Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Florida County
Holmes County, Florida
Florida's rural Panhandle heartland and the Ponce de Leon Springs - from Bonifay's courthouse serving one of the Panhandle's most sparsely populated counties to Ponce de Leon Springs State Park's dual first-magnitude springs (producing 14 million gallons of 68-degree water daily in a swimming basin of remarkable clarity), and a North Florida Panhandle county where pine timber, agriculture, and springs recreation define a community that has remained essentially rural through a century of Florida development.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Holmes County Emergency Management – (850) 547-1115 | holmescountyfl.gov
Alert System: Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Holmes County High School; Bonifay school facilities; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: Florida Panhandle rural county; Bonifay is county seat; hurricane risk (Michael 2018 caused significant damage inland); flooding (Choctawhatchee River and tributaries); severe thunderstorms; wildfire risk (pine flatwoods); very rural; one of Florida’s smallest population counties (~20,000); deeply conservative agricultural Panhandle community
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Holmes County Roads – (850) 547-1115
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent
Notes: I-10 (east-west through the southern portion of Holmes County – the primary access to the broader Panhandle and Gulf Coast; Bonifay I-10 exit is significant); US-90 (old route through Bonifay); SR-79 (north-south connects Bonifay to Panama City south); Bonifay is about 75 miles from Pensacola and about 65 miles from Panama City; very rural; Bonifay is a small county seat
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Holmes County Building – (850) 547-1115
Services: Very basic county permits; Bonifay, Ponce de Leon, Westville, Esto, Noma small communities
Office: Holmes County Veterans Services – (850) 547-1115
VA Medical: Bay Pines VAMC (very distant); Panama City VA CBOC accessible (65 miles south); Pensacola VA CBOC accessible (75 miles west)
Notes: Remote county; Panama City and Pensacola CBOCs accessible; small rural veteran population; agricultural community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Holmes County Public Library – (850) 547-2092 | nwrls.com
Address: Bonifay
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Panhandle heritage; agricultural history
Notes: Single library; critical internet access point; Panhandle agricultural heritage
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Ponce de Leon Springs State Park (Ponce de Leon – crystal-clear spring; swimming in the 68°F spring water; one of northwest Florida’s finest spring parks; swimming in the natural limestone basin is excellent); Vortex Spring (private dive resort near Ponce de Leon – one of the most popular scuba diving springs in the Panhandle; deep cavern diving); Choctawhatchee River (fishing; canoeing); Falling Waters State Park (nearby Chipley, Washington County – Florida’s highest waterfall, 73 feet into a sinkhole – accessible from Holmes County); Holmes Creek (crystal-clear spring-fed tributary of the Choctawhatchee; excellent canoeing)
Notes: Ponce de Leon Springs is one of northwest Florida’s finest spring swimming spots – the clear 68°F water in a natural limestone basin is a classic north Florida spring experience; Vortex Spring (just outside Ponce de Leon) is one of Florida’s most popular dive springs with a complex cavern system; Holmes Creek’s spring-fed crystal-clear water provides excellent canoeing
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Florida DEP; NWFL Water Management District; Choctawhatchee River maps; Ponce de Leon Springs maps
Notes: Minimal county GIS; FDEP and NWFWMD maintain primary maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Holmes County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Agricultural county; cattle; white-tailed deer; wild turkey; black bears; gopher tortoises; spring system wildlife
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Holmes County – very limited; transfer station
Environmental: Florida DEP; Northwest Florida Water Management District; Choctawhatchee River watershed; springs protection; agricultural runoff management
Notes: The Choctawhatchee River basin management; springs protection programs for the Ponce de Leon and associated springs; agricultural nonpoint source runoff; limited development means relatively light environmental demands
About Holmes County
Holmes County is one of Florida’s smallest and most rural Panhandle counties – a timber and agricultural community north of the Choctawhatchee River whose springs, forests, and sparse population make it one of the least developed corners of the state.
Bonifay (the county seat, population ~3,000) is a small agricultural town serving the county’s timber, cattle, and peanut farming community. The county’s economy is primarily based on pine timber production from the surrounding flatwoods, supplemented by small-scale agriculture.
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park – near the small community of Ponce de Leon – contains two first-magnitude springs producing a combined 14 million gallons of crystal-clear 68-degree water daily. The springs flow into Sandy Creek and eventually the Choctawhatchee River, providing swimming, snorkeling, and nature observation in one of the Panhandle’s most pristine spring environments.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Holmes County Property Appraiser at 201 N. Oklahoma Street, Suite 125, Bonifay, FL 32425, phone 850-547-1115, assesses at just value. No FL estate or inheritance tax.
Courts & Legal
Holmes County Clerk of Court at 201 N. Oklahoma Street, Bonifay, FL 32425, phone 850-547-1100, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
201 N. Oklahoma St., Bonifay, FL 32425
(850) 547-1100
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Holmes County Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Holmes County Recorder of Deeds, P.O. Box 397, Bonifay, FL.
Local societies
No dedicated Holmes County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories; two published local histories – “Holmesteading: A History of Holmes County, Florida” and “Holmes Valley: A West Florida Cradle of Christianity,” both by Elba Wilson Carswell – are useful starting points for county-specific research.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Holmes County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division 201 N. Oklahoma Street, Bonifay, FL 32425 (850) 547-1100 / (850) 547-9316 Holmes County sits in Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit. Clerk & Comptroller: Sam Bailey.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
107 E. Virginia Ave., Bonifay, FL 32425
(850) 547-3681
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
201 N. Oklahoma St., Bonifay, FL 32425
(850) 547-1107
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Holmes
501 S. Oklahoma St., Bonifay, FL 32425
(850) 547-3661
FL DCF — Holmes
(850) 547-3632
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
Doctors Memorial Hospital
doctorsmemorial.org (Bonifay)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Holmes County – (850) 547-1115 | holmes.floridahealth.gov
Hospital: Holmes County Health Center (Bonifay – small clinic); Dothan, AL regional hospitals; Pensacola hospitals for most care
Notes: Very limited local healthcare; significant health access challenges; rural behavioral health; limited mental health resources
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Bonifay
Population: 20,000
Area: 482 sq mi
Established: 1848
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Holmes County residents.
