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Richland County, SC Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Richland County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Richland County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 1701 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 207, Columbia, SC 29201 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 288, Columbia, SC 29202. If you use UPS or another courier, send it to 1701 Main Street because the court says courier mail cannot be sent to the post office box. |
| Phone | (803) 576-1961 |
| Fax | (803) 576-1987. The court does not publish fax as a filing method for estate papers. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Cost to open | The estate cost is calculated under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770. Richland publishes the full state scale and asks for a $55.00 creditor-advertising charge payable to the Richland County Probate Court and a $45.00 initial amount payable to the Richland County Treasurer, as published by the court as of August 2026. |
| Forms | Statewide South Carolina Probate Court forms, plus Richland estate packets, a worksheet, a formal-action instruction sheet, and Richland Form #345ES. |
| Electronic filing status | The court's pages and estate packets publish paper filing by mail or drop-off, not an electronic probate filing channel. South Carolina's statewide electronic filing system is for the Court of Common Pleas and registered South Carolina attorneys, not self-represented probate filings. |
| Case lookup | Richland County Estate Inquiry, www7.richlandcountysc.gov/EstateInquiry/main.aspx, for estates filed after 1983. Earlier estate files are available at 1701 Main Street. |
| Remote participation | Decided by the probate judge under the statewide Remote Communication Technology order as amended February 19, 2025. Ask the court at (803) 576-1961 how it applies that order. |
| Website | www.richlandcountysc.gov/Courts-Safety/Probate-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Richland County packet, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, refunds, unclaimed property, funeral bill, and any original will. Richland's own packets ask for proof of assets, copies of deeds, the funeral bill, family information, and payment in the correct form before the court schedules an opening appointment.
Sunset can help with the first stage of estate settlement by searching across 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, organizing what is found, and turning that information into a probate-ready packet for the Richland County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Richland County has one probate courthouse for estate filings: the Richland County Probate Court at 1701 Main Street in Columbia. That office serves Columbia, Forest Acres, Blythewood, Arcadia Lakes, Eastover, and the unincorporated parts of Richland County.
Venue depends on the decedent, not on where the personal representative lives. The court's own applications ask whether the decedent was domiciled in Richland County at death, was not domiciled in South Carolina but had property in Richland County, or had a right to take legal action in Richland County. That matches South Carolina's venue rule for probate proceedings (S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201).
If the address available for the decedent is a nursing home, prison, or other residential facility, Richland's affidavit materials ask for the decedent's last address before entering the facility.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Richland route before filing. The court's Estates page sorts matters into a full estate, a small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 using the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, a will-only filing where there are no probate assets to transfer, or a formal proceeding where the will is not original or interested parties do not agree on who should serve.
- For a full estate, gather the completed Form 300ES application or petition, which is used for informal or formal probate, the original will and codicils if any, a certified death certificate, the Richland Probate Court Worksheet, the obituary or funeral program, the funeral bill, copies of deeds for real property, and family documentation requested by the packet.
- Mail or drop off the completed documents. Richland's process is submit first, review second, appointment third: the court reviews what you send and then contacts you to schedule an opening appointment, which the court says usually lasts one hour.
- Send the opening costs with the paperwork. The estate filing fee is calculated under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770. Richland's full estate packet asks for a $55.00 publication fee payable to the Richland County Probate Court and a $45.00 initial amount payable to the Richland County Treasurer, as published by the court as of August 2026.
- Use the affidavit route only when it fits. For a small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, using the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, Richland asks for Form 420ES, the original will and Form 300ES if there is a will, picture identification, proof of assets, a certified death certificate, the funeral program or obituary, the itemized funeral bill with proof of payment, complete mailing addresses for everyone listed, and the court's funeral-reimbursement affidavit when needed.
- Use the will-only packet when there is a will but nothing to transfer. Richland asks for Form 300ES, a $10.00 amount payable to the Richland County Treasurer as published by the court as of August 2026, a certified death certificate, the original will, and the funeral program or obituary. After the judge admits the will, the filer sends Information to Heirs and Devisees and files the proof of delivery with the court.
- Use the formal path when a summons and petition are needed. Richland's formal-action sheet says a petitioner files a summons, a complete petition, a certified death certificate, a $150.00 formal filing amount by cashier's check or personal check as published by the court as of August 2026, photo identification, and an obituary or funeral program. The petitioner must serve interested parties within 120 days and file proof of service.
- Receive authority from the court. South Carolina's code calls the authority document letters, including letters testamentary and letters of administration (S.C. Code Ann. § 62-1-201), and administration begins when the court issues them (§ 62-3-103). The document the Richland County Probate Court hands the personal representative, and the one banks and transfer agents ask to see, is the Certificate of Appointment (Form 141PC), which must carry the court's raised seal.
- Administer the estate and keep the court informed. The inventory and appraisement is due within ninety days after appointment under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-706. Richland's forms index includes the statewide inventory forms, accounting forms, proposal for distribution, application for settlement, receipts, release forms, deed of distribution, and closing statement.
Executor duties
Richland County publishes its own Form #345ES, Affidavit of Personal Representative. It is a local sworn undertaking and adds practical duties the court expects the personal representative to acknowledge.
| Local duty | What Richland asks the personal representative to do |
|---|---|
| Contact information | Keep the court informed of any change of address, phone number, or email address. |
| Estate account | Deposit the decedent's money into an estate account and use estate money only for estate debts and obligations in the proper order. |
| No personal use | Do not use estate assets or money for the personal representative's own debts, or for the debts of an heir or devisee. |
| Sales of property | Do not sell tangible personal property worth more than $10,000.00, as published in Richland Form #345ES reviewed August 2026, without authority in the will or a court order. The same local affidavit says not to sell real property without that authority. |
| Creditor response | Respond to a creditor claim by saying whether it is allowed or disallowed, in whole or in part, within the time stated in Richland Form #345ES. |
| Personal liability | Understand that negligence or intentional misconduct in the role can create personal liability to a beneficiary or other interested person. |
| Formal service | In a formal proceeding, bring copies for clocking or pay the court's copy charge, serve every interested party within 120 days, and file proof of service. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Richland County
Richland County uses the statewide numbered South Carolina Probate Court form set and also publishes its own local estate packets. The court's Probate Forms and Terms page links the statewide forms hosted by the South Carolina Judicial Branch, including mandatory estate forms 300ES, 350ES LF, 350ES SF, 361ES, and 371ES.
| Form or packet | How Richland uses it |
|---|---|
| Full estate packet | Opening packet for a full estate, including a cover letter, checklist, and Richland Probate Court Worksheet for assets such as real estate, cemetery plots, stocks, cash, insurance, and other property. |
| Small estate packet | Richland's packet for an affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201, using the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, with instructions, Form 420ES, fee brackets, and the court's funeral-reimbursement affidavit. |
| Admitting a will to probate packet | Used when the decedent left a will but there are no probate assets to transfer. The packet includes the checklist, the application, and delivery instructions after the will is admitted. |
| How to File a Formal Action | One-page Richland instruction sheet for a formal proceeding, including the summons, petition, service, copy, and payment requirements. |
| Richland Form #345ES | Affidavit of Personal Representative, a local form in which the personal representative acknowledges duties owed to the court and the estate. |
| Estate summons | Richland's estate summons form, used in an estate action and requiring an answer within thirty days of service. |
| Probate Forms and Terms | Richland's index of probate forms and its plain-language glossary of probate terms. |
Fees
The estate filing fee is set by state statute and calculated under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770. Richland County publishes the full state scale on its Estates page and also publishes local charges for advertising, copies, searches, certified copies, and certain applications. The amounts below are the Richland County Probate Court's published charges as of August 2026.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Notice to creditors advertising | $55.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Will filed only advertising | $35.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Filing of a will only | $10.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Probated will filing | $10.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Search | $3.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Copies | $0.50 per page, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Demand for notice | $5.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Certified copies | $5.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Order issued without a hearing | $15.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Exemplified or authenticated copies | $20.00, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Reopening a closed estate | $22.50, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Special administrator or successor personal representative application | $22.50, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Safe deposit box or bank balance affidavit | $22.50, published by the court as of August 2026 |
| Any summons and complaint or petition | $150.00 for a formal filing, published by the court as of August 2026 |
Richland's full estate packet asks for two separate instruments at opening: the publication charge payable to the Richland County Probate Court and the initial amount payable to the Richland County Treasurer. Filing instructions ask for check or money order for most estate packets, while copies made in the office may be paid by check, credit card, or cash.
Timeline
- Send or drop off the complete packet first. Richland reviews the documents before scheduling the opening appointment.
- Expect the opening appointment to take about one hour once the court schedules it.
- If a small estate packet under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 is incomplete, Richland says the documents will be returned. The statewide $45,000 limit for that route is effective May 8, 2025.
- An affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 cannot be filed until thirty days after death.
- In a formal proceeding, the petitioner has 120 days from filing to serve all interested parties with clocked copies of the summons and petition, and the estate summons gives the respondent thirty days from service to answer.
- After appointment, the inventory and appraisement is due within ninety days under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-706.
Local nuance
Richland County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Submit first, appointment second | You mail or drop off the completed paperwork, the court reviews it, and then the court contacts you to schedule an opening appointment. |
| Four court-published paths | Richland sorts estate matters into full estate, small estate under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 with the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, will-only, or formal proceeding. |
| Two payees | The full estate packet asks for the publication charge payable to the Richland County Probate Court and the initial opening amount payable to the Richland County Treasurer. |
| Courier rule | Courier deliveries must go to 1701 Main Street, not to the post office box. |
| Public workshops | The court offers free workshops for the general public on probate court procedure and forms. Attorneys pay a registration amount and receive continuing legal education credit, according to the court's Estates page. |
| Estate Inquiry limit | The free online Estate Inquiry covers estates filed after 1983. Earlier estate files are handled at 1701 Main Street. |
| Direct contacts change | The court publishes a contacts page with direct lines for staff roles. Use the court's current page or the main line, (803) 576-1961, rather than relying on a named staff contact. |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Richland County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Because the home is real property, Richland's court-published sorting rule points to the full estate packet rather than an affidavit under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201. The spouse sends Form 300ES for informal or formal probate, the original will if any, a certified death certificate, the Richland Probate Court Worksheet, the obituary or funeral program, the funeral bill, and copies of deeds, then waits for the court to schedule the opening appointment. The inventory and appraisement follows within ninety days under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-706. | Sunset helps identify whether the home, accounts, and other assets belong in the estate settlement, then organizes the asset list for the Richland worksheet and packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Venue turns on the decedent's Richland County domicile or property, not on where the child lives (S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201). Richland's affidavit route under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 uses the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, and is handled by mail with Form 420ES, proof of assets, identification, a certified death certificate, obituary or funeral program, funeral bill and proof of payment, complete mailing addresses, and payment by check or money order to the Richland County Treasurer. Courier packages go to 1701 Main Street. | Sunset helps find the accounts, refund checks, vehicle information, and unclaimed property details needed to support the packet. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Richland Form #345ES says a personal representative should not sell the decedent's real property without authority in the will or a court order. Richland's forms index includes Form 430ES for sale of real property. If a formal proceeding is needed, the court's formal-action sheet calls for a summons, complete petition, certified death certificate, photo identification, obituary or funeral program, and a $150.00 formal amount, with service on interested parties within 120 days. | Sunset helps assemble the account and property picture, generate a probate packet, and connect the parent with a vetted probate attorney for the formal court request. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Richland County Probate Court | Estate packets, checklists, opening appointment after document review, public computers for estate files, and staff assistance with copies. | (803) 576-1961; 1701 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 207, Columbia; Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Richland County Probate Court workshops | Free workshops for the general public on probate procedure and forms. Attorneys pay a $30.00 registration amount and receive 2.75 hours of continuing legal education credit, as published by the court as of August 2026. | Announced on the court's Estates page. |
| Richland County estate packets | Downloadable full estate, affidavit-route, and admitting-a-will packets, plus a one-page How to File a Formal Action sheet. | Published on the court's Estates page. |
| Probate Forms and Terms | Richland's index of probate forms and a plain-language glossary of probate terms. | Richland County Probate Court, Estates, Estate Records. |
| Richland County Estate Inquiry | Free public search by decedent name for Richland estates filed after 1983. Earlier files are available at the courthouse. | www7.richlandcountysc.gov/EstateInquiry/main.aspx |
| South Carolina Department of Public Health, vital records | Certified death certificates, which Richland requires with opening filings. | 2100 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201; (803) 898-3630; dph.sc.gov |
| South Carolina Department of Archives and History | Help with older estate materials named by Richland's Estate Records page. | 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223; (803) 896-6100; scdah.sc.gov |
| South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service | Referral to a lawyer in your area. Participating lawyers charge no more than $50.00 for a 30-minute consultation, as published by the Bar as of August 2026, and the service does 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 24/7. |
When to hire an attorney
The Richland County Probate Court says its job is to help you report information and transfer assets correctly, but it cannot give legal advice. Its formal-action sheet says that to proceed with a formal action, you should hire an attorney, and that the court cannot help complete the documents or recommend counsel. Counsel is especially important for a will contest, disagreement over who should serve, service problems, sale of real property requiring a court order, creditor disputes, or litigation tied to the estate settlement. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, insurance, retirement assets, refunds, and other property that may need to be listed before you choose a Richland County packet.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized estate settlement packet that matches the local filing path, including the Richland full estate, affidavit-route, will-only, or formal path when appropriate.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs a formal proceeding, a real-property sale order, a contested issue, or help serving interested parties, Sunset can connect you with a vetted attorney who handles South Carolina probate.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next filing step, and get connected to probate help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Richland County?
File with the Richland County Probate Court at 1701 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 207, Columbia, SC 29201. Venue depends on whether the decedent lived in Richland County, had property in Richland County, or had a right to take legal action there (S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-201).
What do I need to open an estate in Richland County?
For a full estate, Richland asks for the completed Form 300ES for informal or formal probate, the original will and codicils if any, a certified death certificate, the Richland Probate Court Worksheet, the obituary or funeral program, the funeral bill, copies of deeds, and any family documents the packet calls for.
Do I have to make an appointment at the Richland County Probate Court?
You do not need an appointment to mail or drop off the completed paperwork. Richland reviews what you send and then contacts you to schedule an opening appointment, which the court says usually lasts one hour.
Can I file Richland County probate papers online or by email?
The Richland County Probate Court's pages and estate packets publish paper filing by mail or drop-off, not an online or email probate filing channel. South Carolina's statewide electronic filing system is for the Court of Common Pleas and registered South Carolina attorneys, not probate filings by self-represented people.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Richland County?
The estate filing fee is calculated under S.C. Code Ann. § 8-21-770. Richland publishes the full state scale, plus local charges such as a $55.00 notice-to-creditors advertising charge and other copy, search, certification, and application charges, as published by the court as of August 2026.
How do I mail something to the Richland County Probate Court?
Use P.O. Box 288, Columbia, SC 29202 for regular mail. If you use UPS or another courier, use 1701 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 207, Columbia, SC 29201, because the court says courier mail cannot be sent to its post office box.
How do I look up a Richland County estate case?
Use Richland County Estate Inquiry at www7.richlandcountysc.gov/EstateInquiry/main.aspx for estates filed after 1983. For earlier files, the court directs people to 1701 Main Street, where older files are available through index books and microfilm.
Are there Richland County probate forms, or just state forms?
There are both. Richland links the statewide South Carolina Probate Court forms and also publishes its own full estate packet, small estate packet under S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-1201 using the $45,000 limit effective May 8, 2025, admitting-a-will packet, worksheet, formal-action sheet, and Form #345ES affidavit.
Can I participate by video or phone in the Richland County Probate Court?
South Carolina has a statewide Remote Communication Technology order as amended February 19, 2025. It gives the probate judge discretion to permit or require remote participation in non-criminal matters unless fairness or substantial prejudice is a problem. Ask the Richland County Probate Court at (803) 576-1961 how it applies that order in your matter.
Does the Richland County Probate Court offer help understanding probate?
Yes. The court publishes estate packets, a Probate Forms and Terms page, a glossary, and workshops for the public on probate procedure and forms. Court staff can provide forms and procedural information, but they cannot give legal advice.
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.