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Fayette County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Fayette County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Fayette County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 113 Temple Ave N, Fayette, AL 35555 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 670, Fayette, AL 35555 |
| Probate phone | (205) 932-4519 for recording, record lookup, and probate cases |
| Hours | No public hours are listed on the probate office website. Call before visiting. |
| Filing fee | Fayette County does not publish a dated estate filing total online. Alabama uses a statutory probate judges' fee schedule plus local-law charges that can differ by place. Call (205) 932-4519 for the current total before filing (Ala. Code § 12-19-90). |
| Local forms | No downloadable estate petition, cover sheet, or estate checklist is published on the probate office website. |
| E-filing | No estate e-filing instructions are published. Call the probate office to ask what it will accept. |
| Case search | Fayette County's online records lookup includes land records, probate case records, and marriage records: https://www.ingprobate.com/fayette_probate/ |
| Remote appearance | Ask the probate office when a hearing is set. |
| Website | https://www.fayetteco.net/home/departments/probate-office/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, titled property, accounts, and known creditors. Fayette County does not publish estate forms or a fee total online, so having the estate information organized before you call or visit the probate office can prevent repeat trips.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can help identify accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize the information needed for a probate packet, and prepare the family for local filing questions in Fayette County.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Fayette County Probate Court in Fayette serves estate filings for Fayette County. No satellite probate office is published for estate filings.
Alabama venue generally belongs in the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. For a decedent who lived outside Alabama, venue may be in an Alabama county where the decedent left assets (Ala. Code § 43-8-162).
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts, heirs, devisees, and any original will. If someone has the will after death, Alabama law requires delivery to a person able to secure probate (Ala. Code § 43-8-270).
- Confirm the filing path with the Fayette County Probate Office. Fayette County does not publish downloadable estate petition forms online, so ask what petition, death certificate, will, and supporting papers the probate office expects.
- File the petition with the Fayette County Probate Office at 113 Temple Ave N in Fayette. If you plan to send anything by mail, call first and use PO Box 670, Fayette, AL 35555.
- Confirm the filing total before filing. Fayette County does not publish a dated estate filing total online, and Alabama probate charges are built from the probate judges' fee schedule plus local-law charges (Ala. Code § 12-19-90).
- The probate judge reviews the petition. If a will is admitted and an executor is appointed, letters testamentary issue. If there is no will or no executor able to serve, letters of administration may issue to an administrator.
- Publish and give required creditor notice. Alabama's nonclaim rule generally bars claims not presented within six months, with additional actual-notice protections for known or reasonably ascertainable creditors (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- Ask about hearing logistics when the case is set. Fayette County does not publish a remote-appearance rule online, so ask the probate office what the judge requires for that hearing.
- Administer the estate after letters issue. The personal representative collects assets, pays proper expenses and claims, keeps records, and prepares any accounting or settlement papers required by the probate court.
- If the estate becomes contested or needs relief the probate court cannot grant, an interested party may seek removal of the administration to the circuit court after the probate court has acted on the petition (Ala. Code § 12-11-41).
- Close the estate by filing the required settlement papers and obtaining the probate court's final order before making final distributions.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Fayette County
Fayette County does not publish downloadable estate petition forms, estate cover sheets, or estate checklists on the probate office website. The probate-office navigation includes online records lookup, certificates, motor vehicle links, tag renewal information, notary information, and business license information, but not estate filing packets.
Before you file, call (205) 932-4519 and ask what papers the Fayette County Probate Office wants for the type of estate you are opening. If there is an original will, ask how the office wants it delivered.
Local nuance
Fayette County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for filing |
|---|---|
| County records lookup | Fayette County's online records lookup includes land records, probate case records, and marriage records in one portal. If the portal does not show what you need, call the probate office. |
| Two published phone lines | Use (205) 932-4519 for recording, record lookup, and probate cases. The separate published number for auto and boat registration, tags, and titles is not the probate case line. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Act 2025-431 | Effective October 1, 2025, Alabama changed the statewide summary distribution rules and tied the ceiling to the combined Article 6 allowances (Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02). Fayette County has not published a separate local summary distribution instruction page. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Fayette County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Gather the deed, account records, debts, and any will before calling the Fayette County Probate Office. If probate is needed, the filing is made with the probate office in Fayette. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize property information, and prepare questions for the probate office or attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Ask the Fayette County Probate Office whether Alabama summary distribution fits the personal property involved. Real property is not handled through summary distribution, so confirm the path before travel. | Sunset helps build an asset list remotely and can help find a local attorney if the probate office needs a formal petition. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of a home usually points toward full estate administration in the Fayette County Probate Court because title and authority to sell must be addressed through the estate process. | Sunset helps assemble estate settlement information, generate a probate packet, and connect the family with a Fayette County probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette County Probate Office | Explains local filing procedures, accepted documents, current filing totals, records lookup, and hearing logistics. Staff may explain procedures, not legal strategy. | 113 Temple Ave N, Fayette, AL 35555. Mailing address PO Box 670, Fayette, AL 35555. Phone (205) 932-4519. |
| Fayette County online records lookup | Provides lookup categories for land records, probate case records, and marriage records. | https://www.ingprobate.com/fayette_probate/ |
| Legal Services Alabama | Statewide civil legal aid for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case priorities. Its listed areas include heirs property and estate planning. | Statewide intake 866-456-4995. Spanish intake 888-835-3505. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if there is a will contest, unclear heirs, real estate to sell, creditor disputes, a business interest, a tax return question, or disagreement among family members. Fayette County does not publish estate forms or a filing-fee total online, so counsel can also help prepare the petition and communicate with the probate office. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families look for financial accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so the estate settlement starts with a clearer inventory.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Alabama probate and helps prepare a packet you can review before contacting the Fayette County Probate Office or an attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Fayette County estate involves real property, disputes, missing information, or formal court filings, Sunset can help connect the family with local probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset assembles estate settlement tasks in one place so families can move from asset discovery to probate preparation without starting from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Fayette County, Alabama?
File with the Fayette County Probate Office at 113 Temple Ave N in Fayette. If you plan to mail anything, call (205) 932-4519 first and use PO Box 670, Fayette, AL 35555.
Does Fayette County publish probate forms online?
No downloadable estate petition, estate cover sheet, or estate checklist is published on the Fayette County Probate Office website. Call the probate office to ask what paperwork is required for your filing.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Fayette County?
Fayette County does not publish a dated estate filing total online. Alabama uses a probate judges' fee schedule plus local-law charges, so call (205) 932-4519 for the current total before filing (Ala. Code § 12-19-90).
Can I look up a Fayette County probate case online?
Yes. Fayette County's own online records lookup includes probate case records, along with land records and marriage records, at https://www.ingprobate.com/fayette_probate/. Call the probate office if the lookup does not show what you need.
Can I e-file an estate petition in Fayette County?
Fayette County does not publish estate e-filing instructions online. Call the probate office before filing to ask what delivery method it will accept.
Can I attend a Fayette County probate hearing by phone or video?
Fayette County does not publish a remote-appearance rule online. Ask the probate office about phone or video options when the hearing is set.
Do I have to travel to Fayette County to handle probate?
Some steps may require original documents, signatures, or a hearing. Because Fayette County does not publish a remote-appearance rule or estate filing instructions online, call the probate office before making travel plans.
Which Fayette County phone number should I use for a probate case?
Use (205) 932-4519 for probate cases, recording, and record lookup. Fayette County publishes a separate number for auto and boat registration, tags, and titles, but that is not the probate case line.
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.