to Show Cause, suspend the personal representative, or impose a surcharge equal to losses traceable to the failure. The Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section reports that surcharge motions tied to inventory failures are among the top five contested probate motions in Florida.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Each item below is drawn from clerk deficiency notices and reported probate appellate decisions. Take them seriously — a single mis-step can stretch an estate by months.
- Filing past day 60 without a motion for extension — leads to an Order to Show Cause.
- Listing non-probate assets such as TOD accounts on the Inventory — confuses creditors and beneficiaries.
- Omitting the homestead with a footnote claim of constitutional homestead status — the homestead must still be listed under Rule 5.340(a).
- Failing to serve the surviving spouse — invalidates service.
- Using a date-of-letters value instead of a date-of-death value for probate assets — causes valuation disputes.
- Putting full Social Security or account numbers on the Inventory — violates Rule 2.420 confidentiality.
- Forgetting to file the Notice of Confidential Information Within Court Filing — triggers a clerk reject.
- Skipping the Florida Department of Revenue when Medicaid recovery applies — risks personal liability under § 409.9101.
- Signing as “Executor” instead of “Personal Representative” — Florida does not use the term executor.
- Uploading a scanned image PDF below 300 dpi — the e-Portal will reject the document.
- Using the wrong case number when summary and formal administrations were both opened — files into a closed case.
- Failing to mark an amended Inventory clearly as Amended — causes the clerk to docket it as the original.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Do match the caption to the Letters character-for-character, because clerks index by caption.
- Do e-file through the E-Filing Portal, because portal acceptance is faster than counter intake.
- Do keep the portal confirmation email, because it is your only proof of filing if the clerk loses the document.
- Do serve every beneficiary listed in the petition for administration, because missing service voids the 30-day objection window.
- Do redact account numbers to the last four digits, because Rule 2.420 requires it.
-
Do include the Florida Bar number on attorney signatures, because the clerk routes correspondence by bar number.
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Don’t back-date the filing date, because back-dating is a fraud on the court.
- Don’t include beneficiary-designated retirement accounts, because they are non-probate.
- Don’t combine the Notice and the Inventory into one PDF without bookmarks, because docketing staff index by document type.
- Don’t rely on a faxed filing, because most circuits no longer accept fax under current administrative orders.
- Don’t assume a homestead is exempt from listing, because Rule 5.340 still requires disclosure.
- Don’t skip the Notice of Confidential Information when SSNs appear, because the clerk will reject the filing.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Pro se filing is allowed in Florida for personal representatives who are also the sole interested person. When more than one beneficiary exists, the court treats the personal representative as representing others, and counsel is generally required under Rule 5.030.
Pros of pro se filing: – Lower cost — no attorney’s fees against the estate. – Direct control over timing and document content. – Faster turnaround if the filer is comfortable with the e-Portal. – Easier communication with beneficiaries who are family members. – Reinforces the filer’s understanding of fiduciary duty.
Cons of pro se filing: – Higher risk of clerk rejection for caption or service errors. – Greater exposure to surcharge for valuation mistakes. – No malpractice insurance backstop if a beneficiary sues. – Steeper learning curve on Rule 2.516 service formats. – Limited access to e-Portal “attorney filer” features that streamline submission.
FAQs
Do I file the Notice of Filing Inventory in the same case as the petition for administration?
Yes. File it under the existing probate case number. Opening a new case routes the document into the wrong file and triggers an immediate clerk rejection.
Is there a filing fee for the Notice of Filing Inventory?
No. The opening filing fee under § 28.241 covers all subsequent pleadings in the same probate or guardianship case.
Do I list the homestead on the Inventory?
Yes. Rule 5.340 requires every probate asset, including the protected homestead, to appear with a date-of-death value and a brief legal description.
Do I include retirement accounts with named beneficiaries?
No. Beneficiary-designated IRAs, 401(k)s, and life insurance policies pass outside probate and do not appear on the Inventory.
Can I list bank account numbers in full?
No. Rule 2.420 forbids full account numbers in publicly filed documents; redact to the last four digits.
Do I need to serve the Florida Department of Revenue?
Yes, when the decedent received Medicaid benefits after age 55, because § 409.9101 makes the Department a claimant entitled to inventory service.
Is notarization required on the Notice itself?
No. Only the underlying Inventory’s verification page, when used, requires notarization. The Notice carries an e-signature only.
What date goes in the “Date of Filing” box if I e-file?
Yes, use the timestamp on the E-Filing Portal confirmation email — that is the official filing date the clerk will record.
Do I write “Executor” or “Personal Representative” in the signature block?
No, never use Executor. Florida abolished the term; the proper title under § 733.602 is Personal Representative.
Can I serve beneficiaries by email only?
Yes, when the beneficiary has a working email address, Rule 2.516 authorizes email service in lieu of mail.
Do I need an amended Notice if a value changes by a few dollars?
No. Only material changes — new assets, removed assets, or significant valuation revisions — require an amended Notice and amended Inventory.
What happens if I miss the 60-day deadline?
Yes, the court may issue an Order to Show Cause, suspend you, or surcharge losses; file a motion to extend before day 60 if you need more time under Rule 5.042.
Do I list jointly held assets with right of survivorship?
No. Joint-with-survivorship property passes outside probate, so it does not belong on the Inventory unless the survivorship is disputed.
Can a paralegal sign the Notice for the attorney?
No. The signature must be that of the personal representative, guardian, or attorney of record; a paralegal signature is unauthorized practice.
Where do I file an amended Inventory?
Yes, file it through the same E-Filing Portal under the same case number, marked Amended, with a fresh Notice of Filing Amended Inventory and certificate of service.
Related reading
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