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White County, AR Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | White County details |
|---|---|
| Court | White County Circuit Court, probate division |
| Probate filings go to | White County Clerk's office, the probate clerk for White County. The probate line is (501) 279-6204. The circuit clerk is a separate office. |
| Judicial circuit | Arkansas's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, composed of White and one other county under A.C.A. § 16-13-2501. A White County estate is still filed in Searcy. |
| Courthouse address | White County Courthouse, 300 North Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143. The White County Clerk's office is also published at 315 North Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143, on the courthouse square. Call (501) 279-6204 before traveling to confirm which entrance takes probate filings. |
| Mailing address | No post office box is listed for probate filings. Use the street address and call the White County Clerk's office before mailing a filing. |
| Phone | (501) 279-6204 |
| Fax | (501) 279-6260. The office does not say filings may be faxed. |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No midday closure or filing cutoff is listed, so call the same day if filing near a deadline. |
| Filing fee | Current as of August 2026, $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, made up of the $150.00 uniform filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and the $15.00 court technology fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Current as of August 2026, $25.00 to file an affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy. White County's probate fee sheet, effective August 1, 2010, says the probate filing fee, ancillary estate fee and small-estate affidavit fee are payable by cash or attorney's check only, so confirm current payment methods before traveling. |
| Local forms | White County does not add a probate form packet of its own. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's 33 official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet, which states that it is required under Administrative Order Number 8. |
| E-filing | Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. White County's circuit clerk says the county offers e-filing through eFlex, but probate goes to the White County Clerk's office, so ask that office whether a probate filing can be submitted through eFlex and whether a self-represented filer can be registered in this court. |
| Case search | Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad provides free statewide case information. Document availability varies by court. |
| Remote appearance | Phone or video appearance depends on the circuit judge and the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit's Administrative Order No. 14 plan. Ask the White County Clerk's office before relying on any remote option. |
| Website | https://whitecounty.ar.gov/countyclerk |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a filing path in White County, list the assets, debts, heirs and how each account or parcel is titled. The White County Clerk's office files the paperwork for the probate division, but it does not prepare petitions or give legal advice, so the estate settlement paperwork should be complete before you bring it to Searcy or mail it.
Sunset can help with the front end of estate settlement by searching more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, organizing what was found and turning that information into a probate packet you can review before filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate for White County is filed with the White County Clerk's office at the White County Courthouse in Searcy, in the probate division of the White County Circuit Court. Searcy is the county seat and the largest city. White County communities identified on county pages include Searcy, Beebe, Bald Knob, Judsonia, Pangburn, Georgetown and El Paso.
Arkansas venue for probate is set by A.C.A. § 28-40-102. File in the county where the decedent resided at death. If the decedent did not reside in Arkansas, file where the greater part in value of the Arkansas property is located. If there was no Arkansas residence or property but the death occurred in Arkansas, file in the county of death. If none of those applies, file in a county where the personal representative could maintain a cause of action. The first legally commenced proceeding controls, and a case filed in the wrong county is transferred rather than dismissed.
White County sits in Arkansas's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, but a circuit groups judges, not filing counters. A White County estate is filed in White County, not outside the county.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the death certificate, the original will if there is one, the asset list, the debt list and the names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries.
- Check the Arkansas deadline. A will is not admitted to probate and administration is not granted unless the application is made within five years after death, subject to the statutory exceptions in A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
- Choose the filing route. If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, a distributee may use the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee. The $100,000 amount is current as of August 2026, is measured less encumbrances and excludes the homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101. Otherwise, use a full administration petition.
- Prepare the Arkansas Judiciary probate forms. Use the petition that fits the case, attach the original will when required and add the statewide probate cover sheet.
- File with the White County Clerk's office in Searcy. The courthouse address is 300 North Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143, and the county clerk is also published at 315 North Spruce on the courthouse square. Current as of August 2026, opening a decedent's estate costs $165.00, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Ask about a Rule 72 in forma pauperis request if the filing fee is out of reach, and call ahead because White County's probate fee sheet, effective August 1, 2010, says probate filings are paid by cash or attorney's check only.
- Handle notice and scheduling. Under A.C.A. § 28-40-110, the court must set a hearing if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and may set one in other cases. Ask the clerk before assuming that you must appear in person or that a remote option is allowed.
- After the court appoints the personal representative, the clerk issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under the court's seal under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
- After letters are granted, publish the notice of appointment and serve heirs, devisees and known creditors within one month, including the Department of Human Services when required. Claims are barred six months from first publication under A.C.A. § 28-40-111.
- File the inventory, manage assets, pay allowed debts and taxes, account for the estate, distribute property and seek discharge when the administration is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in White County
White County does not publish a county probate form packet, local probate checklist or local cover-sheet instruction. The county does publish a probate fee sheet through the White County Clerk's office, but that document is a fee document, not a form packet.
Use the Arkansas Judiciary's official probate forms for the filing. The statewide set includes petitions for appointment, petitions for probate of a will and appointment of a personal representative, acceptance of appointment, designation of process agent, inventory, accounting, letters testamentary and letters of administration under A.C.A. § 28-48-102, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101.
The statewide probate cover sheet is dated November 15, 2023 and states on its face that it is required under Administrative Order Number 8. Before mailing or bringing the packet to Searcy, call the White County Clerk's office at (501) 279-6204 and ask whether the clerk wants anything else with the filing.
Fees
White County publishes a probate fee sheet through the White County Clerk's office. The sheet is effective August 1, 2010, and the amounts match the Arkansas statutes current as of August 2026.
| Probate filing item | Amount | Local payment note |
|---|---|---|
| Open a probate case | $165.00, current as of August 2026. This is $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 plus $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. | White County's August 1, 2010 probate fee sheet says cash or attorney's check only. Call (501) 279-6204 to confirm current payment methods. |
| Ancillary estate | $165.00, current as of August 2026, tied to A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416. | White County's August 1, 2010 probate fee sheet says cash or attorney's check only. |
| Affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee | $25.00, current as of August 2026 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | White County's August 1, 2010 probate fee sheet says cash or attorney's check only. |
| Certified copy | $5.00, current as of August 2026 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 for certified copies of the small-estate affidavit and under the probate fee schedule for other probate certified copies. | Ask how many certified copies you need before paying. |
| Authenticated copy | $5.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-413. | Ask the clerk whether an authenticated copy is needed for your use. |
| Claim against an estate | $5.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-413. | Applies to filing a claim against an estate. |
| Summons or subpoena | $5.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-413. | Used only when process is needed. |
| Filing an accounting | $50.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-413. | Ask whether the filing is due before paying. |
| Reopening a probate case | $50.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-403. | Reopening may require a court filing. |
| Transferring a case | $50.00, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet and matched to A.C.A. § 21-6-403. | Transfer costs depend on the court order and filing posture. |
| Regular copies | 50 cents per page, effective August 1, 2010 on the White County probate sheet. | Ask before ordering a large copy set. |
The fee to open a decedent's estate is the same in every Arkansas county because A.C.A. § 21-6-403(f) bars a county from adding another filing fee unless state law authorizes it. A person allowed to proceed in forma pauperis under Rule 72 may ask for the filing fee and technology fee to be waived under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Newspaper publication charges are paid to the newspaper, not to the court, and no White County publication rate is listed here.
Local nuance
White County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a White County filing |
|---|---|
| Two clerks, one probate counter | White County has a separate circuit clerk and county clerk. Probate filings go to the White County Clerk's office. The county clerk maintains decedent estates, small estates under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, guardianships, civil commitments and adoptions. |
| Use the county clerk's phone | The probate line is (501) 279-6204. The circuit clerk's (501) 279-6203 line is a different office. |
| Two Spruce Street addresses | The White County Courthouse is at 300 North Spruce, and the county clerk is also published at 315 North Spruce on the courthouse square. Call before traveling to confirm which entrance takes your filing. |
| Bring the right payment | White County's probate fee sheet, effective August 1, 2010, says the $165.00 probate filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416 and the $25.00 small-estate affidavit fee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 are payable by cash or attorney's check only. Confirm current payment methods before the trip. |
| E-filing is a clerk question | The circuit clerk's page says White County offers e-filing through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. Because probate goes to the White County Clerk's office, ask that office whether a probate filing can be submitted through eFlex and whether a self-represented filer can be registered. |
| Stay in White County | White County shares Arkansas's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit with another county, but a White County estate is filed in Searcy. |
| Mail carefully | No post office box is listed for probate mail. Call the White County Clerk's office before mailing original documents or payment. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Legal Aid of Arkansas became the statewide free civil legal services provider for all 75 Arkansas counties, with one statewide intake line, 1-800-952-9243. |
| December 9, 2025 | The Arkansas Judiciary's Electronic Filing Rejection Policy took effect for filings made through eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov, as authorized by Administrative Order 21. |
| June 5, 2026 | Subscription billing ends in eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. Other payment methods remain available. |
| Current case search | The Arkansas Judiciary's public case search is Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. |
Scenarios
| Situation | White County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start with the deed and how the home is titled. If survivorship resolves the house, the estate settlement may focus on accounts or property still in the decedent's sole name. If a filing is needed, it goes to the White County Clerk's office in Searcy. The homestead and statutory allowances under A.C.A. § 28-39-101 matter when deciding whether the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is available. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title questions before the spouse pays the White County filing fee or files the wrong packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If 45 days have passed and the estate qualifies under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee is filed with the White County Clerk's office, and certified copies then go to the bank or other holder. Current as of August 2026, the filing is $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy, and White County's August 1, 2010 sheet says cash or attorney's check only. If letters are needed, Arkansas Judiciary Form 9, Designation of Process Agent, may be relevant for a nonresident personal representative. | Sunset can organize the asset list, generate a packet to review and connect the family with a local attorney if letters are needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 can reach real property, but real property brings publication and a creditor window. A sale often requires letters from a full administration. The filing goes to the White County Clerk's office in Searcy, and the court appoints the personal representative before the clerk issues letters under A.C.A. § 28-48-102. | Sunset helps build the asset picture, prepare the filing information and find counsel before sale work begins. |
Self-help resources
These resources can help a White County family understand the filing path. The clerk can accept filings and issue court documents under the court's seal, but legal questions should go to an Arkansas probate attorney.
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| White County Clerk's office | The probate clerk for the White County Circuit Court. The office files and maintains decedent estates, small estates under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, guardianships, civil commitments and adoptions. | White County Courthouse, 300 North Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143. The office is also published at 315 North Spruce. Phone (501) 279-6204. Fax (501) 279-6260. Email [email protected]. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Arkansas Judiciary official probate forms | Free probate division forms, including petitions, acceptance of appointment, designation of process agent, inventory, accounting, letters testamentary and letters of administration under A.C.A. § 28-48-102, and the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | https://arcourts.gov/forms-and-publications/court-forms/probate-division/forms |
| Statewide probate cover sheet | The cover sheet is dated November 15, 2023 and states that it is required under Administrative Order Number 8. | https://arcourts.gov/sites/default/files/formatted-files/PR_cover_Nov_2023.pdf |
| Arkansas Law Help | Statewide public legal information, including small-estate material under A.C.A. § 28-41-101. | https://arlawhelp.org |
| Search ARCourts | Free statewide case information by name or case number. Document availability varies by court. | https://caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad |
| Legal Aid of Arkansas | Income-restricted civil legal help. Its listed priorities include guardianship, powers of attorney, wills, orders of protection, domestic abuse, landlord and tenant, housing discrimination and contract matters. It may not take a decedent-estate matter. | 1-800-952-9243. https://arlegalaid.org |
When to hire an attorney
Consider counsel in White County if the estate includes real estate to sell, a possible will contest, creditor pressure, insolvency, an out-of-state personal representative, or uncertainty about whether the affidavit route under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 is enough. Local help is also useful because White County has two clerk offices, a separately published county clerk address and a cash-or-attorney's-check payment note that can derail a courthouse trip. Sunset connects the family to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help locate accounts, balances and clues that shape the White County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Arkansas probate forms, the statewide probate cover sheet and the White County Clerk's office filing steps.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs letters, a home sale, creditor work or help with the White County filing path, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Arkansas probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, documents and next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in White County, Arkansas?
File with the White County Clerk's office in Searcy for the probate division of the White County Circuit Court. The courthouse address is 300 North Spruce, Searcy, AR 72143, and the county clerk is also published at 315 North Spruce on the courthouse square. Call (501) 279-6204 before traveling.
Do I file with the circuit clerk or the county clerk in White County?
Use the White County Clerk's office. White County has a separate circuit clerk and county clerk, and probate filings go to the county clerk. The probate phone number is (501) 279-6204.
What does it cost to open an estate in White County?
Current as of August 2026, it costs $165.00 to open a decedent's estate, made up of $150.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and $15.00 under A.C.A. § 21-6-416. Current as of August 2026, an affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee costs $25.00 under A.C.A. § 28-41-101, plus $5.00 per certified copy.
How do I pay the White County probate filing fee?
White County's probate fee sheet, effective August 1, 2010, says the $165.00 probate filing fee under A.C.A. § 21-6-403 and A.C.A. § 21-6-416 and the $25.00 small-estate affidavit fee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 are payable by cash or attorney's check only. Call (501) 279-6204 to confirm current payment methods before going to the courthouse.
When is the White County Clerk's office in Searcy open?
The White County Clerk's office lists hours as Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No midday closure or filing cutoff is listed, so call the same day if you are filing near a deadline.
Do I have to use eFlex if I am handling the estate myself?
Attorneys use eFlex at efile.arcourts.gov. The Arkansas eFlex portal says a self-represented filer may electronically file only as a litigant appearing in a particular court. Because probate goes to the White County Clerk's office, ask that office whether this court will register you or whether you should file at the courthouse or by mail.
Will there be a hearing in a White County probate case?
A hearing is required if the petition is opposed or a demand for notice has been filed, and the court may set one in other cases under A.C.A. § 28-40-110. Do not assume either result until the court or clerk tells you how the filing will be handled.
Can I appear by phone or video instead of driving to Searcy?
Remote appearance is controlled by the circuit judge and the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit's Administrative Order No. 14 plan. Ask the White County Clerk's office before relying on any phone or video option.
How do I look up a White County probate case?
Use Search ARCourts at caseinfo.arcourts.gov/opad. It provides free statewide case information by participant name or case number. Document availability varies by court, so ask the White County Clerk's office about documents in a particular case.
Does White County have its own probate forms?
White County does not add a probate form packet of its own. Use the Arkansas Judiciary's 33 official probate forms and the statewide probate cover sheet. The statewide forms include the affidavit for collection of small estate by distributee under A.C.A. § 28-41-101 and letters testamentary and letters of administration under A.C.A. § 28-48-102.
Is there a deadline to open probate in Arkansas?
Yes. A will is not admitted to probate and administration is not granted unless the application is made within five years after death, subject to the statutory exceptions in A.C.A. § 28-40-103.
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.