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Tuscaloosa County, AL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Tuscaloosa County Probate Court |
| Estate filing counter | Tuscaloosa County Probate Office, Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, 714 Greensboro Avenue, Room 121, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 |
| Mailing address | Post Office Box 20067, Tuscaloosa, AL 35402 |
| Phone | 205-464-8204 for the Probate Court counter. Records and Recording is a separate counter at 205-464-8206. |
| [email protected] for estate matters. [email protected] and [email protected] are for recorded documents and copies. | |
| Fax | The county does not publish a probate fax number. |
| Hours | County courthouse offices are posted as 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless closed for a holiday. Confirm with the probate office before a special trip. |
| Filing fee | Tuscaloosa County's probate schedule is current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024. It lists $61.00 for an administration, $51.00 to probate a will, $51.00 for a summary distribution, and $91.00 for an insolvent estate. |
| Local forms | No petition form or estate packet is published. The county publishes fee schedules, recording materials, a real estate sales validation form, and online probate record search instructions. |
| Electronic filing | The county publishes an in-person counter and a mailing address for estate filings. It publishes e-recording for deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, UCC filings, and similar recorded documents through Simplifile and CSC, but not an estate petition filing channel. |
| Probate record lookup | Tuscaloosa County runs its own online probate record search at https://probate.tuscco.com/ProbateWeb/. A free account is required, viewing and printing are free after account creation, and the county's instructions list Probate Court, Will, and Administration as searchable categories. |
| Remote appearance | Tuscaloosa County does not publish a probate appearance policy. Ask the probate office at 205-464-8204 when a hearing is set. |
| Website | https://www.tuscco.com/probate/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Tuscaloosa County probate path, build the asset and debt picture first. The route changes the local cost and what the probate office expects at filing: under the county schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024, an administration is $61.00 and brings a commercial bond minimum of $20,000 and an inventory within 60 days, while probating a will is $51.00 and summary distribution is $51.00. Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to find accounts and policies the family may not know about.
Debts drive the estate settlement calendar too. Claims must be presented within six months, known creditors receive individual notice, and the county's own guidance says an estate generally is not divided until claims and expenses have been paid. Knowing creditors before filing helps you avoid opening the wrong Tuscaloosa County track or discovering late that the estate may need insolvent-estate treatment.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Tuscaloosa County Probate Court serves all of Tuscaloosa County from one estate filing location: the Probate Court counter in Room 121 of the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, 714 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa. The Records and Recording counter in Room 137 of the same building handles recorded documents and copies, including deeds connected to estate real property, but it is not the counter for opening an estate.
Tuscaloosa County includes the city of Tuscaloosa, Northport, Brookwood, Coker, Lakeview, Coaling, Vance, and the surrounding unincorporated county. Venue belongs in the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, and for a decedent who lived outside Alabama, in a county where the decedent left assets (Ala. Code § 43-8-162). Tuscaloosa County's own guidance states that wills are generally filed for probate in the county where the deceased lived.
If there is a will, the person holding it has a duty to deliver it to the probate court or to someone who can secure probate (Ala. Code § 43-8-270). A will must be filed for probate within five years from the date of death (Ala. Code § 43-8-161).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Tuscaloosa County is the proper venue. The estate opens in the probate court of the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or where a nonresident decedent left Alabama assets (Ala. Code § 43-8-162).
- If there is a will, get the original. Tuscaloosa County's schedule says the original will is required and will remain with the court. A copy is addressed only when the original is lost and proof of the will accompanies it.
- List the assets, debts, heirs, and likely creditors before drafting. Tuscaloosa County prices administrations, wills, summary distributions, ancillary estates, and insolvent estates separately, so the estate settlement path affects both the filing cost and the papers the office expects.
- Prepare the petition. Tuscaloosa County publishes no petition form and no estate packet, and the probate court states that its personnel are not permitted to give legal advice or provide forms.
- File with the Tuscaloosa County Probate Office at Room 121 of the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, 714 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, or ask the office how it wants the petition delivered by mail to Post Office Box 20067, Tuscaloosa, AL 35402. The county publishes no estate petition filing channel through its e-recording vendors.
- Pay the local filing cost. Under the county schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024, an administration is $61.00, probating a will is $51.00, summary distribution is $51.00, and an insolvent estate is $91.00. Fees are due at filing, and the county lists cash, credit card, or check payable to Judge of Probate, excluding American Express.
- Address bond if the county's schedule requires it for your route. For an administration, the May 1, 2024 revised schedule calls for a commercial bond with a minimum of $20,000. For summary distribution, the schedule shows no bond. Confirm what the court will require in your matter.
- The probate judge acts on the petition. In Tuscaloosa County, as in Alabama probate generally, the probate judge is both the judge and the filing officer.
- Give notice to heirs and ask about hearings. The county schedule revised May 1, 2024 lists $35.00 for a hearing and docket. Tuscaloosa County does not publish probate hearing days or an appearance policy, so ask the probate office whether a hearing is needed and how attendance will be handled.
- Receive letters testamentary if there is a will, or letters of administration if there is no will. These are the authority documents that banks, insurers, and title companies ask to see. Tuscaloosa County's May 1, 2024 revised schedule says the administration filing fee includes four certified copies of the letters, and the will filing fee includes three certified letters.
- Publish notice to creditors and give individual notice to known creditors. In Tuscaloosa County, publication notices are filed with the court, the court sends them to the newspaper, and the newspaper bills separately. The county names the Northport Gazette and the Tuscaloosa News as county newspapers. Notices by certified mail are prepared and served by the petitioner or their attorney. Claims are barred if not presented within six months, and a creditor entitled to actual notice receives 30 days from that notice (Ala. Code § 43-2-350).
- File the inventory. Tuscaloosa County's May 1, 2024 revised schedule requires an inventory within 60 days for an administration and lists $13.00 for the first page, with additional pages charged by the page. Confirm the current deadline with the probate office.
- Administer the estate. Pay valid claims, handle tax and income issues as needed, collect accounts, and sell property if the estate requires it. A petition to sell estate real property is charged by the page under the May 1, 2024 revised schedule and needs a sales contract, an appraisal, and consents from next of kin and beneficiaries or notice to them, with an order setting a hearing if the sale is not by consent.
- Record any deed connected to Tuscaloosa County estate real property at Records and Recording in Room 137 of the same courthouse. The county's 2026 recording materials state that deeds require real estate validation information, and when property came through a deceased owner, the deed must reference the estate page as well as the source of title.
- Close with settlement. Tuscaloosa County's May 1, 2024 revised schedule requires an annual settlement while an administration is open and a final settlement to close. Final settlements longer than ten pages carry a page-based charge.
- If the matter becomes contested or requires equitable relief, an interested party may petition for removal of the already-opened administration to the circuit court (Ala. Code § 12-11-41). The estate still opens first in the Tuscaloosa County Probate Court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa County publishes no petition form or packet for opening an estate. The probate court says that, by law, the court and its personnel are not permitted to give legal advice or provide forms. Its wills material also states that handling estates is often complex because the court cannot advise you about the law or provide forms.
What Tuscaloosa County does publish is still useful. The county posts a Probate Court Schedule of Fees, online probate record search instructions, recording fee sheets, a real estate sales validation form, and recording requirements. The fee schedule is especially practical because it lists what the filing fee includes and what the court expects with each route, including the original will, bond where required, inventory timing, and certified copies of letters.
Alabama has no public statewide probate form set for filing an estate petition. If you are not working with counsel, expect to draft the petition and related documents yourself and ask the probate office only procedural questions such as where to file, what fee applies, and how notices are routed.
Fees
Tuscaloosa County publishes a detailed Probate Court Schedule of Fees. The schedule is current as of December 1, 2021 and carries a revision stamp of May 1, 2024. Confirm the total with the probate office before filing, because extra items such as hearings, bonds, service, copies, page-based charges, and publication billing can change the amount due.
| Estate item | Amount and date | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | $61.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Includes the petition, death certificate, waivers, bond, orders granting letters, legal notices, and four certified copies of the letters. |
| Probate of a will | $51.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Includes the petition, death certificate, waivers, order granting letters, legal notice, and three certified letters. The original will is required and remains with the court. |
| Summary distribution | $51.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | The schedule notes that only one publication is required and shows no bond for this route. |
| Ancillary estate | $51.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024, plus $10.00 if bond is required under that schedule | Requires certified or exemplified copies from the other court file, along with the other items listed on the county schedule. |
| Insolvent estate | $91.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | The county schedule describes notice to creditors and interested parties by publication once a week for three successive weeks and by mail, plus two hearings. |
| Special administrator ad colligendum | $54.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | The schedule requires an inventory within 60 days. |
| Hearing and docket | $35.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Ask the probate office when a hearing is needed and how it will be set. |
| Commercial bond minimum for an administration | $20,000 minimum under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | This is a local schedule requirement. Confirm the bond required in your matter. |
| Inventory | $13.00 for the first page under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Additional pages are charged by the page. The schedule says an administration inventory is due within 60 days. |
| Bond or rider | $10.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Applies when the filing includes that item. |
| Family allowance | $20.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Listed separately from the main estate-opening fee. |
| Exempt property | $20.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Listed separately from the main estate-opening fee. |
| Setting aside homestead | $35.00 under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | Listed separately on the county schedule. |
| Safe deposit box entry | $41.50 total under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | The schedule divides the payment between the Judge of Probate and the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office. |
| Service by sheriff on a notice of intent or subpoena | $12.50 additional charge under the schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 | The schedule calls for a separate check payable to the sheriff's office. |
The schedule says filing fees are due at the time of filing. It lists cash, credit card, or check payable to Judge of Probate, and states that American Express is not accepted. The county also publishes a card authorization form, but its file title and document label do not match, so ask the probate office whether it applies to an estate filing.
Recording fees are separate from estate-opening fees. They matter when estate real property is sold or transferred. The county's 2026 recording materials list deed tax of $0.50 per $500 of value conveyed, rounded up to the next $500 increment, and state that deeds require real estate validation information unless the same information is included in the deed.
Local nuance
Tuscaloosa County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| County probate record search includes estates | Tuscaloosa County runs its own online probate record search. After a free account is created, viewing and printing are free, and the county's instructions list Probate Court as a document type with Will and Administration as case types. A general name search covers March 20, 1975 to the present, with separate historical indexes for older material. |
| Two probate-office counters are in the same courthouse | Estate petitions go to Room 121 at 714 Greensboro Avenue. Recorded documents and copies go to Records and Recording in Room 137. A deed connected to estate real property may involve Room 137, but opening the estate starts in Room 121. |
| The fee schedule is unusually detailed | The county schedule is current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024. It lists not only amounts, but also what each fee includes, what documents are expected, when an inventory is due, and how many certified letters are included with an administration or will filing. |
| Publication is routed through the court | The county names the Northport Gazette and the Tuscaloosa News as the county newspapers. Publication notices are filed with the court, the court sends them to the newspaper, and the newspaper bills separately. Certified-mail notices are prepared and served by the petitioner or the attorney. |
| The probate office has several public functions | The county states that its probate judge also serves as chairman of the Tuscaloosa County Commission, and the probate office handles functions beyond estates. For an estate filer, the practical point is to ask specifically for Probate Court when calling or visiting. |
Recent updates
| Update | What it means locally |
|---|---|
| Small estate law changed effective October 1, 2025 | Alabama's small estate rules were rewritten by Act 2025-431, which changed the ceiling mechanism for summary distribution (Ala. Code § 43-2-696.02). Tuscaloosa County updated its summary distribution page for the change and lists $51.00 for a summary distribution under its schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024. Ask the probate office or review the Alabama state page for the current ceiling. |
| Tuscaloosa County fee schedule revision | The Probate Court Schedule of Fees is current as of December 1, 2021 and carries a May 1, 2024 revision stamp. The schedule lists estate-opening costs, bond requirements stated by the county, notice routing, hearing charges, and certified-letter counts. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Tuscaloosa County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start at the Probate Court counter in Room 121 of the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse. If there is a will, the original goes in with the petition and stays with the court, and the county's schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 lists $51.00 to probate a will. With no will, the same schedule lists $61.00 for an administration and calls for a commercial bond with a minimum of $20,000. How the home passes depends on the deed, which can be checked through the same probate office's recorded-document side in Room 137. | Sunset identifies accounts, policies, and co-owned assets before the petition is drafted, so the estate settlement path matches what the family actually owns. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A child outside Alabama can check Tuscaloosa County's online probate record search after creating a free account, because the county lists Probate Court, Will, and Administration as searchable categories. The office takes mail at Post Office Box 20067, Tuscaloosa, AL 35402, answers estate questions at 205-464-8204 and [email protected], and takes copy requests by email. Ask how the office wants the petition delivered and whether any hearing can be handled by phone or video. | Sunset assembles the asset picture remotely so the family can choose the right estate settlement route before mailing anything to Tuscaloosa. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The parent opens the administration in Room 121. The county's schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 lists $61.00 for an administration, calls for a commercial bond with a minimum of $20,000, and requires an inventory within 60 days. A petition to sell estate real property is charged by the page and needs a sales contract, appraisal, consents from next of kin and beneficiaries or notice to them, and an order setting a hearing if the sale is not by consent. The deed is then recorded in Room 137, with deed tax of $0.50 per $500 of value under the county's 2026 recording materials. | Sunset helps surface debts and accounts tied to the property early, so the sale is less likely to be delayed by an unknown claim. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Services Alabama | Free civil legal help for low-income Alabamians, subject to eligibility and case-type priorities. Legal Services Alabama lists heirs property and estate planning among its practice areas, and states that its offices handle civil cases only. Ask what help is available for your facts. | Statewide intake: 866-456-4995. Tuscaloosa office: 2315 9th Street, Suite 3A, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, 205-758-7503. Mailing address: P.O. Box 020967, Tuscaloosa, AL 35402. |
| Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a participating Alabama attorney through the state bar's online request form. | https://www.alabar.org/lrs-form/ |
| AlabamaLegalHelp.org | Legal Services Alabama names this as its companion self-help and referral site. Review the site directly before relying on any particular resource. | https://www.alabamalegalhelp.org/ |
| Tuscaloosa County Probate Office | Procedural routing only: where to file, what fee applies, how the office wants a petition delivered, how notices are routed, and how a hearing will be handled. The office states that it cannot give legal advice or provide forms. | Probate Court: 205-464-8204 and [email protected]. Records and Recording: 205-464-8206 and [email protected]. |
| Tuscaloosa County online probate record search | Free account-based access to the county's probate record search, including Probate Court, Will, and Administration categories. Use it to check names and files, then call the probate office about a specific matter. | https://probate.tuscco.com/ProbateWeb/ |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Tuscaloosa County when the estate includes real property that must be sold, heirs disagree, a will contest is possible, the estate appears insolvent, or the matter may require removal of the administration to the circuit court under Ala. Code § 12-11-41. Tuscaloosa County itself recommends consulting an attorney after a death to determine whether an estate needs to be opened and to prepare the documents, and its probate materials state that the court cannot advise you on the law or provide forms. Its schedule also assumes attorney or petitioner involvement in publication billing and certified-mail notices. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance policies, and other assets that may belong in a Tuscaloosa County estate settlement. That asset picture helps you decide whether you are opening an administration, probating a will, using summary distribution, or dealing with an insolvent estate.
Generate the probate packet. Tuscaloosa County publishes no petition form or estate packet, and the probate office cannot provide forms or legal advice. Sunset organizes the information families need for a probate filing and helps generate a packet that can be reviewed before it is filed with the Tuscaloosa County Probate Office.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate includes Tuscaloosa County real property, a contested will, creditor problems, or a sale that needs court approval, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Alabama probate attorney familiar with local filing practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, locate assets, prepare for the probate process, and decide when attorney help is needed without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
File at the Tuscaloosa County Probate Office, Room 121 of the Tuscaloosa County Courthouse, 714 Greensboro Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Mail goes to Post Office Box 20067, Tuscaloosa, AL 35402. County courthouse offices are posted as 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless closed for a holiday. Confirm with the probate office at 205-464-8204 before making a special trip.
How much does it cost to file probate in Tuscaloosa County?
Tuscaloosa County's schedule is current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024. It lists $61.00 for an administration, $51.00 to probate a will, $51.00 for a summary distribution, $91.00 for an insolvent estate, $54.00 for a special administrator ad colligendum, and $35.00 for a hearing and docket. Fees are due at filing, and the office lists cash, credit card, or check payable to Judge of Probate.
Can I e-file a probate petition in Tuscaloosa County?
Tuscaloosa County publishes an in-person filing counter and a mailing address for estate petitions, but no estate petition filing channel through its e-recording vendors. The county's e-recording service runs through Simplifile and CSC and is for deeds, mortgages, liens, judgments, UCC filings, and similar recorded documents. Ask the probate office at 205-464-8204 how it wants your petition delivered.
Does Tuscaloosa County have probate forms I can download?
Not for opening an estate. The county publishes its fee schedule, recording fee sheets, a real estate sales validation form, and instructions for its online probate record search, but no petition form and no estate packet. The probate court states that, by law, the court and its personnel are not permitted to give legal advice or provide forms. Alabama has no public statewide probate form set for estate petitions.
How do I look up a probate case in Tuscaloosa County?
Tuscaloosa County runs its own online probate record search at https://probate.tuscco.com/ProbateWeb/. A free account is required. The county states that there is no cost to view or print documents once the account exists. Probate Court is one of the searchable document types, and estate case types include Will and Administration. A general name search covers March 20, 1975 to the present, with separate historical indexes for older material.
Can I attend a Tuscaloosa County probate hearing by phone or video?
That is set by the Tuscaloosa County Probate Court. The county does not publish a probate appearance policy, and Alabama has no statewide rule that controls county probate appearances. The county schedule revised May 1, 2024 lists $35.00 for a hearing and docket. Ask the probate office at 205-464-8204 when your matter is set.
Do I have to travel to Tuscaloosa to settle an estate in Tuscaloosa County?
Not for every task. The county's online probate record search can be used after creating a free account, the office takes mail at Post Office Box 20067, and estate questions can be directed to 205-464-8204 or [email protected]. Whether you need to attend a hearing depends on the matter, so ask the probate office when you file.
How long do creditors have to make a claim against an estate in Tuscaloosa County?
Claims must be presented within six months, and claims not presented in that window are barred (Ala. Code § 43-2-350). A creditor entitled to actual notice receives 30 days from that notice. Tuscaloosa County's guidance says notice to file claims is published once a week for three consecutive weeks, individual notice goes to anyone known to have a claim, and the estate generally is not divided until claims and expenses have been paid.
Which newspaper publishes the notice to creditors in Tuscaloosa County?
The county names the Northport Gazette and the Tuscaloosa News as Tuscaloosa County newspapers. Publication notices are filed with the probate court, the court sends them to the newspaper, and the newspaper bills separately. Notices sent by certified mail are prepared and served by the petitioner or their attorney, so ask the probate office how billing and service instructions work if you are filing without counsel.
Is a bond required to open an estate in Tuscaloosa County?
It depends on the route and the court's order. Tuscaloosa County's schedule current as of December 1, 2021 and revised May 1, 2024 calls for a commercial bond with a minimum of $20,000 for an administration, and for an ancillary estate that is intestate. The summary distribution row on the same schedule shows no bond. Confirm what the court will require in your matter.
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.