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Blount County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local information |
|---|---|
| Court | Blount County Probate Court |
| Main probate office | 220 2nd Ave E #101, Oneonta, AL 35121 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is posted. Use the Oneonta address unless the probate office gives different mailing instructions. |
| Phone | (205) 973-0584 |
| Fax | No fax number is posted by the probate office. |
| Hours | Main office hours are not posted online. Call before going to the courthouse. |
| Filing fee | Blount County posts a probate court fees document, but the estate filing total should be checked directly with the probate office. Alabama probate charges start with a statutory fee structure and may include local charges (Ala. Code § 12-19-90). |
| Local forms | No downloadable estate petition, checklist or cover sheet is posted for Blount County. |
| E-filing | No estate e-filing instructions are posted. Ask the probate office how it wants the petition and any original will submitted. |
| Case search | Blount County's Online Records Search links to land records and probate case records at ingprobate.com/Blount_Probate. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate office about phone or video options when a hearing is scheduled. |
| Hayden Annex | 306 2nd Avenue, Hayden, AL 35079, phone (205) 590-2851. The probate office describes this annex as offering certain limited services and does not identify estate filing as one of them. |
| Website | www.blountcountyalprobate.com |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Blount County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries, likely creditors and any original will. That list affects which Alabama estate settlement path is available, what notice must be given, and whether the probate judge can issue letters testamentary or letters of administration.
Sunset can help you organize estate settlement work before the first courthouse trip. Its asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 institutions, helping families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may need to be reported or transferred.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Blount County Probate Court serves probate matters venued in Blount County, Alabama. The main probate office is at the Oneonta courthouse, the county seat. A Hayden Annex is also listed by the probate office, but it is described as offering limited services, so use the Oneonta probate office for estate filings unless the Hayden Annex confirms that it can accept the specific filing.
Alabama venue is generally the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. For a nonresident decedent, venue may be in a county where the decedent left assets (Ala. Code § 43-8-162).
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the original will, if there is one, plus a death certificate, asset information, creditor information and the names and addresses of heirs or beneficiaries.
- Contact the Blount County Probate Office in Oneonta to ask which petition, attachments, copies and fee are required for the estate settlement filing.
- File the petition with the Blount County Probate Office at 220 2nd Ave E #101 in Oneonta unless the probate office gives different instructions for the filing.
- Pay the current probate court charge. Blount County posts a probate court fees document, and the office should be asked for the current estate filing total.
- The probate judge reviews the petition. If the filing is accepted and appointment is appropriate, the court issues letters testamentary for an executor named in a will or letters of administration for an administrator.
- Give and publish creditor notice as required. Alabama's creditor claim period is generally six months, with actual notice required for known or reasonably ascertainable creditors and a 30-day period after actual notice for a creditor entitled to that notice (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- Prepare any inventory, accountings, sale requests or other follow-up filings the probate court requires for the estate.
- If a hearing is scheduled, ask the probate office whether the probate judge allows any phone or video appearance for that hearing.
- Administer the estate, pay allowed claims in the required order, distribute remaining property and file the closing paperwork the Blount County Probate Court requires.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Blount County
Blount County does not post a downloadable estate petition, estate checklist or cover sheet for probate filings. The probate office's Estates and Wills page explains the general probate process, but it does not provide a downloadable estate packet.
Call the Blount County Probate Office before filing so you know which petition format, attachments, copies and fee the office wants for your specific estate settlement matter.
Local nuance
Blount County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a filer |
|---|---|
| Oneonta is the full-service office | The probate office says all services are offered at the main courthouse location in Oneonta. |
| Hayden Annex has limited services | The Hayden Annex is listed by the probate office, but estate filing is not named among its limited services. Call before taking probate papers there. |
| Blount has its own probate case lookup | The county's Online Records Search links to probate case records as well as land records. If a case does not appear, call the probate office. |
| Probate court fees document | The office posts a dedicated probate court fees document. Because the current estate filing total was not readable from the posted link here, confirm the total directly with the probate office. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Small estate law | Act 2025-431 took effect October 1, 2025 and changed Alabama's summary distribution ceiling to the combined allowance amount. The current published figure is $47,000 under Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Blount County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether any solely owned assets require probate. If a probate filing is needed, use the Oneonta probate office unless the office gives different instructions. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize ownership information and prepare a probate packet for attorney review or court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Ask the Blount County Probate Office whether the estate qualifies for Alabama summary distribution and what local filing materials it wants. Do not assume the Hayden Annex can accept the filing. | Sunset helps collect asset details, beneficiary information and documents before you travel or mail anything to Oneonta. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of real property usually needs careful probate planning. File through the Blount County Probate Court in Oneonta and ask whether the court will require a hearing or additional petition before the sale. | Sunset helps assemble the estate settlement file and can connect the family with a vetted Alabama probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Blount County Probate Office | 220 2nd Ave E #101, Oneonta, AL 35121, (205) 973-0584. The office can explain filing procedures and local routing, but it cannot prepare legal documents or choose a legal strategy for you. |
| Blount County Online Records Search | Use the county's own online lookup for land records and probate case records at ingprobate.com/Blount_Probate. |
| Legal Services Alabama | Statewide intake is 866-456-4995. Legal Services Alabama provides free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case-type priorities, and lists heirs property and estate planning among its practice areas. |
| AlabamaLegalHelp.org | Legal Services Alabama names this as its self-help and referral site. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting legal advice if the will is contested, heirs disagree, real property must be sold, creditors are active, Medicaid issues may be involved, or you are unsure whether to seek appointment as executor or administrator. Sunset connects families with a vetted Alabama probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may belong in the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized probate packet, so you can see what is ready, what is missing and what the Blount County Probate Office may ask for.
Find a local probate attorney
When the estate involves real property, disputes, creditor issues or court approvals, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Alabama probate attorney who understands local probate practice.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. The platform helps you move from uncertainty to a clear estate settlement plan without adding another upfront bill.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Blount County?
File through the Blount County Probate Office at the Oneonta courthouse, 220 2nd Ave E #101, Oneonta, AL 35121, unless the probate office gives you different instructions.
Can I file a Blount County probate case at the Hayden Annex?
Do not assume that. The probate office lists the Hayden Annex as offering certain limited services, but it does not identify estate filing as one of them. Call the Oneonta office or the Hayden Annex before taking probate papers there.
Does Blount County publish probate forms online?
No downloadable estate petition, checklist or cover sheet is posted for Blount County. Call the probate office before filing so you know what papers and copies to bring or send.
How much does it cost to open probate in Blount County?
Blount County posts a probate court fees document, but you should confirm the current estate filing total with the probate office. Alabama uses a statutory fee structure that may be affected by local charges (Ala. Code § 12-19-90).
Can I look up a Blount County probate case online?
Yes. Blount County's Online Records Search links to a portal with land records and probate case records. If the portal does not show the case or document you need, call the probate office.
Does Blount County allow e-filing for probate?
The probate office does not post estate e-filing instructions. Ask the probate office how it wants the petition, attachments and any original will submitted.
Can I attend a Blount County probate hearing by phone or video?
The probate office does not post a standing phone or video hearing rule. Ask about appearance options when the hearing is scheduled.
Do I have to travel to Oneonta to handle probate?
Not always, but you should call first. Some steps may be handled by mail or through an attorney, but the probate office has not posted a general rule for remote handling of estate filings.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.