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Dale County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Dale County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 100 Court Square, Ozark, AL 36360 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 580, Ozark, AL 36361 |
| Phone | (334) 774-2754 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Wills and administrations are listed at $57.00 on Dale County's probate fee list dated October 1, 2025 by the office's PDF filename, with the underlying fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90. Confirm the current total before filing. |
| Local forms | No downloadable estate petition, cover sheet, or estate checklist is posted by Dale County. |
| E-filing | No estate petition upload route is posted. Call the probate office before sending documents by mail or arranging delivery. |
| Case search | Dale County's online records search through Ingenuity includes land records and probate case records. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate office when a hearing is set. Phone or video attendance is handled by the Dale County Probate Court. |
| Website | https://www.probate.dalecountyal.gov/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Dale County, list the assets, debts, accounts, vehicles, real estate, and possible beneficiaries. The right estate settlement path depends on what exists, who owns it, whether there is an original will, and whether anyone is likely to object.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help identify accounts before you prepare a petition for the Dale County Probate Office. That preparation can prevent a second filing trip to Ozark and helps the personal representative understand what must be administered.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Dale County Probate Court serves Dale County from one office in Ozark, the county seat. No second probate filing location or satellite office is listed for Dale County.
Venue for an Alabama estate 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
- Identify the starting point. If there is a will, locate the original will and gather the named executor's information. If there is no will or no willing executor, gather the information needed for an administrator petition.
- Build the filing packet. Dale County does not post downloadable estate petitions or a local estate checklist, so contact the Dale County Probate Office or a probate attorney before filing.
- File in the Dale County Probate Office at 100 Court Square in Ozark. No estate petition upload route is posted, and the original will should be handled as an original document.
- Pay the opening fee. Dale County lists wills and administrations at $57.00 on its probate fee list dated October 1, 2025 by the office's PDF filename, with the fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90. Confirm the current total before filing.
- Wait for the probate judge to act on the petition. The probate judge may set a hearing, require additional information, and decide whether to admit the will and appoint the executor or administrator.
- Receive authority to act. When the court appoints a personal representative, the authority document is letters testamentary for an executor or letters of administration for an administrator.
- Give required creditor notice and administer the estate. Alabama's nonclaim rule generally bars claims not presented within six months, with a 30-day period after actual notice for creditors entitled to actual notice (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- Close the estate when administration is ready for settlement. Dale County lists no charge for a will or administration final settlement of 0 to 10 pages and $3.00 per page over 10 pages on its fee list dated October 1, 2025 by the office's PDF filename, with page-fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dale County
Dale County does not post downloadable estate petitions, estate cover sheets, or estate checklists. The only form located on the probate office site is unrelated to estate administration.
Alabama does not provide a public statewide probate form set for families to download and file. For a Dale County estate, call the probate office before you go to Ozark, or work with a probate attorney to prepare the petition, proposed order, and any supporting documents.
Fees
Dale County publishes a local probate fee list. The office's PDF filename dates the list October 1, 2025, and the Alabama probate fee structure is governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90. Confirm the current total with the probate office before filing because a later fee list can replace an earlier one.
| Matter | Fee |
|---|---|
| Wills and administrations | $57.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Guardianship | $32.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Conservatorship | $32.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Guardianship and conservatorship together | $52.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Legitimation | $27.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Name change | $27.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Adoption | $87.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Condemnation | $47.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Commitment | $140.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025 |
| Claim against estate | $3.00, Dale County fee list dated October 1, 2025, with page-fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90 |
Local nuance
Dale County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Single Ozark office | Dale County lists one probate office at 100 Court Square in Ozark. Plan filings around that location. |
| Different mailing ZIP | The street address uses ZIP 36360. The PO Box mailing address uses ZIP 36361. |
| Local fee list | Dale County lists itemized probate fees, including wills and administrations at $57.00 on the fee list dated October 1, 2025, with the fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90. |
| Probate case lookup | Dale County's Ingenuity search includes a probate case records lookup as well as land records. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2025 | Act 2025-431 changed Alabama's small-estate calculation. The current amount is $47,000 through at least March 31, 2027, under Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02. |
| October 1, 2025 | Dale County's probate fee PDF filename dates the local fee list October 1, 2025. That date is separate from the statewide small-estate law change. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Persona | Likely Dale County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by checking the deed, mortgage, bank accounts, and beneficiary designations. If assets need a personal representative, file in the Dale County Probate Office in Ozark. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize ownership details, and prepare for an estate settlement conversation with the probate office or an attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Call the Dale County Probate Office before traveling. Dale County does not post estate forms or an estate petition upload route, but it does offer an online probate case lookup after a case exists. | Sunset helps gather asset information remotely, assemble a filing packet, and connect you with local counsel if the filing cannot be handled from outside Alabama. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of a home usually calls for full administration, clear authority for the personal representative, and careful review of title, debts, and beneficiaries. | Sunset helps find accounts, organize debts and real estate information, and connect the family with a vetted probate attorney for the sale and estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dale County Probate Office | Filing logistics, fee totals, hearing scheduling, records lookup questions, and office procedures. Staff can answer process questions, not legal strategy. | 100 Court Square, Ozark, AL 36360. Phone: (334) 774-2754. Email: [email protected]. |
| Dale County online records search | Online lookup for Dale County land records and probate case records through the Ingenuity platform. | https://www.ingprobate.com/dale_probate |
| Legal Services Alabama | Free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case priorities. The program lists civil cases only and does not advertise estate administration representation. | Statewide intake: 866-456-4995. Intake hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Online applications are accepted. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful in Dale County if the will may be contested, real estate must be sold, heirs disagree, a creditor issue is unclear, or the family needs help preparing a petition because local estate forms are not posted. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across thousands of financial institutions so families can identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and liabilities before they file in Dale County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for estate settlement, including family details, asset lists, debt information, and documents a local attorney or probate office may ask to review.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs court filings, a home sale, creditor work, or a contested issue, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Alabama probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement process, find assets, and get matched with local help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dale County?
File in the Dale County Probate Office at 100 Court Square, Ozark, AL 36360. The mailing address is PO Box 580, Ozark, AL 36361.
Does Dale County have e-filing for probate?
Dale County does not post an estate petition upload route. Call the probate office at (334) 774-2754 before you try to send filings by mail or arrange delivery.
How do I look up a Dale County probate case online?
Use Dale County's own online records search through Ingenuity. The system includes a probate case records lookup and a land records lookup.
What does it cost to open an estate in Dale County?
Dale County lists wills and administrations at $57.00 on its probate fee list dated October 1, 2025 by the office's PDF filename, with the fee structure governed by Ala. Code § 12-19-90. Confirm the current amount before filing.
Does Dale County publish probate forms?
No downloadable estate petition, estate cover sheet, or estate checklist is posted by Dale County. Call the probate office or work with an attorney before filing.
Can I attend a Dale County probate hearing by phone or video?
The Dale County Probate Court decides whether phone or video attendance is allowed for a particular hearing. Ask the probate office when the hearing is set.
Do I have to travel to Ozark for a Dale County estate?
You may be able to prepare documents and gather asset information from elsewhere, but Dale County does not post an estate petition upload route. Ask the probate office what your specific filing or hearing requires before making travel plans.
What if a Dale County estate becomes contested?
Estate administration starts in the Dale County Probate Court. If a matter requires a court with broader equitable power, an interested party may seek removal of the administration to the circuit court after the probate court has opened the administration (Ala. Code § 12-11-41).
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.