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McCormick County, SC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | McCormick County details |
|---|---|
| Court | McCormick County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 133 S. Mine Street, Room 101, McCormick, SC 29835 |
| Mailing address | Same as courthouse address |
| Phone | (864) 852-2630 |
| Fax | (864) 852-1014 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Estate cost | Value-based estate cost set by S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, with the statutory schedule in effect from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. McCormick also publishes local January 2020 charges for copies, certification, creditor advertisement, and other items. |
| Local forms | Yes. McCormick publishes a local Probate Work Packet in addition to the statewide South Carolina Probate Court forms. |
| Online filing | No local probate online filing channel is published by the McCormick County Probate Court. South Carolina's statewide electronic filing rules apply to the Court of Common Pleas and attorneys, not Probate Court estate filings. |
| Online lookup | McCormick County's probate court page does not publish an online estate search. Call (864) 852-2630 to ask how to look up an estate matter. |
| Remote requests | Local practice is not published. South Carolina's Supreme Court order on Use of Remote Communication Technology by the Trial Courts, as amended February 19, 2025, leaves non-criminal remote proceeding decisions to the probate judge. |
| Website | https://www.mccormickcountysc.org/departments/probate_court.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you contact the McCormick County Probate Court, make a working list of the decedent's accounts, real estate, vehicles, insurance, debts, funeral expenses, and the people who may inherit. McCormick's own Probate Work Packet asks for those details before the first appointment, so a cleaner asset list makes estate settlement easier to start.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help find accounts and balances before you complete the packet, decide who should serve as personal representative, or ask the court what to bring. That preparation is especially useful in McCormick County because the local packet asks for financial institutions, titled property, funeral payment information, heirs, devisees, and applicant contact information at the outset of estate settlement.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The McCormick County Probate Court serves probate matters for McCormick County from the courthouse in McCormick, the county seat. South Carolina law establishes a probate court in each county and places that court at the county seat (S.C. Code Ann. § 14-23-1010).
Venue for a South Carolina decedent's estate is governed by S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201. If the estate belongs in McCormick County under that venue rule, you file with the McCormick County Probate Court, not with a circuit court clerk or a separate probate office.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the local intake information first. McCormick's Probate Work Packet asks for the death certificate, funeral bill and payer, spouse information, will information, heirs and devisees, real estate, titled vehicles, financial institutions, life insurance, and applicant information.
- Call the McCormick County Probate Court at (864) 852-2630 to make the initial appointment. The packet says to make an appointment and lists the court address as 133 South Mine Street, Room 101, McCormick, SC 29835.
- Bring the original death certificate, original will if there is one, paid funeral bill, obituary, deeds and titles for property, the completed Probate Work Packet, and the court cost. Because the court's January 2020 fee PDF and newer packet conflict on payment methods, call before the appointment to confirm whether cash, check, money order, debit card, or credit card will be accepted.
- Use the statewide form set as directed by the court. Form 300ES is the South Carolina application for informal probate or appointment and also the petition form used for formal probate or appointment.
- Pay the estate cost required by S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770. The statutory estate-cost schedule is in effect from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. McCormick's January 2020 fee PDF also lists local charges for creditor advertisement, copies, certification, and certain other filings.
- Handle notice and creditor steps as the court instructs after the estate is opened. McCormick's January 2020 fee PDF lists a creditor advertisement charge payable to The McCormick Messenger.
- If a personal representative is appointed, 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. The court-issued document banks and transfer agents commonly ask to see is the Certificate of Appointment, Form 141PC, which must carry the court's raised seal.
- Complete the required inventory, administration, and closing steps. McCormick's packet lists Inventory and Appraisement as a later step, and S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-706 sets the ninety days inventory rule after appointment. If real estate is involved, the packet says an attorney completes a Deed of Distribution to close the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in McCormick County
South Carolina uses a statewide numbered probate form set published by the South Carolina Judicial Branch. The statewide forms include Form 300ES for informal or formal probate or appointment, Form 350ES for Inventory and Appraisement, Form 361ES for Accounting, Form 371ES for a creditor claim, Form 420ES for an affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, and other estate forms.
McCormick County also publishes its own local Probate Work Packet. The packet is not a replacement for the statewide forms. It is a local intake document for the first appointment, asking for the decedent's identifying information, funeral information, will information, heirs and devisees, real estate, vehicles, financial accounts, insurance, and applicant details.
The final page of McCormick's packet tells filers to make an appointment at (864) 852-2630 and bring the original death certificate, original will, paid funeral bill, obituary, deeds and titles, the completed packet, and the applicable court cost. Use the packet to prepare for the appointment, then follow the court's instructions about which statewide forms must be filed.
Fees
McCormick County publishes a local Probate Court Fees PDF dated January 2020. The estate-cost schedule itself is set by S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, in effect from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. The local PDF also lists McCormick-specific payment recipients and add-on charges.
| Fee item | Amount and date | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Estate-cost brackets under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770 | Schedule in effect from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994: $0 through $4,999.99 is $25.00; $5,000 through $19,999.99 is $45.00; $20,000 through $59,999.99 is $67.50; $60,000 through $99,999.99 is $95.00; $100,000 through $599,999.99 is $95.00 plus .15 percent of the amount over $100,000; $600,000 and over is $845.00 plus one-quarter of one percent of the amount over $600,000. | The McCormick January 2020 PDF prints the $100,000 through $599,999.99 row as 15%, but the statute says .15 percent. Use S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770 for the calculation. |
| Creditor advertisement | $60.00 in the January 2020 McCormick PDF | Payable to The McCormick Messenger. |
| Copies | $0.50 per page in the January 2020 McCormick PDF | Local copy charge. |
| Certified copies | $5.00 in the January 2020 McCormick PDF | Certification charge. |
| Formal probate litigation summons and petition | $150.00 for a formal proceeding, listed in the January 2020 McCormick PDF and matched to the statewide formal probate form instructions | The $150.00 amount is tied to a formal proceeding. |
| Payment method | Call before paying | The January 2020 fee PDF and the newer Probate Work Packet conflict on whether personal checks are accepted. Confirm the current payment rule before the appointment. |
Local nuance
McCormick County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Probate Work Packet before the first appointment | Complete the local packet before you meet with the court. It asks for the information the court uses to start the estate file and identify the next forms. |
| Appointment instruction | The packet says to make an appointment by calling (864) 852-2630. |
| Payment-method conflict | The court's older fee PDF and newer packet do not match on whether checks are accepted. Call before you go to confirm the current payment method. |
| No local online estate search published | Use the court phone number for case lookup questions because the McCormick probate page does not publish an online estate search. |
| Real estate in the estate | McCormick's packet says that when real estate is involved, an attorney completes a Deed of Distribution to close the estate. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| Probate Work Packet reflects current state wording | McCormick's local Probate Work Packet uses the current $45,000 amount for Form 420ES under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, effective May 8, 2025 under 2025 Act No. 26 (H. 3472). |
| Fee PDF is older than the packet | McCormick's local fee PDF is dated January 2020, while the Probate Work Packet reflects a later statewide change. Call the court before paying because the two documents conflict on accepted payment methods. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely McCormick County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Use McCormick's Probate Work Packet to list the deed, title information, funeral payment, will status, and family information before the appointment. Ask the court whether an estate filing is needed for the assets and whether an attorney should prepare any real-estate document. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize the asset list, and prepare questions for the first appointment. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call (864) 852-2630 before traveling. If the court directs you to Form 420ES for an affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, McCormick's packet still helps you gather the death certificate, funeral bill, property list, and successor information before the court reviews the filing. | Sunset helps find accounts and assemble the probate packet so the first call with the court is more focused. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Bring deed information and complete the real-estate section of McCormick's Probate Work Packet. The packet states that when real estate is involved, an attorney completes a Deed of Distribution to close the estate. | Sunset helps organize assets and connects the family with a probate attorney for the real-estate closing step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| McCormick County Probate Court | The court can provide approved forms and instructions, explain how the court works, give schedule information, provide basic information about your own case file, and check whether papers are complete. Court staff cannot tell you what to write or give legal advice. | (864) 852-2630; [email protected]; 133 S. Mine Street, Room 101, McCormick, SC 29835 |
| South Carolina Judicial Branch self-help resources | The statewide self-help page explains court-staff limits and provides general self-represented resources. It does not publish a decedent-estate packet. | https://www.sccourts.org/resources/general-public/self-help-resources/ |
| South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service | The Bar connects callers with a lawyer in their area. The Bar page read in August 2026 says participating lawyers charge no more than $50.00 for a 30-minute consultation and do not take pro bono cases through that service. | (803) 799-7100, 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; online referral available 24/7 |
| SC Free Legal Answers | Online civil legal-advice clinic linked by the South Carolina Bar. | Available through the South Carolina Bar public legal-help page |
| SC Access to Justice Commission Legal Resource Finder | Helps locate legal resources in South Carolina. | https://www.scaccesstojustice.org/get-help |
When to hire an attorney
Consider getting a probate attorney if the will may be challenged, heirs disagree about who should serve, the estate includes real estate that must be sold or distributed, a creditor dispute develops, a formal proceeding is needed, or you are unsure how to complete McCormick's local packet and the statewide forms. McCormick's packet specifically says an attorney completes a Deed of Distribution when real estate is involved, and Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property so families can build the asset list McCormick's Probate Work Packet asks for at the start of estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the court forms, the local intake packet, and the first call with the McCormick County Probate Court.
Find a local probate attorney. When real estate, a formal proceeding, a creditor issue, or a family dispute makes legal help important, Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to reduce the administrative burden of estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in McCormick County?
File with the McCormick County Probate Court at 133 S. Mine Street, Room 101, McCormick, SC 29835. Venue is governed by S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201.
Does McCormick County require an appointment for probate?
McCormick's Probate Work Packet says to make an appointment by calling (864) 852-2630. The packet also lists the documents to bring, including the original death certificate, original will if there is one, paid funeral bill, obituary, deeds and titles, the completed packet, and the court cost.
Does McCormick County accept probate filings online?
The McCormick County Probate Court page does not publish a local probate online filing channel. South Carolina's statewide electronic filing rules apply to Court of Common Pleas cases and attorneys, not Probate Court estate filings.
Can I look up a McCormick County probate case online?
McCormick County's probate court page does not publish an online estate search. Call the court at (864) 852-2630 to ask how to look up a case.
What probate forms does McCormick County use?
Use the statewide South Carolina Probate Court forms and McCormick's local Probate Work Packet. Form 300ES is used for informal probate or appointment and also for formal probate or appointment, and Form 420ES is used for an affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201.
What will probate cost in McCormick County?
The estate cost is based on S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770, with the statutory schedule in effect from 1995 Act No. 15, effective April 4, 1995 and applied retroactively to August 15, 1994. McCormick's January 2020 fee PDF also lists local charges, including a $60.00 creditor advertisement payable to The McCormick Messenger as of that January 2020 PDF, plus copy and certification charges.
Can I ask for a remote probate hearing in McCormick County?
McCormick does not publish a local remote-hearing practice for estate matters. Under the statewide Supreme Court order on Use of Remote Communication Technology by the Trial Courts, as amended February 19, 2025, the probate judge decides whether a non-criminal proceeding may or must use remote communication technology, unless that would likely cause substantial prejudice or affect fairness. Ask the court how it applies that order.
Do I have to travel to McCormick County for the first probate appointment?
Call (864) 852-2630 before making travel plans. The local packet says to make an appointment and bring original documents, but the court can tell you what it will require for your situation.
What authority document does the McCormick County personal representative receive?
South Carolina law uses letters, including letters testamentary and letters of administration, under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-1-201. The court-issued proof banks ask to see is the Certificate of Appointment, Form 141PC, which must carry the raised seal of the Probate Court.
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.