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Stokes County, NC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Stokes County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Clerk of Superior Court, Stokes County |
| Courthouse address | Stokes County Courthouse, Hwy 89, 1012 Main St, Danbury, NC 27016 |
| Mailing address | Stokes County Courthouse, PO Box 250, Danbury, NC 27016 |
| Phone | (336) 593-4400. The Judicial Branch lists this as both the courthouse main line and the Clerk of Superior Court line, with no separate Estates line. |
| Fax | No fax number is published by the Judicial Branch for Stokes County. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| Court costs | Opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs under the Administrative Office of the Courts estates chart in effect January 1, 2026 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, with a minimum of $15.00 per filing and a cumulative cap of $6,000.00 under that same January 1, 2026 chart (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). |
| Local forms | No Stokes County estate forms, checklist or estate calendar request are published beyond the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms. |
| E-filing | eCourts is live in all 100 North Carolina counties. Attorneys use File & Serve. Self-represented filers may use File & Serve, but should call (336) 593-4400 to ask how Stokes wants an original will delivered. |
| Case lookup | Use the statewide Portal at https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/. There is no Stokes County case lookup site. |
| Remote appearance | No Stokes County or 17B Judicial District order for remote estate proceedings is published. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-49.6 permits audio and video proceedings when a judicial official uses that authority. |
| Website | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/stokes-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Stokes County filing path, list the assets, debts, real estate, vehicles, accounts, refunds and personal property you know about. The clerk's counter will look different depending on whether there is a will, whether real property must be sold or title must be cleared, and whether a full personal representative is needed.
Estate settlement is easier when the asset list is complete before the first filing. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families look for accounts and property, then organize what belongs in a probate packet for the Stokes County Clerk of Superior Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Stokes County Courthouse in Danbury is the only court location published for Stokes County. Estate filings for a Stokes County decedent go to the Clerk of Superior Court at that courthouse, not to a separate probate court.
Stokes County includes Danbury, Walnut Cove, King, Pinnacle and Germanton. King's municipal area also extends into Forsyth County, so venue depends on the decedent's domicile and property, not the town name alone.
North Carolina venue is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in North Carolina, venue may be a county where the decedent left property or where estate property later came (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-3-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Decide which statewide estate form matches the situation. A will usually starts with AOC-E-201, an intestate administration with AOC-E-202, collection by affidavit with AOC-E-203B, and summary administration with AOC-E-905 or AOC-E-906.
- Prepare the Stokes County filing packet with the death certificate, the will if there is one, the application or petition, any required renunciations, and a preliminary list of assets and liabilities.
- File with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Stokes County Courthouse, Hwy 89, 1012 Main St, Danbury, NC 27016. Mail should be directed to Stokes County Courthouse, PO Box 250, Danbury, NC 27016.
- Call (336) 593-4400 before going if you need to open an estate, bring an original will, or ask whether an appointment is expected. Stokes publishes no booking link and no walk-in statement.
- Pay the court costs. As of the January 1, 2026 Administrative Office of the Courts estates chart, opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, with a minimum of $15.00 per filing and a cumulative cap of $6,000.00 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). Stokes accepts money orders and certified checks by mail, and accepts cash, cards with processing fees, money orders and certified checks in person. Personal checks are not accepted.
- If the clerk qualifies a personal representative, the clerk issues the proper authority document, such as letters testamentary for an executor or letters of administration for an administrator.
- Give required notice, gather estate assets, handle creditor claims, and keep the inventory and accounting work organized for the clerk's file.
- Close the estate when administration is complete, using the statewide accounting or closing form that fits the path. For estate settlement help, Sunset can organize assets, forms and attorney options before you file or while the estate is open.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Stokes County
Stokes County does not publish a local estate packet, local estate checklist, estate cover sheet or estate calendar request. The Stokes local rules and forms page lists 17B Judicial District materials for other case types, but no local estate paperwork.
| Form | Use in Stokes County |
|---|---|
| AOC-E-201 | Application for probate and letters testamentary or letters of administration c.t.a. when there is a will. |
| AOC-E-202 | Application for letters of administration when there is no will. |
| AOC-E-203B | Affidavit for collection of personal property of decedent. This opens the collection by affidavit path for the current version of the form. |
| AOC-E-204 | Affidavit of collection, disbursement and distribution. This closes a collection by affidavit. |
| AOC-E-505 | Inventory for decedent's estate. |
| AOC-E-506 | Account for annual or final accounting. |
| AOC-E-905 | Application for probate and petition for summary administration when there is a will. |
| AOC-E-906 | Petition for summary administration of estate without a will. |
| AOC-E-100 | Petition and assignment year's allowance for the current version tied to decedents dying on or after March 1, 2024. |
| AOC-E-650 | Estates action cover sheet, when a cover sheet is required for the estate proceeding. |
Statewide estate forms are available at https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms. Filter to Estate (E).
Local nuance
Stokes County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Stokes County filing |
|---|---|
| One phone line | Call (336) 593-4400 for the Clerk of Superior Court. Stokes does not publish a separate Estates line. |
| Separate street and mailing addresses | Use Hwy 89, 1012 Main St, Danbury, NC 27016 for the courthouse. Use Stokes County Courthouse, PO Box 250, Danbury, NC 27016 for mail. |
| No office-level email | The Judicial Branch does not publish an office-level email address for Stokes estate filings, so use the phone line or courthouse counter. |
| Payment methods | By mail, use a money order or certified check only. In person, the Cashier's Office accepts cash, cards with processing fees, money orders and certified checks. Personal checks are not accepted. |
| No local estate paperwork | Use the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms rather than looking for a Stokes estate packet. |
| No local remote estate order | No Stokes County or 17B Judicial District remote-hearing order for estate matters is published. If a remote appearance matters to you, ask the clerk before the setting. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Stokes County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home was titled and whether any Stokes County estate filing is needed to deal with personal property, debts or a year's allowance. If the spouse is the sole heir or devisee, summary administration may be worth discussing with the clerk or an attorney. | Sunset organizes the asset list, finds accounts, and helps prepare questions before the spouse calls or visits the Stokes County Clerk of Superior Court. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Call (336) 593-4400 before traveling, because Stokes publishes no appointment link and no instruction for original wills. If collection by affidavit fits, the statewide AOC-E-203B form is the starting form. | Sunset helps identify accounts, create a county-ready packet, and decide whether a local North Carolina attorney should handle courthouse steps. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A full administration may be needed when real property in Stokes County must be sold or title must be cleared through the estate. The clerk handles estate proceedings, while disputes the clerk cannot decide may move to the Superior Court Division. | Sunset supports estate settlement by organizing assets and documents, then connecting the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney when the sale or dispute needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Superior Court, Stokes County | Filing counter for Stokes County estate matters. Staff can explain filing logistics, but cannot give legal advice. | Stokes County Courthouse, 1012 Main St, Danbury, NC 27016. Mailing: PO Box 250, Danbury, NC 27016. Phone (336) 593-4400. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Website: https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/stokes-county |
| Stokes County contact directory | Judicial Branch directory for Stokes County courthouse contacts. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/stokes-county/contact-directory |
| Stokes County payment information | Lists the payment methods accepted by mail, in person and online where a case is eligible. | https://www.nccourts.gov/locations/stokes-county/stokes-county-payment-information |
| North Carolina Judicial Branch estates help topic | Plain-language court information about estates, wills, letters and what to bring to the clerk. | https://www.nccourts.gov/help-topics/wills-and-estates/estates |
| Decedent's estate procedures pamphlet | Administrative Office of the Courts overview of procedures for executors, administrators, collectors by affidavit and summary administration. | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/publications/decedents-estate-procedures-pamphlet |
| Statewide estate forms | Administrative Office of the Courts form library. Filter to Estate (E). | https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms |
| Portal | Statewide case lookup, hearing lookup and online payment where a case is eligible. | https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/ |
| Guide & File | Free guided document preparation. The live tool covers summary administration with or without a will. | https://northcarolina.tylertech.cloud/SRL/SRL |
| Legal Aid of North Carolina, Winston-Salem office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents in counties served by that office, including Stokes. Ask at intake whether an estate question fits the office's help areas. | 102 W 3rd St, Ste 460, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Toll free 1-800-660-6663. Local (336) 725-9162. Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, benefits and property that may belong in the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the documents and information needed for the Stokes County Clerk of Superior Court, including the will if there is one, asset details, family information and the forms that fit the filing path.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Stokes County estate involves real property, creditor disputes, an out-of-state personal representative or a contested issue, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted North Carolina probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement work ahead, organize the next steps, and get matched with professional help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Stokes County?
File with the Clerk of Superior Court at the Stokes County Courthouse, Hwy 89, 1012 Main St, Danbury, NC 27016. Use Stokes County Courthouse, PO Box 250, Danbury, NC 27016 for mail.
Is there a separate probate court in Stokes County?
No. North Carolina estate matters are handled by the clerk of superior court, who serves as ex officio judge of probate. In Stokes County, that office is at the courthouse in Danbury.
Does Stokes County have an Estates phone number?
No separate Estates line is published. The Judicial Branch lists (336) 593-4400 as both the courthouse main line and the Clerk of Superior Court line.
Can I e-file an estate case in Stokes County?
eCourts is live statewide. Attorneys use File & Serve, and self-represented filers may use it. If you have an original will, call (336) 593-4400 before filing to ask how the Stokes clerk wants the original delivered.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Stokes County?
As of the January 1, 2026 Administrative Office of the Courts estates chart, opening an estate costs $120.00 in court costs (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307), plus 40 cents per $100.00 of the gross estate, with a minimum of $15.00 per filing and a cumulative cap of $6,000.00 (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307). Stokes does not add a local estate surcharge.
Does Stokes County have local probate forms?
No local estate packet, estate checklist or estate calendar request is published for Stokes County. Use the statewide Administrative Office of the Courts estate forms at https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms and filter to Estate (E).
Can I appear remotely for a Stokes County estate matter?
No Stokes County or 17B Judicial District order for remote estate proceedings is published. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-49.6 permits audio and video proceedings when a judicial official uses that authority, so ask the clerk before any setting if a remote appearance is important.
Can I look up a Stokes County estate case online?
Use the statewide Portal at https://portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal/. If you cannot find the estate matter there, call the Stokes County Clerk of Superior Court at (336) 593-4400.
Do I have to travel to Danbury to open a Stokes County estate?
Not always, but Stokes publishes no booking link, no walk-in statement and no instruction for original wills. Call (336) 593-4400 before traveling or mailing papers, especially if you are filing from outside North Carolina.
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.