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Putnam County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Putnam County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Putnam County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 318, Eatonton, GA 31024 |
| Mailing | Use the Probate Court address for mailed estate papers unless the court gives different instructions by phone. |
| Phone | (706) 485-5476 |
| Fax | (706) 485-2515 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Counter hours are not posted in the available court listings. Call (706) 485-5476 before travelling to Eatonton. |
| Filing fee | Decedent's-estate petitions have a $175.00 base filing fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. Service and publication are separate. Confirm the current total with the court. |
| Local forms | No Putnam County-specific probate forms are posted. Use the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series. |
| E-filing | No probate e-filing is published for Putnam County. File estate papers on paper at the Probate Court counter or by mail. The original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
| Case search | Putnam County estate cases are available through georgiaprobaterecords.com, a portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. Call the court if a case does not appear there. |
| Remote appearance | No remote appearance procedure is posted. Ask the Probate Court when you call about filing or hearing logistics. |
| Website | http://www.putnamprobate.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Eatonton, make a list of the decedent's assets, debts, titles, beneficiaries, and who holds the original will. The right Georgia petition depends on whether there is a will, whether heirs agree, whether real estate is involved, and whether a personal representative needs authority to act.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families organize that information before contacting the Putnam County Probate Court. Sunset can search more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and then help assemble the Georgia probate packet for the local filing office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Putnam County Probate Court in Eatonton is the only probate filing office for Putnam County. It serves Eatonton, the Lake Oconee shoreline area within the county, and unincorporated communities and farmland across Putnam County.
Georgia has a Probate Court in every county, so Putnam County estate filings go to the Putnam County Probate Court, not to a county clerk and not to a probate district. Administration may be granted only for someone who lived in Putnam County at death, or for a nonresident of Georgia who owned property in Putnam County (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). A petition for an order that no administration is necessary is filed in the decedent's Georgia county of domicile, or where Georgia real property is located for a nonresident (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
Putnam County is not an Article 6 probate court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. A party seeking review of a Putnam County Probate Court decision files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b); the superior court hears the matter de novo, with the jury right preserved under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d).
The jurisdiction process
- Find and protect the original will. Whoever has the will must file it with the Putnam County Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5). If there is no will, start with the heirs and estate assets instead.
- Choose the Georgia petition and GPCSF form. With a will, common form and solemn form are the Georgia probate choices under O.C.G.A. § 53-5; common form is not conclusive for four years from the order admitting the will (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-19). With no will, the usual petition is letters of administration, and the administrator is selected or appointed under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- File on paper with the Putnam County Probate Court at 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 318, Eatonton, GA 31024, or mail the packet to that address. No probate e-filing procedure is published for Putnam County, and the original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
- Pay the filing costs when you file. The statewide base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025, plus statutory add-ons, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6, and separate service and publication costs. Call (706) 485-5476 to confirm the current total.
- Handle citation, service, acknowledgments, or publication as the petition requires. In Putnam County, published probate notices run in The Eatonton Messenger.
- Take the oath before the probate judge or a probate clerk. The oath cannot be taken before a notary; an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53 for a commission to administer the oath (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24).
- Address bond if the estate is intestate. An administrator of an intestate estate must give bond unless the heirs unanimously consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- Receive letters testamentary or letters of administration after the court grants the petition and the petitioner qualifies. Certified copies of letters are $10.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025.
- Publish the notice to creditors within 60 days after qualification, once a week for four weeks, in The Eatonton Messenger. Creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation rights under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- Inventory, administer, and close the estate. Unless waived, the personal representative files the inventory with the court and mails it to heirs or beneficiaries within six months under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30 and O.C.G.A. § 53-7-32, pays claims, distributes property, files required fiduciary compliance reports, and petitions for discharge on GPCSF 33.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Putnam County
Putnam County uses Georgia's statewide probate forms, the GPCSF series. A document prepared on a Georgia Probate Court Standard Form is acceptable in any Georgia probate court, and a court may decline to process a substitute that does not conform to the standard form requirements of Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| GPCSF 3 | Petition for letters of administration when there is no will. |
| GPCSF 4 | Petition to probate a will in common form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. |
| GPCSF 5 | Petition to probate a will in solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5. |
| GPCSF 9 | Petition for an order declaring that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40. |
| GPCSF 10 | Petition for year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3. |
| GPCSF 32 | Petition by personal representative for waiver of bond or grant of certain powers. |
| GPCSF 33 | Petition for discharge of personal representative. |
| GPCSF 53 | Commission to administer oath for an out-of-state petitioner. |
No Putnam County-specific probate cover sheet, checklist, or local packet is posted. Call the Probate Court before mailing a packet if you need the current filing total, service copies, or publication instructions.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Property with survivorship or a beneficiary designation may pass outside the estate. If Putnam County assets are in the decedent's sole name, the spouse files the appropriate GPCSF petition in Eatonton. Year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3 can set aside property, including a family home, and must be filed within 24 months of death under O.C.G.A. § 53-3-5. | Sunset helps identify which accounts and titles need court authority and organizes the estate settlement packet before the spouse calls or visits the Probate Court. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Mail or bring the paper petition and any original will to 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 318, Eatonton, GA 31024. Call first because current hours are not posted. The oath cannot be notarized, so use GPCSF 53 if the oath must be taken before a court outside Georgia. If the only asset is a bank deposit, ask the bank about the direct-payment route under O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239 before opening a court case. | Sunset helps collect asset information, prepare the Georgia forms, and flag what must be signed, mailed, or handled with the court before travel is planned. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling a house usually requires authority from the Probate Court, either expanded powers under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) and GPCSF 32 or a petition for leave to sell on GPCSF 13. If there is no will, the heirs agree, and debts are resolved, an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 may vest title in the heirs, with the real-property order recorded in the land records. | Sunset helps map heirs, property, debts, and sale needs so the family can decide whether to request powers, leave to sell, or attorney help for the estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Putnam County Probate Court | Local filing office for Putnam County estate petitions, original wills, oaths, letters, and questions about current counter hours and fees. | http://www.putnamprobate.com/ |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current statewide GPCSF forms for Georgia decedent's-estate filings. | https://gaprobate.gov/standard-forms/ |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Uniform Probate Court Rules, standard forms, and statewide probate court directory information. | https://gaprobate.gov/ |
| Georgia probate records portal used by participating probate courts | Estate search that includes Putnam County, Georgia. | https://www.georgiaprobaterecords.com/Estates/SearchEstates.aspx |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Georgia counties outside metro Atlanta, including Putnam County. Statewide intake: 1-833-457-7529. | https://www.glsp.org/need-help/ |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language Georgia legal information for people handling civil matters. | https://www.georgialegalaid.org/ |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources | State court system orientation for people without a lawyer. | https://georgiacourts.gov/a2j/self-help-resources/navigating-the-courts/ |
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, balances, insurance, and other estate settlement details before you choose a Putnam County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Georgia probate packet using the statewide GPCSF forms, with local filing details for the Putnam County Probate Court in Eatonton.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real property, a disagreement, a caveat, or a petition for review, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Georgia probate attorney who handles Putnam County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools are free for families, including asset discovery, document organization, and help understanding the next local step.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Putnam County, Georgia?
File with the Putnam County Probate Court at 100 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 318, Eatonton, GA 31024. Georgia venue for administration is the county where the decedent lived at death, or, for a nonresident of Georgia, a county where the decedent owned property (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file probate papers online in Putnam County?
No probate e-filing procedure is published for Putnam County. File on paper at the Probate Court counter or by mail, and remember that the original will and any codicil must be delivered on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Putnam County?
The statewide base fee for a decedent's-estate petition is $175.00 under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60, effective January 1, 2025. Statutory add-ons, service, and publication are separate, including the $15.00 indigent defense fee under O.C.G.A. § 15-21A-6. Call (706) 485-5476 to confirm the current total before filing.
Does Putnam County have its own probate forms?
No Putnam County-specific probate forms are posted. Use the statewide GPCSF forms from the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia, including GPCSF 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 32, 33, and 53 as applicable.
How do I look up a Putnam County estate case?
Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, described as a portal used by participating Georgia probate courts. Putnam County is included in its estate search. If the case is not listed, call the Putnam County Probate Court.
What are the Putnam County Probate Court's hours?
Published court listings do not give current counter hours. Call (706) 485-5476 before travelling to Eatonton, especially if you need to file an original will, take an oath, or pay filing costs.
Where is the notice to creditors published in Putnam County?
Notice to creditors is published in The Eatonton Messenger. A personal representative must publish within 60 days after qualification, once a week for four weeks, and creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months from the last publication lose equal participation rights under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
What if I disagree with a Putnam County Probate Court decision?
Putnam County is not an Article 6 probate court under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-120. A party seeking review files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days of the judgment under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b). The superior court proceeding is de novo, with the jury right preserved under O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d).
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.