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Dorchester County, SC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Dorchester County Probate Court |
| Courthouse | Dorchester County Courthouse, 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., second floor, St. George, SC 29477 |
| Mailing | 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., St. George, SC 29477 |
| Phone | Main estate line: (843) 832-0136. The county also publishes estate lines by decedent last name: A through K, (843) 563-0282; L through Z, (843) 563-0136. |
| Fax | (843) 832-0222 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The probate pages do not publish a lunch closure or daily filing cutoff. |
| Initial estate charge | Dorchester publishes a $25.00 initial charge for informal probate, payable by cash or check to Dorchester County Probate Court, with remaining court costs billed later based on the inventory under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. |
| Forms | Yes. Dorchester republishes statewide estate forms and adds a local Opening Probate Worksheet, checklist, and instruction sheets. |
| Electronic filing | The Dorchester County Probate Court pages do not publish an electronic filing channel for estate filings. South Carolina has no statewide probate electronic filing system; the statewide electronic filing rules cover the Court of Common Pleas and attorney filers. |
| Estate file lookup | The court directs the public to southcarolinaprobate.net/search. Select Dorchester Probate and search by a 13-character case number with no dashes or spaces, or by the decedent's last name. |
| Remote proceedings | South Carolina's statewide Remote Communication Technology order, as amended February 19, 2025, leaves use of remote communication technology to the probate judge's case-specific decision. Ask the Dorchester County Probate Court how it applies that order to the matter. |
| Website | https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/government/courts-judicial-services/probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you start a Dorchester County probate filing, list the assets, debts, real estate, titled vehicles, bank accounts, funeral expenses, and people with priority to serve. Dorchester's worksheet asks for deeds, titles, account statements, funeral bill details, identification, and related forms before the court reviews the packet.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across 2,300 institutions, then helps organize what you found into a probate-ready plan for the Dorchester County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Court for Dorchester County sits at the county seat in St. George. Estates from Summerville, the Dorchester County part of North Charleston, St. George, Ridgeville, Harleyville, Reevesville, Lincolnville, and the communities of Dorchester, Grover, Knightsville, Ladson, and Texas are filed at the Dorchester County Courthouse, 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., second floor, St. George.
South Carolina venue for a decedent's estate is governed by S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201. The Dorchester version of Form 300ES reflects the venue choices a filer sees locally: the decedent was domiciled in Dorchester County at death, or the decedent was not domiciled in South Carolina but property was located in Dorchester County.
The jurisdiction process
- Complete Dorchester County's Opening Probate Worksheet if you are starting without an attorney. The court says the completed worksheet is mandatory unless an attorney is handling the filing. If there is a will, include the original will and any original codicils or memoranda.
- Attach the supporting documents Dorchester asks for, including a certified death certificate, photo identification for the person applying, deeds and titles for property owned by the decedent, date-of-death asset information, funeral bill and receipt, and any needed renunciations, bond waivers, or agent-for-service form for an out-of-state personal representative.
- Mail or drop off the packet at the Dorchester County Probate Court, 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., St. George, SC 29477. The court says it does not make appointments or review the paperwork with you at the time of filing.
- Pay the initial $25.00 informal probate charge by cash or check payable to Dorchester County Probate Court. Dorchester bills remaining court costs later based on the inventory under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
- Wait for the estate clerk's review. Dorchester says an estate clerk reviews the worksheet and supporting documents within 24 to 48 hours and then contacts you by mail with next steps.
- If the worksheet is approved and you are not using an attorney, attend the assigned Opening Probate Seminar. Dorchester says the seminar gives general information about probate and assistance completing the legal documents needed to start the probate.
- Use Form 300ES for the informal application or formal petition. In a formal proceeding, Dorchester's form note says a summons, Form SCCA 401PC, and the $150.00 formal statutory filing charge are required, with the $150.00 amount tied to formal proceedings under the statewide fee structure in S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
- Handle publication if required. Dorchester says that, unless you have an attorney, the court assists during the Opening Probate Seminar with publication in either the Dorchester Eagle Record or the Summerville Journal Scene; the personal representative chooses one of the two.
- After appointment, use the court-issued Certificate of Appointment, Form 141PC, as the practical authority document for banks and transfer agents. South Carolina's probate code calls the authority document letters, including letters testamentary and letters of administration under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-1-201, and administration begins when letters issue.
- Administer and close the estate through the Dorchester County Probate Court, including inventory, account, distribution, claims, and settlement filings using the statewide numbered forms and any Dorchester instruction sheet that applies.
Executor duties
Dorchester publishes practical guidance for personal representatives that focuses on protecting property and finding assets. The court says one of the first duties is to gain control of assets quickly to prevent theft and vandalism, including changing locks if a residence is unoccupied and reviewing fire insurance for vacancy issues.
The court also tells personal representatives to locate and identify anything of value for the Inventory and Appraisement, Form 350ES, and to look at tax returns, bank statements, cancelled checks, deposit slips, local property and tax papers, insurance policies, savings bonds, brokerage and bank relationships, employer information, credit life insurance, organizational memberships, veterans benefits, and prior estates where the decedent was a beneficiary. Dorchester's FAQ also says estate funds should be held in an interest-bearing estate account and not mixed with other accounts before distribution.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dorchester County
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch Probate Court form set for the current statewide forms, including Form 300ES for an informal application or formal petition, Form 350ES for inventory, Form 361ES for accounting, Form 371ES for creditor claims, and Form 420ES for a small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201. Each statewide form prints its revision date on the first line, so check the current Judicial Branch form page before filing.
Dorchester also publishes a local Probate Forms page. It republishes many statewide estate forms and adds local documents, including the Opening Probate Worksheet, a checklist of items and documents required to open an estate, instructions for admitting a will to probate, instructions for informal appointment of a personal representative, instructions for a small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, and a local Form N affidavit for reimbursement of payment of a funeral bill.
Use Dorchester's page for the local worksheet and instruction sheets, and use the Judicial Branch form page to confirm the current revision of any statewide numbered form before you sign or file it.
Fees
Dorchester publishes a local Estate Filing Fees page. It says the initial charge is $25.00 for informal probate, with remaining court costs calculated from the inventory and billed later under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
| Charge | Amount and context |
|---|---|
| Initial informal probate charge | $25.00, published by Dorchester in August 2026, with later inventory-based billing under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Copies | $0.50 per page, published by Dorchester in August 2026 |
| Search by mail | $0.50, published by Dorchester in August 2026 |
| Will filed only | $10.00, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Probate of a will | $25.00, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Annual accounting | $10.00, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Certified copy of a will | $5.00 plus $0.50 per page, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Reopening a closed estate | $22.50, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Special administrator, successor personal representative, or later administration petition | $22.50, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Summons and petition, including petitions to determine heirs, sell real estate, allow a claim, remove a personal representative, or claim elective share | $150.00 formal proceeding charge, published by Dorchester in August 2026 and tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994 |
| Update Certificate of Appointment | No fee, published by Dorchester in August 2026; the Certificate of Appointment is Form 141PC |
| Petition to withdraw conservatorship funds | No fee, published by Dorchester in August 2026 |
The court's FAQ says there is no charge to file a creditor claim, published by Dorchester in August 2026, but the estate must already be opened and the claim must be filed on Form 371ES.
Timeline
- Send or drop off the Opening Probate Worksheet packet. Dorchester says it does not review the paperwork at the counter and does not make an estate-opening appointment for that review.
- The estate clerk reviews the packet within 24 to 48 hours. Dorchester asks filers not to call for an update or to ask whether documents were received.
- After review, the court contacts you by mail with next steps. If the worksheet is approved and you are not using an attorney, the court assigns a date and time for an Opening Probate Seminar.
- At the Opening Probate Seminar, the court gives general process information and helps complete the documents needed to start probate. Dorchester also says the court assists with required publication at the seminar if you do not have an attorney.
- For a formal appointment, Dorchester says interested parties are allowed thirty days to answer and a hearing date is then set by the court. The $150.00 formal charge appears on Dorchester's fee page and is tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
- Dorchester does not publish regular hearing days, a seminar calendar, a courtroom number, or a filing-to-hearing wait time for estate matters.
Local nuance
Dorchester County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for estate settlement |
|---|---|
| St. George courthouse | Dorchester's published facility directory and probate pages place the Probate Court at the Dorchester County Courthouse in St. George, on the second floor. The county's Summerville judicial complex is listed for Family Court, Magistrate Court, the Sheriff, the Coroner, and Emergency Management, not the Probate Court. |
| Opening Probate Worksheet | If you are starting without an attorney, Dorchester says the worksheet is mandatory. You mail or drop off the packet and wait for clerk review instead of booking a first appointment. |
| Opening Probate Seminar | After the worksheet is approved, Dorchester assigns a seminar date and time. If you do not want to attend the seminar, the court says you need an attorney. |
| Phone limits | Dorchester's worksheet and checklist state that the Probate Court cannot give legal advice and that procedural questions will not be answered by phone. Use the published worksheet, email, and seminar process rather than expecting phone coaching. |
| Estate lines by last name | The county publishes separate estate lines for A through K and L through Z by decedent last name, plus the main estate line. |
| Publication choice | Dorchester says the court uses either the Dorchester Eagle Record or the Summerville Journal Scene for creditor publication, and the personal representative chooses one of the two when publication is required. |
| Older deaths and heir determinations | Dorchester publishes a formal petition-to-determine-heirs path when more than ten years have passed since death, tied to S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-108. The court says the process requires a formal petition, personal service, publication, an answer period, testimony, and a disinterested witness. |
| Online estate file search | Dorchester directs the public to southcarolinaprobate.net/search, where users select Dorchester Probate. The court says files for decedents who died before 2004 may require emailing the Estate Division. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Dorchester path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming whether anything must pass through the Dorchester County Probate Court in St. George. If estate settlement is needed and you are not using an attorney, complete the Opening Probate Worksheet and include deed and title information the court requests. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, title clues, and documents before you send the worksheet packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 | Dorchester's worksheet asks out-of-state personal representatives to include an Appointment of Agent for Service of Process. Use the current statewide Form 420ES only if the small estate path under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 applies, and check the current Judicial Branch form revision before filing. | Sunset helps collect asset information, organize account evidence, and prepare questions for the Estate Division before you mail or drop off papers. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | File in St. George if Dorchester is the proper venue under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201. If a sale of real estate requires a summons and petition, Dorchester's fee page lists a $150.00 formal proceeding charge under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. | Sunset helps find financial accounts and connect the family with a probate attorney for real estate, heirship, and formal petition issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County Probate Court, Estate Division | Publishes the Opening Probate Worksheet, checklist, instruction sheets, fee page, and seminar process. Court staff can give general process information and forms, but cannot give legal advice or fill the forms out for you. | 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., second floor, St. George, SC 29477; (843) 832-0136; estates A through K (843) 563-0282; estates L through Z (843) 563-0136; [email protected] |
| Dorchester estate file search | Lets the public see whether an estate has been opened, view filings with a watermark, and buy copies. Select Dorchester Probate and search by case number or decedent last name. | https://www.southcarolinaprobate.net/search |
| Dorchester Probate Forms page | Collects the county's republished estate forms plus the local worksheet, checklist, and instruction sheets. | https://www.dorchestercountysc.gov/government/courts-judicial-services/probate-court/probate-forms |
| South Carolina Judicial Branch probate forms | Provides the current statewide numbered Probate Court forms. Check revision dates here before filing a statewide form downloaded elsewhere. | https://www.sccourts.org/court-forms/?courtType=PC |
| South Carolina Judicial Branch self-help resources | Explains what court staff can and cannot do. Staff can provide forms, instructions, schedules, and basic file information, and can check whether papers are complete. Staff cannot tell you what to say or what outcome to expect. | https://www.sccourts.org/resources/general-public/self-help-resources/ |
| South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service | Connects callers with a lawyer. Participating lawyers agree to charge no more than $50.00, published by the Bar in August 2026, for a 30-minute consultation; the Bar also states that participating lawyers do not take pro bono cases. | (803) 799-7100, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; online referral available 24/7; https://www.scbar.org/public/get-legal-help/ |
When to hire an attorney
Dorchester County says it does not require an attorney, but also says probate can be confusing and complicated, that estate clerks can assist with the process but will not fill out forms, and that anyone who does not want to attend the Opening Probate Seminar needs an attorney. Counsel is especially useful for formal petitions, real estate sales, petitions to determine heirs, family disagreement, unclear priority to serve, or an out-of-state personal representative. Sunset connects families with a vetted South Carolina probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families discover bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts, real estate clues, debts, and other estate settlement information before they start the Dorchester worksheet packet.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes what you find into a practical filing plan, including the people, assets, liabilities, and documents you need to prepare for Dorchester County's forms and seminar process.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, a formal petition, a real estate sale, or heirship work, Sunset can connect you with a vetted South Carolina probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, gather the right information, and move forward without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dorchester County?
File Dorchester County estate papers with the Dorchester County Probate Court at the Dorchester County Courthouse, 5200 E. Jim Bilton Blvd., second floor, St. George, SC 29477. Dorchester's published facility list places the Probate Court in St. George, not at the Summerville judicial complex.
Can I start a Dorchester County estate by appointment?
Dorchester publishes a different process. If you are starting without an attorney, complete the Opening Probate Worksheet, attach the required documents, and mail or drop off the packet. The court says it does not make appointments or review the paperwork with you at the time of filing.
How long does Dorchester take to review the opening packet?
Dorchester says an estate clerk reviews the worksheet and supporting documents within 24 to 48 hours. After that review, the court contacts you by mail with next steps and, if approved, assigns an Opening Probate Seminar date and time.
Does Dorchester County have probate electronic filing?
The Dorchester County Probate Court pages do not publish an electronic filing channel for estate filings. The published intake path is mail or drop off. South Carolina also has no statewide probate electronic filing system; the statewide electronic filing rules cover the Court of Common Pleas and attorney filers.
How do I look up a Dorchester County estate file online?
The Dorchester County Probate Court directs the public to https://www.southcarolinaprobate.net/search. Select Dorchester Probate, then search by a 13-character case number with no dashes or spaces, such as the court's published example format, or by the decedent's last name. The court says decedents who died before 2004 may require emailing the Estate Division.
What does Dorchester charge to open an informal probate?
Dorchester says the initial informal probate charge is $25.00, payable by cash or check to Dorchester County Probate Court. Remaining court costs are calculated later from the inventory under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
Which estate phone number should I call in Dorchester County?
The main estate line is (843) 832-0136. The county also publishes estate lines split by the decedent's last name: A through K, (843) 563-0282; L through Z, (843) 563-0136. Dorchester's worksheet and checklist say procedural questions will not be answered by phone, so use the written materials and the seminar process for filing guidance.
Can I attend a Dorchester probate hearing remotely?
Dorchester does not publish a local estate-hearing remote practice. Under South Carolina's Remote Communication Technology order, as amended February 19, 2025, a probate judge may permit or require a non-criminal proceeding to use remote communication technology on a party's motion or on the judge's own initiative unless fairness or prejudice concerns make it inappropriate. Ask the Dorchester County Probate Court how that statewide order applies to the specific matter.
What if a Dorchester County decedent died years ago and no estate was opened?
Dorchester's Estate Division page asks whether the decedent died within the last ten years, a statewide limit addressed in S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-108. Dorchester also publishes a formal petition-to-determine-heirs path for older matters, requiring a petition, personal service, publication, an answer period, testimony, and a disinterested witness. The county lists a $150.00 formal charge for that petition under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, current schedule from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994.
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.