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Houston County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Houston County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Houston County Chancery Court |
| Filing office | Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | 4725 East Main Street, Erin, TN 37061 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 332, Erin, TN 37061 |
| Phone | (931) 289-3870 |
| Fax | (931) 289-5679 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Filing fee | The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit may be charged on top under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Houston County's Chancery Court page does not publish a local total. |
| Local forms | The Houston County Chancery Court page does not publish a local probate packet or checklist. |
| E-filing status | No Houston County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published. Tennessee does not operate a statewide trial-court e-filing system. |
| Case search | The Houston County Chancery Court page does not publish an online case lookup, and houston.tncrtinfo.com does not provide a working Houston County portal. |
| Remote appearance | No Houston County practice is posted. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. |
| Website | https://www.explorehoustoncountytn.com/courts/chancery-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Erin, make a working list of probate assets, nonprobate transfers, debts, family contacts and whether the original will is available. Estate settlement is much easier when you know which accounts, vehicles, personal property and real estate issues actually need court authority.
Sunset can search for accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, organize the information your family has, and help you decide whether the Houston County Chancery Court filing should be prepared now or after more asset information is collected.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Houston County Chancery Court in Erin serves Houston County probate filings. Tennessee law sends the estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death, using the county-specific court identified under T.C.A. § 30-4-102. In counties not otherwise provided for by public, private, special or local acts, probate jurisdiction is in chancery court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Houston County's own Chancery Court page lists probate among its case types, and the Houston County private acts material reviewed for local court changes does not move probate to another court.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the estate path before filing. If the matter is a standard estate, prepare a verified petition for letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is not, as described in T.C.A. § 30-1-117. If the matter may qualify for Tennessee's small estate process, use the petition for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Gather the documents the Clerk and Master will need, including the original will if there is one, a death certificate, asset information, debt information, names and addresses for interested persons, and any proposed bond or waiver materials required by the chosen procedure.
- File with the Clerk and Master for the Houston County Chancery Court at 4725 East Main Street in Erin, or mail filings to P.O. Box 332, Erin, TN 37061 if the office accepts the filing by mail for your matter. Call (931) 289-3870 before mailing originals or time-sensitive papers.
- Pay the required court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The statutory clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028, with state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit added as required.
- Ask the Clerk and Master whether the filing can be opened in common form under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 or whether a noticed solemn form proceeding under § 30-1-117 is needed. The local page does not publish hearing days or scheduling windows.
- If a hearing is required, ask the Houston County Chancery Court how it applies Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55. Rule 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, allows remote court proceedings only at the trial court's discretion.
- After the petition is accepted and any required approval is entered, obtain the Tennessee authority document from the Clerk and Master: letters testamentary for a will, or letters of administration without a will, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. A small estate uses limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Administer the estate, including creditor steps handled through the clerk's notice process under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 and any inventory required under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, then complete the accounting, settlement or closing steps required by the Houston County Chancery Court.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Houston County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not provide a statewide probate form set. Its Self-Help Center says probate and estate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in your county, and Houston County's operating filing office is the Clerk and Master for the Chancery Court.
The Houston County Chancery Court page does not publish a downloadable probate petition, packet or checklist. Call the Clerk and Master at (931) 289-3870 before you travel to Erin or mail original documents, especially if you need forms for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, or limited letters for a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Houston County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating property that passes outside probate from property that needs Chancery Court authority in Erin. If court authority is needed, the Clerk and Master handles the filing for the Houston County Chancery Court. | Sunset organizes the asset picture, flags accounts that may not need probate, and helps prepare an estate settlement plan before papers are filed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate fits Tennessee's small estate process under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, ask the Houston County Clerk and Master how to submit the petition for limited letters and whether originals must be mailed or delivered in person. | Sunset helps collect account information, generate the filing packet, and coordinate questions for the Erin office so travel is not your first step. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires careful review of title, heirs, debts and the court authority needed from the Houston County Chancery Court. Counsel is often important before listing or closing on real property. | Sunset assembles asset and debt information, prepares the family for the probate filing, and connects the family with a local probate attorney when a sale needs legal work. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it can do | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Houston County Chancery Court, Clerk and Master | Accepts Houston County Chancery Court filings, including probate matters listed by the office. Court staff can provide filing-office information, but they cannot choose forms for you or give legal advice. | 4725 East Main Street, Erin, TN 37061. Mailing: P.O. Box 332, Erin, TN 37061. Phone: (931) 289-3870. Fax: (931) 289-5679. |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Self-Help Center | States that most probate and estate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in your county. It also explains that state court employees may not engage in the practice of law under T.C.A. § 16-3-804(b). | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
| Tennessee court clerks list | Helps locate Tennessee court clerk offices when you need to confirm the proper filing office. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list |
| Justice for All Tennessee | A court-linked access-to-justice resource named by the AOC Self-Help Center. | https://justiceforalltn.com |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Tennessee probate attorney if family members disagree, the will may be challenged, a home needs to be sold, the estate has creditor problems, or you are trying to handle the Houston County filing from outside Tennessee. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify accounts, policies and property that may matter to probate, so the estate settlement process starts with a clearer picture of what exists and what may pass outside court.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to help assemble a probate packet for the correct Tennessee court, including the Houston County Chancery Court when the decedent lived in Houston County.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs legal advice, a contested filing, a real estate sale or court strategy, Sunset can connect the family with a local probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, prepare for the filing office and move from uncertainty to next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Houston County, Tennessee?
File Houston County probate papers with the Clerk and Master for the Houston County Chancery Court in Erin. Tennessee uses the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death under T.C.A. § 30-4-102, and Houston County's Chancery Court page lists probate among its case types under the chancery structure described in T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
What is the Houston County probate office address?
The Houston County Chancery Court office is at 4725 East Main Street, Erin, TN 37061. The mailing address is P.O. Box 332, Erin, TN 37061. The phone number is (931) 289-3870.
Does Houston County publish probate forms online?
The Houston County Chancery Court page does not publish a local probate petition, packet or checklist. For letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, call the Clerk and Master before filing to ask what the office expects.
Can I e-file a Houston County probate case?
No Houston County Chancery Court e-filing portal is published. Tennessee does not operate a statewide trial-court e-filing system, so filing options depend on the local court and filing office.
How much does it cost to open probate in Houston County?
Houston County's Chancery Court page does not publish a local probate total. The statutory clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486. It rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028, and state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit may be added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Can I attend a Houston County probate hearing by phone or video?
No Houston County remote-appearance practice is posted. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, says teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for remote proceedings is permissible at the discretion of the trial court.
Is there an online case lookup for Houston County probate?
The Houston County Chancery Court page does not publish an online case lookup, and houston.tncrtinfo.com does not provide a working Houston County portal. Call the Clerk and Master if you need case-status information.
Do I have to travel to Erin to handle a Houston County estate?
Not always as a first step. Call the Clerk and Master at (931) 289-3870 before traveling or mailing original documents, because the page does not publish a detailed filing procedure, hearing schedule or remote-appearance practice. Sunset can help organize the estate settlement materials before you contact the office.
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.