Before anyone can access a deceased person’s bank accounts, sell their property, or settle their estate, they usually need a single crucial document: Letters of Administration.
What they are
Letters of Administration are the official court document that authorizes a personal representative to act on behalf of an estate. Banks, brokerages, and title companies will ask to see them before releasing assets or recognizing the personal representative’s authority. In some states this document is called “letters testamentary” when there is a will—but Florida uses a single term, Letters of Administration, in both situations.
How you get them
Letters are issued by the probate court after a petition for administration is filed and the court appoints the personal representative. The court confirms the person is eligible to serve, then issues the Letters—often the moment the real work of administering the estate can begin.
Why they matter
Without Letters of Administration, a personal representative has no legal power to act—no matter what the will says. Because obtaining them requires opening a probate case correctly, most Florida personal representatives work with a probate attorney to get through this first step smoothly.