Back to Georgia
DeKalb County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | DeKalb County details |
|---|---|
| Court | DeKalb County Probate Court |
| Courthouse | DeKalb County Courthouse, 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur, GA 30030 |
| Estate filing counter | Location #2, B190 Judicial Tower, basement floor, for wills and estates, marriage licenses and weapons carry licenses |
| Mailing address | Clerk, DeKalb County Probate Court, 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur, GA 30030 |
| Phone | Wills and Estates: (404) 371-3022. Records: 404-371-2701. Auditing: 404-371-2647. |
| Fax | Wills and Estates fax: 404-371-3687 |
| Hours | Wills and Estates counter: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., by appointment only, with the counter closed midday for sanitizing. Records and auditing are at Location #1, 1000 Judicial Tower, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., by appointment only. |
| Filing fee | DeKalb's fee schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $209.00 for a petition for letters of administration or to probate a will in solemn form, plus separate charges when service, publication or certified copies are needed. Georgia's statewide base for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, plus statutory add-ons. Confirm the current total with the Probate Court before filing. |
| Local forms | No county petition forms, cover sheet or estate packet are listed. DeKalb links to Georgia's statewide GPCSF standard forms and adds filing instructions: do not print the petition front and back, and bring or mail paper originals when required. |
| E-filing | Available through Odyssey eFileGA on a permissive basis. Select DeKalb County Probate Court, category Probate or Mental Health, case type Estates. The original will and any codicil must still reach the Probate Court on paper within ten days of an electronic filing and before the final order and letters issue under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case search | No online estate case search is listed for DeKalb Probate Court. Call the records office at 404-371-2701 to schedule a records appointment or request copies. |
| Remote appearance | The court does not list a remote appearance policy. Its listed ways to avoid an initial trip are e-filing through eFileGA or mailing the filing to the Clerk. Ask the court about any particular hearing. |
| Website | https://dekalbprobatega.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in DeKalb County, list the assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries, real estate and accounts in the decedent's sole name. The court uses statewide Georgia forms, but the right form and fee depend on whether there is a will, whether letters are needed, whether a home must be sold and whether service or publication is required.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizes what you found into a probate packet. That is especially useful in DeKalb because the court offers e-filing and mail filing, but still requires paper originals for the will, oath and bond when they apply.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Every DeKalb County estate filing goes to the DeKalb County Probate Court in Decatur. Georgia has a probate court in every county, and DeKalb probate filings do not go to another county or to a separate district office. Administration is granted where the decedent lived at death, or, for a nonresident, where the decedent had Georgia property in the county (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
The court serves DeKalb County communities including Decatur, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville, Dunwoody, Clarkston, Avondale Estates, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, Stonecrest, Tucker and the DeKalb portion of Atlanta. DeKalb is an Article 6 probate court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120, so a party to a civil case may demand a jury trial under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-121, and an appeal goes to the Court of Appeals of Georgia or the Supreme Court of Georgia under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-123.
The jurisdiction process
- Locate the will and file the original with the DeKalb County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). If the petition is e-filed, the original will and any codicil still must reach the court on paper within ten days and before the final order and letters issue under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
- Choose the statewide GPCSF petition. A will may be offered in common form or solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. If there is no will, the usual starting point is a petition for letters of administration.
- File through one of DeKalb's listed routes. E-file through Odyssey eFileGA by selecting DeKalb County Probate Court, category Probate or Mental Health, case type Estates. If you cannot e-file, mail the filing to the Clerk at 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur, GA 30030. If you cannot e-file or mail, book an appointment for the basement Wills and Estates counter, B190 Judicial Tower.
- Pay at filing. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $209.00 for a petition for letters of administration or to probate a will in solemn form. Georgia's statewide base for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, plus statutory add-ons. Filing fees are paid when the filing is made under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60(d) and Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.14.
- Handle citation, service and publication. The court issues the citation, and the petitioner provides what is needed for service, acknowledgments or publication. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $50.00 per person for sheriff service, $2.00 per person for first class mail and $60.00 publication if needed for a petition for letters of administration.
- Take the oath before a probate judge or clerk, never before a notary (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24). Out-of-state petitioners can use GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath. In DeKalb, original oaths and bonds must be delivered on paper even when the petition was e-filed.
- Post bond unless it is waived by the will or by the required consent. An administrator of an intestate estate generally gives bond unless relieved under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- Receive letters testamentary or letters of administration after the court grants the petition and the petitioner qualifies. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $10.00 per certified copy of letters.
- Publish the creditor notice within 60 days after qualification, once a week for four weeks, in the county's legal organ. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose certain rights against distributions already made (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41).
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory within six months unless waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32), pay valid claims, make required returns or fiduciary filings, distribute assets and file the discharge petition when the estate is settled. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $209.00 for a discharge petition.
Executor duties
Georgia statewide duties still control, but DeKalb adds several practical office steps for a personal representative after appointment.
| Duty | DeKalb County practice |
|---|---|
| Inventory and returns | File the inventory within six months unless waived under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30 and O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $40.00 for an inventory, $40.00 for an annual return and $40.00 for a final return. The auditing section is reached at 404-371-2647. |
| Paper originals | Deliver the original oath and any bond on paper, even when the petition was filed through eFileGA. The court lists original oaths and bonds among filings that cannot be filed electronically. |
| Certified letters | Order certified copies of letters for banks, brokerages and title companies. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $10.00 per certified copy of letters. |
| Service charges | Budget for service when the citation has to be served. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $50.00 per person for sheriff service, $2.00 per person for first class mail, $16.00 per person for restricted delivery in Georgia and $12.00 per person for certified mail outside Georgia. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in DeKalb County
DeKalb estates use Georgia's statewide GPCSF standard forms, adopted under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9. The Probate Court's own Standard Forms link sends filers to the Council of Probate Court Judges' form library rather than to a separate county packet.
| Need | Form path | DeKalb County note |
|---|---|---|
| Will to be probated | Use the statewide GPCSF form for common form or solemn form probate under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. | The original will cannot be e-filed. If the petition is e-filed, the paper original must reach the Probate Court within ten days and before the final order and letters issue. |
| No will | Use the statewide petition for letters of administration. | File through eFileGA, by mail to the Clerk, or by appointment at B190 Judicial Tower. |
| No in-person filing | Use the same statewide form set. | DeKalb accepts e-filing through Odyssey eFileGA and strongly encourages mail if e-filing is not possible. |
| In-person appointment | Bring the completed statewide petition. | The court tells filers to bring a completed original petition, valid identification, the appointment confirmation and the filing fee. Do not print the petition front and back. |
| County-specific forms | None listed for estate petitions. | DeKalb adds procedure, not a local petition form, cover sheet, checklist or packet. |
Fees
The DeKalb County Probate Court publishes a fee schedule revised July 1, 2025. The statewide base for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, with statutory add-ons, and the $15.00 indigent defense fee applies to the named decedent's-estate petitions under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. DeKalb publishes single totals, so do not break those totals into components unless the court does so.
| Filing or service | Amount on DeKalb schedule revised July 1, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Petition for letters of administration | $209.00, plus $60.00 publication if needed and $10.00 per certified copy of letters |
| Petition to probate will in solemn form | $209.00, plus $10.00 per certified copy of letters testamentary |
| Petition for temporary letters of administration | $194.00, plus $10.00 per certified copy of temporary letters |
| Petition for year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 | $354.00, plus $25.00 per real property, with one parcel included |
| Petition for an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 | $234.00, plus $10.00 per certified copy and $25.00 per real property, with one parcel included |
| Petition for waiver of bond and grant of powers | $314.00 |
| Petition for leave to sell by personal representative | $194.00 |
| Caveat or estate motion | $75.00 |
| Inventory, annual return or final return | $40.00 |
| Copies and certified copies | $1.00 per page for copies, $10.00 plus $1.00 per page for certified copies, and $10.00 per certified copy of letters |
Card payments carry a 2.75 percent processing charge on the DeKalb schedule revised July 1, 2025. The court accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, does not accept American Express, does not accept bills larger than $20.00 on the DeKalb schedule revised July 1, 2025, and asks that checks or money orders be made payable to DeKalb County Probate Court.
Local nuance
DeKalb County-specific considerations
| Practice point | What it means in DeKalb County |
|---|---|
| Article 6 court | DeKalb is on the Council of Probate Court Judges' Article 6 roster under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. Jury-demand rights in civil cases and the appellate route are governed by O.C.G.A. § 15-9-121 and O.C.G.A. § 15-9-123. |
| Appointment-only service | All in-person Probate Court services are handled by appointment. Bring the printed appointment confirmation or have it visible on a device. |
| Two counters in the same courthouse | Wills and estates are at B190 Judicial Tower, basement floor. Records and auditing are at 1000 Judicial Tower, first floor. Going to the right counter matters because both locations are in the same courthouse. |
| E-filing culture | The court states that it was the first Georgia probate court to launch e-filing in 2020 and that most probate filings have been e-filed since 2021. E-filing is still optional, and self-represented filers may use paper. |
| Paper exceptions | The court lists wills for safekeeping, original oaths and bonds among filings that cannot be filed electronically. Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B) also requires the original will and any codicil on paper within ten days of electronic filing and before letters issue. |
| Fee schedule | The court posts its own fee schedule revised July 1, 2025, including a 2.75 percent processing charge on card payments and a counter rule that bills larger than $20.00 on that same revised July 1, 2025 schedule are not accepted. |
| Free consultation clinic | The Probate Information Center offers 45-minute consultations about uncontested estates of deceased DeKalb County residents every other Thursday by appointment, through DeKalb Pro Bono, the Probate Court and the Estate Planning Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. |
Recent updates
| Update | Date |
|---|---|
| The DeKalb County Probate Court posts a fee schedule listing $209.00 for a petition for letters of administration or to probate a will in solemn form, $234.00 for a petition for an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40, $354.00 for year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 and $314.00 for waiver of bond and grant of powers, plus a 2.75 percent card processing charge. | Schedule revised July 1, 2025 |
| All Probate Court services are handled by appointment only, with online booking and a confirmation required at the courthouse. | As listed by the court in August 2026 |
| Estate petitions are accepted through Odyssey eFileGA, with wills for safekeeping and original oaths and bonds handled on paper. | As listed by the court in August 2026 |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely DeKalb County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | A home held jointly with right of survivorship passes outside probate, so no DeKalb filing transfers that interest. If accounts or other assets were in the decedent's sole name, file the statewide petition through eFileGA, by mail to the Clerk, or by appointment at B190 Judicial Tower. A spouse should also consider year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, which can set aside property and must be petitioned within 24 months under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $354.00 for that petition, plus $25.00 per real property, with one parcel included. | Sunset finds accounts across its 2,300-institution search, organizes the spouse's asset picture and helps prepare the estate settlement packet before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent lived in DeKalb County, the estate is filed in DeKalb even if the child lives elsewhere. The petition can be e-filed through eFileGA or mailed to the Clerk. Paper originals still matter: the original will, oath and any bond must reach the court on paper. The oath cannot be notarized under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24, so an out-of-state petitioner should look at GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath. | Sunset helps locate accounts remotely, builds the packet and flags which DeKalb steps can be handled by e-filing or mail so travel is limited to what the court or the facts require. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires letters and certified copies for the title company. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $314.00 for a petition for waiver of bond and grant of powers and $194.00 for a petition for leave to sell. If there is no will, all heirs agree and debts are resolved, an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 may be considered. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $234.00 for that petition, plus $25.00 per real property, with one parcel included. | Sunset assembles the asset and debt picture, prepares the probate packet and connects the family to a vetted local probate attorney when a real estate sale needs legal help. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County Probate Court, Wills and Estates | Court service page for estate filings, e-filing instructions, fee schedule, standard-forms link and appointment booking. | https://dekalbprobatega.com/services/wills-estates/ and (404) 371-3022 |
| DeKalb Pro Bono Probate Information Center | Free 45-minute consultations with volunteer lawyers about uncontested estates of deceased DeKalb County residents, every other Thursday by appointment. | https://dekalbprobono.org/programs-services/ and (404) 373-0865 |
| Atlanta Legal Aid Society, DeKalb County office | Free civil legal help for people who meet income guidelines in the five county metro Atlanta area, including DeKalb. | 246 Sycamore St., Decatur, GA 30030, 404-377-0701, https://atlantalegalaid.org/apply |
| DeKalb County Law Library | Public law library in Room 400 on the 4th floor of the Administrative Tower at the courthouse. Library staff help locate legal materials but do not give legal advice. | 556 N. McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030, 404-371-2441, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia standard forms | Current GPCSF forms and general instructions used in Georgia probate courts, including the form library DeKalb links to. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
| Supreme Court of Georgia standard forms index | Statewide index for Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms and General Instructions. | https://www.gasupreme.us/probate-court-standard-forms/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Georgia probate attorney when heirs disagree, a caveat is possible, a house must be sold, bond or expanded powers are needed, the estate has creditor problems, or an out-of-state family needs someone to coordinate paper originals and court appointments in Decatur. DeKalb is an Article 6 probate court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120, so civil matters can involve jury-demand and appellate issues under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-121 and O.C.G.A. § 15-9-123. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can see accounts, balances and leads before choosing a DeKalb County filing path. That asset picture makes estate settlement easier whether you e-file, mail the petition or book a courthouse appointment.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Georgia statewide GPCSF forms and the DeKalb filing steps, including the original will, heir information, debts, service details and certified-copy needs.
Find a local probate attorney. When a DeKalb estate has a home sale, a caveat risk, bond issues, expanded powers or Article 6 court questions, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Georgia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partners, not by grieving families, so the estate settlement support, asset search and probate packet help are free to use.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in DeKalb County?
File with the DeKalb County Probate Court at the DeKalb County Courthouse, 556 North McDonough Street, 1100 Judicial Tower, Decatur, GA 30030. In-person estate filings are taken by appointment at the basement Wills and Estates counter, B190 Judicial Tower.
Can I e-file a probate case in DeKalb County?
Yes. DeKalb accepts probate e-filing through Odyssey eFileGA, and the service is permissive rather than required. Choose DeKalb County Probate Court as the location, Probate or Mental Health as the category and Estates as the case type. The original will, original oath and any bond still go to the court on paper.
Do I need an appointment at the DeKalb County Probate Court?
Yes for in-person business. The court handles services by appointment only, books appointments online, and tells filers to bring the confirmation, the original petition, valid identification and the filing fee.
What does it cost to open an estate in DeKalb County?
DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $209.00 for a petition for letters of administration or to probate a will in solemn form, with separate charges for service, publication and certified copies when they apply. The statewide base for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00, effective January 1, 2025, under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60. Confirm the current total with the Probate Court before filing.
Can I look up a DeKalb County estate case online?
No online estate case search is listed for DeKalb Probate Court. Call the records office at 404-371-2701 to schedule a records appointment or request copies. DeKalb's schedule revised July 1, 2025 lists $10.00 per certified copy of letters and $10.00 plus $1.00 per page for another certified copy.
Does DeKalb County have its own probate forms?
No county estate petition packet is listed. DeKalb uses Georgia's statewide GPCSF standard forms. The court's own Standard Forms link points to the Council of Probate Court Judges' current form library, and DeKalb adds filing instructions such as one-sided printing and paper originals for the will, oath and bond.
Do I have to travel to Decatur to settle a DeKalb County estate?
Not for the initial filing. The court accepts estate petitions through eFileGA and by mail to the Clerk. Paper originals still have to reach the court, and an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath, because the Georgia oath cannot be taken before a notary under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24.
Is there free help with a DeKalb County probate case?
Yes. The Probate Information Center, a partnership of DeKalb Pro Bono, the DeKalb County Probate Court and the Estate Planning Section of the Atlanta Bar Association, gives free 45-minute consultations about uncontested DeKalb estates every other Thursday by appointment. Atlanta Legal Aid's DeKalb office in Decatur helps people who meet its income guidelines.
What is different about DeKalb as an Article 6 probate court?
DeKalb is an Article 6 probate court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. A party to a civil case may demand a jury trial in the Probate Court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-121, and an appeal goes to the Court of Appeals of Georgia or the Supreme Court of Georgia under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-123.
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.