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Fulton County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Fulton County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Fulton County Probate Court |
| Downtown courthouse | 136 Pryor Street SW, Second Floor, Suite C230, Atlanta, GA 30303 |
| Estate mailing address | Fulton County Probate Court, Attn: Estates Division, 136 Pryor Street SW, Suite C230, Atlanta, GA 30303 |
| Estates phone | 404-612-4694 |
| General court phone | 404-612-4640 |
| Fax | No fax number is published by the court |
| Email for estates | [email protected] |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. South Service Center estate intake is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Walk-in Wednesday filings must be completed by 4:00 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Main estate petitions are listed at $209 initial filing and $205 subsequent filing on Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026. The statewide statutory fee change under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 took effect January 1, 2025. |
| Local forms | Statewide GPCSF forms are used. Fulton also publishes an heirs determination worksheet, Zoom oath instructions and an estate record request form. |
| E-filing | Optional through Odyssey eFileGA for many estate filings. Original petitions, supporting documents and the original will must still reach the court within 10 days. |
| Case search | Fulton points estate users to ReSearchGA. A registered account is required. georgiaprobaterecords.com does not cover Fulton. |
| Remote option | Virtual oath sessions are available Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. The court does not publish estate hearing days or a remote hearing policy. |
| Website | https://www.fultonprobatega.org/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Fulton County, identify the decedent's assets, debts, beneficiaries and likely title issues. The choice between solemn form probate, letters of administration, year's support, no administration necessary or a leave-to-sell petition depends on what exists, who agrees and whether a title company or financial institution will require letters.
Sunset's estate settlement process includes asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, so you are not building a Fulton petition around guesswork. This is especially important in Fulton because the court publishes a minimum bond practice for administrations and asks for complete supporting information after appointment.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Fulton County Probate Court serves estates for people who were domiciled in Fulton County at death, including families in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Chattahoochee Hills, College Park, East Point, Fairburn, Hapeville, Palmetto, South Fulton and Union City. Georgia venue for wills is the county of the decedent's domicile at death (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-1). For administration, the Probate Judge may grant administration where the decedent was a resident at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia, where the decedent left property or had a bona fide cause of action (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
All three Fulton intake locations are part of the same Probate Court. The downtown office is at 136 Pryor Street SW in Atlanta, the North Service Center intake location is at 7741 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs, and the South Service Center intake location is at 5600 Stonewall Tell Road in College Park.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Georgia Probate Court Standard Form for the situation. Common Fulton estate filings include GPCSF 3 for letters of administration, GPCSF 4 for common form probate, GPCSF 5 for solemn form probate, GPCSF 9 for no administration necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 and GPCSF 10 for year's support under O.C.G.A. §§ 53-3-1 and 53-3-5.
- Prepare the local items Fulton asks for. For a new petition to open an estate, include the obituary or submit it within 10 days of the original filing date. If the filing involves heirs, use Fulton's heirs determination worksheet to organize the family information before completing the petition.
- File with Fulton County Probate Court. You may file downtown in Atlanta by appointment or on Walk-In Wednesdays, at the South Service Center Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the North Service Center on Walk-In Wednesdays, by mail to the Estates Division, or optionally through Odyssey eFileGA for many estate petitions.
- Deliver originals when required. If you e-file, Fulton instructs filers to submit original petitions, supporting documents and the original last will and testament by mail or in person within 10 days of e-filing. Mailed pleadings must be signed, verified and accompanied by the filing fee.
- Pay the Fulton filing amount. Main estate petitions are listed at $209 initial filing and $205 subsequent filing on Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026, while the statutory fee change under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 took effect January 1, 2025. Publication, bond, copy and service costs may apply.
- Complete citation, notice and publication. Solemn form probate requires notice to heirs under Georgia law, and Fulton publishes separate publication pricing. The South Fulton Neighbor is the Fulton legal organ effective January 1, 2024.
- Respond to any objection or hearing notice. Fulton does not publish estate hearing days or wait times. If a caveat is filed in a solemn form probate, the court states that a hearing will be scheduled. Because Fulton is an Article 6 court, a contested estate issue can be tried to a jury on a proper written demand under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-121.
- Qualify and take the oath. Once the court is ready to appoint a fiduciary, the petitioner must take an oath. Fulton offers virtual oath sessions on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons, in-person oaths by appointment, and oaths during Walk-In Wednesdays.
- Post bond if required and receive letters. Fulton publishes a $25,000.00 minimum bond practice for administrations and temporary administrations, verified August 2026. Letters testamentary or letters of administration issue after the court receives all required documents, the oath is completed and any required bond is posted.
- Administer and close the estate. Collect assets, pay valid debts, handle sale authority if needed, file inventory and annual returns unless waived, keep records for heirs and beneficiaries, and file the appropriate discharge petition when administration is complete.
Executor duties
Fulton adds several practical steps to the statewide duties of a personal representative. The court asks filers to wait 45 days after filing before contacting the Estates Division for an estate update, and it directs status questions to [email protected].
| Local duty | What Fulton publishes |
|---|---|
| Bond before letters | For administrations and temporary administrations, Fulton publishes a minimum bond of $25,000.00, verified August 2026. If more than $25,000.00 in assets is listed in the petition, the bond is the higher amount. The court says letters do not issue until the bond is posted, unless powers are granted by publication. |
| Inventory | The court states an inventory is due within 6 months after appointment and should include supporting bank statements for the month the estate opened. |
| Annual returns | The court states annual returns are due 60 days from the anniversary of appointment and every year after that for as long as the appointment continues. |
| Virtual oath follow-up | After a virtual oath, the signed oath and a copy of state-issued identification must be emailed to [email protected] within 24 hours. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Fulton County
Fulton County Probate Court uses the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, commonly called GPCSF forms, and links to the statewide form set. The local court does not publish a separate Fulton petition form or county cover sheet for decedent estates.
| Need | Form or local document |
|---|---|
| Temporary letters | GPCSF 2, Petition for Temporary Letters of Administration |
| Letters of administration | GPCSF 3, Petition for Letters of Administration |
| Will in common form | GPCSF 4, Petition to Probate Will in Common Form |
| Will in solemn form | GPCSF 5, Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form |
| Will plus administrator with will annexed | GPCSF 7, Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form and for Letters of Administration with Will Annexed |
| Will previously probated, letters with will annexed | GPCSF 8, Petition for Letters of Administration with Will Annexed |
| No administration necessary | GPCSF 9, Petition for Order Declaring No Administration Necessary |
| Year's support | GPCSF 10, Petition for Year's Support |
| Leave to sell property | GPCSF 13, Petition of Personal Representative for Leave to Sell Property |
| Bond | GPCSF 21, Bond of Administrators, Conservators and Executors |
| Out-of-state oath | GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath |
| Local Fulton worksheet | Fulton's heirs determination worksheet, used to organize surviving spouse and blood relative information |
| Local oath instructions | Fulton's Zoom oath instructions for virtual oath sessions |
| Local records request | Fulton's estate record request form for mailed record requests |
For any new petition to open an estate, Fulton asks for a copy of the obituary within 10 days of the original filing date. If you e-file, original petitions, supporting documents and the original last will and testament must be delivered by mail or in person within 10 days.
Fees
Fulton's fee page banner dates the Senate Bill 232 fee change January 1, 2026 while the court's home page dates the same change January 1, 2025. The statutory change under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 took effect January 1, 2025, and the amounts below are the schedule the court publishes, verified August 2026.
| Estate filing or service | Fulton amount |
|---|---|
| Petition for letters of administration | $209 initial filing, plus publication fee if necessary, and $205 subsequent filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition to probate will in solemn form | $209 initial filing and $205 subsequent filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition to probate will in common form | $209 initial filing and $205 subsequent filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition to probate will in solemn form and for letters of administration with will annexed | $209 initial filing, $205 subsequent filing, plus publication fee if necessary, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for letters of administration with will annexed, will previously probated | $190 initial filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for temporary letters of administration | $194 initial filing and $190 subsequent filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for no administration necessary | $209 initial filing, plus $25 if there is real property, and $205 subsequent filing, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for year's support | $209 initial filing with real property, plus $180 publication fee, and $205 subsequent filing with real property, plus $180 publication fee, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for waiver of bond and grant of powers | $190 initial filing plus $180 publication fee, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition of personal representative for leave to sell | $190, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Petition for discharge of personal representative | $190 plus $30 publication fee, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Motions and caveats | $75, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Creditor's claim | $15, Fulton's published schedule and Records Division page, verified August 2026 |
| Will filed for safekeeping | $15, Fulton's published schedule and Decedents' Estates page, verified August 2026 |
| Petition to open safety deposit box | $90, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Inventory or annual return with property | The court's fee schedule lists $40, verified August 2026, while its Inventory and Compliance page lists $25 plus $2 per page, verified August 2026. Ask the court which amount applies before filing. |
| Inventory or annual return without property | No charge on Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Publication formula | $15 per first 100 words times the number of weeks, with the court's example producing $180 for a 4-week publication, Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Certified copies from Records Division | $10 for certification and $1 per page, Fulton's Records Division schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Exemplified copies from Records Division | $15 for the process and $1 per page, Fulton's Records Division schedule, verified August 2026 |
| Estate search by mail | $10.00 per search, Fulton's Records Division schedule, verified August 2026 |
Fulton states that filing fees are due when pleadings are filed and are non-refundable. Mailed petitions without fees are returned without filing, and mailed petitions may be paid by attorney's check or money order only. The court also publishes a Deferred Probate Fee Initiative for people who cannot afford filing fees, using a Petition to Proceed in Forma Pauperis.
Timeline
- Within 10 days after e-filing, deliver or mail the original petition, the original will and supporting documents to the Fulton County Probate Court.
- Within 10 days after filing a new petition to open an estate, submit a copy of the obituary to the court.
- If you take the oath by Zoom, email the signed oath and a copy of your state-issued identification to the court within 24 hours.
- After filing, allow 45 days before contacting the Probate Court for an estate update, as the court requests.
- Within 60 days after qualification, publish the creditor notice once a week for four weeks in the county's legal organ (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41).
- Within six months after qualification, file and mail the inventory unless waived or extended (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30 and O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32).
Local nuance
Fulton County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters in Fulton County |
|---|---|
| Article 6 court | Fulton is on the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia list of Article 6 probate courts. Contested estate matters can be tried to a jury on a proper written demand, and final-judgment appeals go directly to Georgia's appellate courts under O.C.G.A. §§ 15-9-121 and 15-9-123. |
| Three intake locations | Downtown Atlanta is the main court office, but the South Service Center accepts estate petitions Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the North Service Center accepts estate petitions on Walk-In Wednesdays. |
| Minimum bond notice | Fulton publishes a $25,000.00 minimum bond practice for administrations and temporary administrations, verified August 2026. If the petition lists more than $25,000.00 in assets, the bond is the higher amount. |
| Legal organ | The South Fulton Neighbor is the legal organ newspaper for Fulton County, effective January 1, 2024. Fulton publication costs are priced separately on the court's fee schedule. |
| Virtual oath only | Fulton publishes virtual oath sessions, not remote estate hearing days. Do not treat the oath option as a remote hearing policy. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 | The South Fulton Neighbor became Fulton County's legal organ newspaper for legal notices. |
| January 1, 2025 | Senate Bill 232 changed Georgia probate court statutory fees under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60. Fulton publishes its own estate fee schedule on top of that statutory change. |
| As of August 2026 | Fulton lists Odyssey eFileGA as optional for many estate filings and points estate users to ReSearchGA, which requires a registered account. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Fulton path | Local pressure point | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Review whether year's support, a will petition or no administration necessary fits the assets and family agreement. Year's support uses GPCSF 10 and must be filed within 24 months under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. | Fulton's schedule lists year's support with real property at $209 initial filing plus $180 publication fee, verified August 2026. The South Fulton Neighbor is the legal organ effective January 1, 2024. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can choose the cleanest estate settlement path before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If all heirs agree and creditor issues are resolved, consider GPCSF 9 for no administration necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. If letters are needed, use the administration path. | Fulton offers optional e-filing and virtual oath sessions, but original petitions, supporting documents and the original will must still arrive within 10 days after e-filing. GPCSF 53 can be used for an out-of-state oath commission. | Sunset organizes heir information, asset details and documents so the adult child can prepare a packet before mailing, e-filing or traveling. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Letters of administration may be needed first, followed by sale authority if the representative does not already have the required power. | Fulton publishes a $25,000.00 minimum bond practice, verified August 2026. The court lists a petition for waiver of bond and grant of powers at $190 plus $180 publication fee, verified August 2026, and a leave-to-sell petition at $190, verified August 2026. | Sunset helps gather property, mortgage, account and creditor information, then connects the family with a local probate attorney when a sale and bond issue make legal advice important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Fulton County Probate Court, Estates Division | Filing options, fee schedule, forms links, e-filing, oath scheduling and estate status. Staff can explain procedure but cannot give legal advice. | 404-612-4694, [email protected], https://www.fultonprobatega.org/196/Decedents-Estates |
| Fulton County Probate Court, Records Division | Estate searches in person or by mail, certified copies, exemplified copies and uncertified copies. | 404-612-4693, [email protected], https://www.fultonprobatega.org/227/Records-Division |
| Atlanta Legal Aid Society | Free civil legal help for people who qualify by income in Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties. | 54 Ellis St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-524-5811, https://atlantalegalaid.org/apply/ |
| State Bar of Georgia lawyer referral | Referral to a Georgia lawyer. Fulton Probate Court names this resource on its Additional Probate Resources page. | 404-527-8700 or 800-334-6865, https://www.gabar.org/ |
| Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation | Volunteer lawyer help by telephone referral, listed in the Probate Court's legal aid resource directory. | 404-521-0790 |
| Georgia Heirs Property Law Center | Help for families dealing with inherited land or a family home held as heirs property. | 706-424-7557 |
| Fulton County Law Library | Public legal materials in print and electronic form. Staff can help locate materials but cannot give legal advice. | 141 Pryor St. SW, Atlanta, 404-612-4000 |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language Georgia legal information and a find-an-attorney-by-county tool. | https://www.georgialegalaid.org/ |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide standard forms, general instructions, uniform rules and probate court directory. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and debts before you choose the Fulton County filing path. Better asset information makes estate settlement cleaner from the first petition.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, including heir details, asset lists and the documents Fulton asks families to bring or mail. You still review and sign the forms before filing with the court.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Fulton estate involves a home sale, a caveat, a bond question, year's support, a no administration necessary petition or a jury issue, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Georgia probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a practical estate settlement workspace, document organization and attorney matching without charging families to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Fulton County?
File with Fulton County Probate Court. The downtown Estates Division mailing address is 136 Pryor Street SW, Suite C230, Atlanta, GA 30303. Fulton also takes estate petitions at the South Service Center in College Park Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and at the North Service Center in Sandy Springs on Walk-In Wednesdays.
Can I e-file a Fulton County probate case?
Yes, for many estate filings. Fulton uses Odyssey eFileGA, and the status is permissive, meaning optional. The court states that the original will, original petitions and supporting documents must still reach the court by mail or in person within 10 days of e-filing.
What does Fulton County Probate Court charge to open an estate?
Fulton's published schedule, verified August 2026, lists $209 initial filing and $205 subsequent filing for the main estate petitions. The statewide statutory fee change under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60 took effect January 1, 2025. Publication, bond, copies and service items can add costs depending on the filing.
Does Fulton County have local probate forms?
Fulton uses the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms. It does not publish a separate local estate petition or county cover sheet. The local estate documents it publishes include an heirs determination worksheet, Zoom oath instructions and an estate record request form.
Can I look up a Fulton County estate case online?
Fulton points estate users to ReSearchGA. A registered account is required. Fulton is not listed on georgiaprobaterecords.com, so that site is not the Fulton estate lookup.
Can I take the fiduciary oath remotely in Fulton County?
Yes. Fulton publishes virtual oath sessions for decedent estates on Tuesday mornings between 11 a.m. and 12 noon and on Thursdays between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. After the oath, the signed oath and a copy of state-issued identification must be emailed to [email protected] within 24 hours.
Does Fulton County publish hearing days or wait times?
No hearing calendar, hearing days or filing-to-hearing wait time is published for estate matters. If a caveat is filed in a solemn form probate, the court states that a hearing will be scheduled.
Do I have to travel to Atlanta to handle probate?
Not always. Many estate documents can be mailed, many filings can be e-filed optionally, and Fulton offers virtual oath sessions. You still need to get paper originals to the court within 10 days after e-filing, and some records requests or confidential guardianship matters require an in-person visit.
What is different about Fulton as an Article 6 Probate Court?
Fulton is an Article 6 expanded-jurisdiction probate court. A contested estate matter can be tried to a jury on a proper written demand, and appeals from final judgments go directly to the Court of Appeals of Georgia or the Supreme Court of Georgia under O.C.G.A. §§ 15-9-121 and 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.