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Taylor County, GA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Taylor County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Taylor County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 2 North Broad Street, Butler, GA 31006 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 536, Butler, GA 31006 |
| Phone | (478) 862-3357 |
| Fax | (478) 862-9447 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed weekends and holidays. |
| Filing fee | Georgia sets probate fees by statute. The base fee 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 and separate service and publication costs. Confirm the current total with the court before filing. |
| Forms | No county-specific decedent's-estate forms. Taylor County uses the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, the GPCSF series. |
| E-filing | Paper filing for probate and estate matters. File at the counter or by mail. Self-represented probate filers are not required to e-file under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B), and the original will is always delivered on paper. |
| Case search | Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, an estate search used by participating Georgia probate courts. Taylor County appears in the estate search. If a case does not appear, call the court. |
| Remote appearance | Call (478) 862-3357 to ask whether your hearing can be handled without an in-person appearance. |
| Website | https://taylorcountygaprobatecourt.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Taylor County, make a practical inventory of what the decedent owned, what was jointly held, what had a beneficiary, and what debts remain. That information determines whether you need letters testamentary, letters of administration, year's support, an order that no administration is necessary, or no court filing for a particular asset.
Sunset's estate settlement workflow can search more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then organize the information you need for the Georgia probate forms and a paper filing with the Taylor County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Taylor County Probate Court at 2 North Broad Street in Butler serves Taylor County. Georgia has a Probate Court in each county, so a Taylor County estate is filed in Taylor County's own Probate Court, not with a district office or another county.
For administration, Georgia venue is the county where the decedent lived at death. If the decedent was not a Georgia resident, venue can be a Georgia county where the decedent owned property or had a cause of action (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31). For a petition asking for an order that no administration is necessary, venue is the county of the decedent's Georgia domicile, or the county where the real property is located if the decedent was not domiciled in Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40).
A party seeking review of a Taylor County Probate Court decision files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days of the judgment (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b)). The superior court proceeding is de novo with the jury right preserved (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-5(d)).
The jurisdiction process
- Collect the will, death certificate, asset list, debt list, and names and addresses of heirs and beneficiaries. Whoever has the original will must file it with the Probate Court with reasonable promptness (O.C.G.A. § 53-5-5).
- Choose the Georgia petition that fits the estate. With a will, decide between common form and solemn form probate 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, use the appropriate petition for letters of administration under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-20.
- Prepare the statewide GPCSF form. Taylor County publishes no county-specific decedent's-estate packet, so use the Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms and include the original will on paper if there is one.
- File on paper with the Taylor County Probate Court at 2 North Broad Street in Butler, or mail the filing to PO Box 536, Butler, GA 31006. The filing fee is paid at filing. The statutory 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 and separate service and publication costs, so call the court to confirm the current total.
- Complete citation, service, acknowledgment, or publication as the court directs. Published citations and creditor notices for Taylor County run through The Taylor County News in Butler, and the court should confirm the current publication charge when the citation is issued.
- Take the oath before the probate judge or a probate clerk, not before a notary (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24). If you live outside Georgia, ask about GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath. An administrator of an intestate estate gives bond unless all heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50).
- After the court grants authority, letters testamentary or letters of administration issue to the personal representative. The personal representative must publish the creditor notice within 60 days of qualification, once a week for four weeks, and creditors who do not notify within three months after the last publication lose equal participation as provided in O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41.
- Administer and close the estate. File and mail the inventory within six months after qualification unless waived (O.C.G.A. § 53-7-30, § 53-7-32), gather assets, pay valid claims, distribute property, file any required fiduciary compliance report, and petition for discharge on GPCSF 33 when the estate is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Taylor County
Taylor County Probate Court does not publish a county-specific decedent's-estate packet, cover sheet, or checklist. Use the statewide Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms, known as the GPCSF series, for estate filings in Taylor County.
| Form source | How it is used in Taylor County |
|---|---|
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | The current GPCSF PDFs are posted by the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia. Common estate forms include petitions for letters of administration, probate of a will in common form or solemn form under O.C.G.A. § 53-5, year's support under O.C.G.A. § 53-3, an order that no administration is necessary under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40, leave to sell, discharge, and the out-of-state oath commission. |
| Substitute pleadings | Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9 allows statewide standard forms and permits a court to decline a substitute that does not conform to the standard form and lacks the required certificate. |
| Original will | Deliver the original will and any codicil to the Taylor County Probate Court on paper. An original will is not filed electronically under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B). |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Taylor County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Property owned with survivorship or a beneficiary designation may pass outside the estate. If the home or accounts were in the decedent's sole name, file on paper with the Taylor County Probate Court. 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 separate probate assets from nonprobate assets, organize title and account information, and prepare questions for a Georgia probate attorney if year's support or a sale is being considered. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Taylor County probate filings are paper filings, and the original will goes to the court in Butler. The oath cannot be notarized, so an out-of-state petitioner should ask about GPCSF 53 under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24. If the only asset is a bank deposit, ask the institution whether Georgia's direct-payment rule under O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239 applies before opening an estate. | Sunset helps identify accounts, collect addresses for heirs, and build a filing checklist so the packet mailed to the Taylor County Probate Court is complete. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Selling a house usually requires court authority. Depending on the facts, the Taylor County Probate Court may grant expanded powers under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) using GPCSF 32, or the personal representative may need a petition for leave to sell on GPCSF 13. 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 vest title in the heirs, with a certified order recorded in the land records. | Sunset helps locate the mortgage, deed, accounts, and interested family members, then connects the family with counsel when land sale authority or heir agreements are needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Taylor County Probate Court | The filing office for Taylor County estates. Use the site for court contact information, forms links, and the estate search link. Phone: (478) 862-3357. |
| Georgia Probate Court Standard Forms | Current GPCSF PDFs used in Taylor County and every Georgia probate court, including estate petitions, oath forms, leave-to-sell forms, and discharge forms. |
| Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia | Statewide probate court site with the Uniform Probate Court Rules, standard forms, and a probate courts directory. |
| Georgia probate estate search for participating courts | Use georgiaprobaterecords.com to search Taylor County estate cases. If the case does not appear, call the Taylor County Probate Court. |
| Georgia Legal Services Program | Free civil legal help for people who qualify in Georgia counties outside metro Atlanta, including Taylor County. Statewide intake: 1-833-457-7529. Ask whether it can assist with an estate issue. |
| GeorgiaLegalAid.org | Plain-language statewide legal information about wills, estates, and steps after a death. |
| Georgia Courts self-help resources | Judicial Council and AOC information for people navigating Georgia courts without a lawyer. |
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, and other assets before you choose a Taylor County probate path. That asset picture helps make estate settlement more organized from the start.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for Georgia's statewide GPCSF forms, including the family tree, asset list, debts, and the original-will checklist for a paper filing in Butler.
Find a local probate attorney. If land must be sold, heirs disagree, or you are unsure whether to file for year's support, letters, or an order that no administration is necessary, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Georgia probate attorney who handles Taylor County matters.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools at no cost while deciding whether to file on their own or work with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Taylor County?
File with the Taylor County Probate Court at 2 North Broad Street, Butler, GA 31006, or mail the filing to PO Box 536, Butler, GA 31006. 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 or had a cause of action (O.C.G.A. § 15-9-31).
Can I file a Taylor County probate case online?
No probate e-filing is available for Taylor County estate filings. File on paper at the counter or by mail. The original will is always delivered to the Probate Court on paper under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.3.12(B).
What does it cost to open an estate in Taylor County?
Taylor County does not post a local decedent's-estate fee schedule. The statutory base fee 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 and separate service and publication costs. Call (478) 862-3357 before filing to confirm the current total.
Does Taylor County have its own probate forms?
No county-specific decedent's-estate forms are posted. Taylor County uses the statewide GPCSF forms accepted in Georgia probate courts under Uniform Probate Court Rule 5.9.
How do I look up a Taylor County estate case?
Use georgiaprobaterecords.com, an estate search used by participating Georgia probate courts. Taylor County appears in that estate search. If you do not find the case, call the Taylor County Probate Court at (478) 862-3357.
What are the Taylor County Probate Court's hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is closed on weekends and holidays.
Do I have to travel to Butler if I live out of state?
You may be able to file by mail, but the oath for an executor, administrator, or personal representative cannot be taken before a notary. It must be administered by a probate judge or clerk, and an out-of-state petitioner can use GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath, under O.C.G.A. § 53-6-24.
Where is the notice to creditors published in Taylor County?
The county legal organ is The Taylor County News in Butler. After qualification, the personal representative must publish the creditor notice within 60 days, once a week for four weeks, and creditors who do not notify the personal representative within three months after the last publication lose equal participation as provided in O.C.G.A. § 53-7-41. Confirm the current legal organ and publication charge with the court when the citation is issued.
What if I disagree with a Taylor County Probate Court decision?
A party seeking review files a petition for review in the superior court within 30 days of the judgment (O.C.G.A. § 5-3-7(b)). The superior court proceeding is de novo with the jury right preserved (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.