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Putnam County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Putnam County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Court of Putnam County. Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 created the court, and T.C.A. § 16-16-201 recognizes that probate jurisdiction can be placed outside chancery by private act. |
| Filing office | Probate Court Clerk, an office held by the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk. |
| Courthouse address | Putnam County Justice Center, 421 East Spring Street, Room 1C, Suite 49A, Cookeville, TN 38501. |
| Mailing | The Probate Court Clerk's site publishes the street address and no post office box. Call (931) 528-1508 before mailing original papers. |
| Phone | (931) 528-1508. |
| Fax | (931) 526-2004. The office publishes this as a contact fax and does not publish a fax filing procedure. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state and federal holidays. Passport service hours are narrower and do not control probate filings. |
| Published charge to open an estate | $376.50, effective January 1, 2026, for a petition for testate executor, a petition for intestate administration, a petition for muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111, or a small estate filing under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The statewide statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| County forms | Putnam County publishes a five-document small estate packet for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. It does not publish a full-estate petition on the Probate Court Clerk's website. |
| Electronic filing | Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. Putnam County publishes no probate e-filing channel. The Thirteenth Judicial District circuit rules keep original wills and probate settlement accountings on paper. |
| Lookup | Putnam County links to the Tennessee Online Court Records System at putnam.tncrtinfo.com. That portal lists Circuit Court and General Sessions, with civil and criminal case types, and does not list a probate office. For an estate file, call the Probate Court Clerk. |
| Remote proceedings | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, provides in Rule 55 that using teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology to conduct court proceedings remotely is permissible at the trial court's discretion. Putnam County publishes no local probate remote-proceeding rule. |
| Website | https://putnamtncourtclerk.gov/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Putnam County, make a working list of the assets, debts, likely heirs, beneficiaries and any original will. That list determines whether the estate settlement can use the county's small estate packet under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, whether a full administration is needed, and whether you need help before taking papers to the Justice Center.
Sunset can help you build that picture first by searching for accounts and assets across 2,300 institutions, organizing the information, and turning it into a probate-ready packet for the right local court. In Putnam County, the right counter for a decedent's estate is the Probate Court Clerk at the Circuit Court Clerk's office, not the Clerk and Master.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee law sends the estate to the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death, using the county-based court definition in T.C.A. § 30-4-102. In most Tennessee counties that court is chancery and the filing office is the Clerk and Master under T.C.A. § 16-16-201, but Putnam County is different because Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 created the Probate Court of Putnam County.
Putnam County probate filings are handled in Cookeville at the Putnam County Justice Center, 421 East Spring Street, Room 1C, Suite 49A. The county site identifies Putnam County communities as Algood, Baxter, Cookeville and Monterey. Putnam County is in the Thirteenth Judicial District with Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett and White counties, but probate is still a Putnam County filing in Cookeville.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries and any original will before choosing a route. If the matter is a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, use the Putnam County packet; if it needs a full administration, the Probate Court Clerk's website does not publish a full-estate petition, so call (931) 528-1508 or work with counsel.
- Get the local papers. Putnam County's small estate packet includes a petition for limited letters, a consent form, an oath, a proposed order and the limited letters form under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- For a small estate, follow the clerk's instruction to wait 45 days after the date of death and bring a death certificate, as required for the limited-letter route under T.C.A. § 30-4-103. The county petition also asks for a Bureau of TennCare release tied to T.C.A. § 71-5-116.
- File with the Probate Court Clerk at 421 East Spring Street, Room 1C, Suite 49A, Cookeville, TN 38501. The office publishes no post office box and no probate e-filing channel, so call before mailing original documents.
- Pay the Putnam County amount shown on the schedule effective January 1, 2026. The county publishes $376.50, effective January 1, 2026, for a petition for testate executor, a petition for intestate administration, a petition for muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111, or a small estate filing under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The statewide statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and T.C.A. § 8-21-401 accounts for litigation taxes on top of clerk fees.
- Handle notice based on the route. Common form probate needs no notice of the probate proceeding under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, while solemn form requires notice to interested persons. In a full estate, notice to creditors is handled under T.C.A. § 30-2-306; Putnam County's probate schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists publication payable to the Herald Citizen at $175.00, but call the clerk to confirm the current amount before paying.
- Ask the clerk about any setting. Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 says Putnam County Probate Court terms begin monthly on the first Monday of each calendar month, but the clerk's docket page does not publish a probate docket.
- Receive the authority document. Tennessee uses letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. A small estate receives limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Administer the estate, keep receipts and records, file any accountings or requests the court requires, and close the matter when the Probate Court allows. Putnam County's schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists an initial accounting at $75.00 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Putnam County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set; its self-help center directs people to the clerk in their own county. The statewide trial-court forms page also states that the forms listed there are withdrawn after October 1, 2026, and it is not a Putnam County probate packet.
Putnam County does publish its own small estate packet for limited letters under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The Probate Court Clerk's Forms page says: when completing the small estate forms, wait 45 days after the date of death and bring a death certificate, which tracks T.C.A. § 30-4-103.
| Putnam County form | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Petition for limited letters of administration of a small estate | Starts the county's small estate process under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The petition asks for a list of personal property, creditor information, heir consents and a Bureau of TennCare release connected to T.C.A. § 71-5-116. |
| Consent to small estate procedure | Lets an heir consent to the appointment and related waivers used in the county packet. |
| Probate oath of representative | The sworn oath for the person asking to act for the small estate. |
| Order to issue limited letters of administration of a small estate | The proposed order for the Probate Court judge. |
| Limited letters of administration of a small estate | The limited authority document issued by the Probate Court Clerk under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. It is captioned for the Probate Court for Putnam County, Tennessee, at Cookeville. |
The Probate Court Clerk's website does not publish a petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration for a full estate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. If the estate settlement is not a small estate, call the clerk or work with an attorney before filing.
Fees
Putnam County publishes a dated probate fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. The statewide statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, rising to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028; T.C.A. § 8-21-401 keeps state and local litigation taxes separate from the clerk fee. That is why the county's published counter totals are higher than the statutory clerk fee component.
| Probate item | Amount from Putnam County schedule effective January 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Petition for testate executor | $376.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Petition for intestate administration | $376.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Petition for muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111 | $376.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Small estate filing under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 | $376.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| File a claim | $50.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Exception to a claim | $100.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Publication payable to the Herald Citizen | $175.00, effective January 1, 2026. Confirm with the clerk before paying because the same county schedule lists different publication amounts outside the probate block. |
| Initial accounting | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Request in probate to sell real property, exempt property or homestead | $200.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Request on an existing estate other than a request to close | $25.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Order on an existing estate other than a closing order | $20.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
Timeline
- Small estate timing starts with the county's own instruction: wait 45 days after the date of death and bring a death certificate. The statewide limited-letter statute is T.C.A. § 30-4-103.
- Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 says terms of the Probate Court of Putnam County begin monthly on the first Monday of each calendar month. Treat that as the private act's rule and call (931) 528-1508 for the setting in a particular estate.
- The Circuit Court Clerk's docket page posts circuit and general sessions dockets, but no probate docket. The clerk's FAQ says most court dockets are posted the day before court, but that statement is not a probate calendar.
- Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. Putnam County publishes no local probate remote-proceeding rule, so ask before assuming a phone or video setting.
Local nuance
Putnam County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Probate is not in chancery | Putnam County is an exception to the usual Tennessee chancery pattern. Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 created the Probate Court of Putnam County, and T.C.A. § 16-16-201 allows that private-act exception. |
| The Probate Court judge is also a General Sessions judge | The county's General Sessions Judges Office identifies its judges as handling general sessions, juvenile and probate matters. Do not use the Clerk and Master's chancery contact line for a decedent's estate. |
| The Probate Court Clerk is the Circuit Court Clerk | Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229, as amended, makes the Circuit Court Clerk the Clerk of the Probate Court. The probate contact is (931) 528-1508 at Room 1C, Suite 49A. |
| Small estate packet asks for a TennCare release | The county petition asks for a Bureau of TennCare release as an exhibit. TennCare recovery is tied to T.C.A. § 71-5-116, so gather that issue before filing a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. |
| Online lookup does not list probate | Putnam County's Tennessee Online Court Records System page lists Circuit Court and General Sessions, with civil and criminal case types. It does not list a probate office, so estate file questions should go to the Probate Court Clerk. |
| Justice Center electronics limits | The clerk's FAQ says cell phones, electronic devices, drugs, alcohol and weapons are prohibited in the Justice Center. The Thirteenth Judicial District circuit rules also prohibit recording devices, cell phones, AI devices and smart glasses in district courthouses unless the court authorizes them. |
| Parking and shuttle | The clerk's FAQ says the Justice Center upper lot is extremely limited and suggests the public parking lot at Spring Street and Maple. The contact page says a free shuttle runs hourly Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local change |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Putnam County's current fee schedule took effect. It lists $376.50, effective January 1, 2026, for a petition for testate executor, a petition for intestate administration, a petition for muniment of title under T.C.A. § 32-2-111, and a small estate filing under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The statewide statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes addressed by T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| March 31, 2026 | New Thirteenth Judicial District circuit rules took effect. They adopt e-filing for the circuit courts subject to each clerk's ability to accept it, and they require original wills and probate settlement accountings to be filed on paper. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Putnam County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating probate property from property that passes outside probate. If a court filing is needed in Putnam County, the estate filing goes to the Probate Court Clerk in Cookeville, not to the Clerk and Master. If a will is involved, the authority document is letters testamentary under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues and debts before the spouse starts an estate settlement or pays for papers that may not be needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use the Putnam County small estate packet if the matter fits T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The office says to wait 45 days after death and bring a death certificate, matching T.C.A. § 30-4-103. Call before mailing because no post office box is published. | Sunset can organize asset information, generate a Putnam County packet, and help the child decide whether a local attorney should handle the Cookeville filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 is not the right local packet for real estate. Putnam County's schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists a request in probate to sell real property at $200.00 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, so the parent should speak with counsel before filing. | Sunset helps gather the financial picture for estate settlement, prepares organized information for counsel, and can connect the parent with a local probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
Start with the Putnam County Probate Court Clerk because that is the filing office for estates. Tennessee court staff cannot give legal advice: the Judiciary states that under T.C.A. § 16-3-804(b), state court employees may not engage in the practice of law, including legal referrals, legal research or legal advice.
| Resource | How it can help | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Putnam County Probate Court Clerk | Receives Putnam County estate filings, publishes the small estate packet under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, publishes the fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, and answers local filing logistics. Staff cannot tell you which legal choice to make. | 421 East Spring Street, Room 1C, Suite 49A, Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone (931) 528-1508. Fax (931) 526-2004. Website: https://putnamtncourtclerk.gov/ |
| Putnam County small estate forms | County petition, consent, oath, proposed order and limited letters for a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The page says to wait 45 days after death and bring a death certificate under T.C.A. § 30-4-103. | https://putnamtncourtclerk.gov/forms/ |
| Putnam County fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 | Shows the local probate charges effective January 1, 2026, including $376.50 for common estate-opening filings. The statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | Linked from the clerk's FAQ page at https://putnamtncourtclerk.gov/faqs/ |
| Putnam County online court records search | Lets users search Circuit Court and General Sessions cases. It does not list a probate office, so call the Probate Court Clerk for estate file questions. | https://putnam.tncrtinfo.com/cmCaseList.aspx |
| Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Cookeville office | Published as a nonprofit civil legal-help organization with a Cookeville office and a service area that includes Putnam County. Its published legal-issue list does not name probate or estate administration, so ask before relying on it for an estate matter. | 9 South Jefferson Avenue, Suite 102, Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone 931-528-7436 or 800-238-1443. Hours 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| Putnam County Clerk and Master | Use this entry only to avoid the wrong counter. The Clerk and Master runs chancery matters in Suite 1C38 and publishes a case list that does not include decedents' estates. | 421 East Spring Street, Suite 1C38, Cookeville, TN 38501. Phone (931) 526-6321. |
| Tennessee court clerk directory | Helpful if the person who died lived in a different Tennessee county, where the filing office may be a different court official. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, a house must be sold, heirs disagree, creditors are active, TennCare issues may apply under T.C.A. § 71-5-116, or you are filing from outside Putnam County and cannot easily appear in Cookeville. Putnam County also does not publish a full-estate petition on the Probate Court Clerk's website, so counsel can prevent a first filing from being rejected. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate accounts, insurance, retirement assets, real estate clues and debts before a Putnam County estate settlement begins, so the filing matches the property actually involved.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into organized paperwork for the right local office, including Putnam County's Probate Court Clerk when a Cookeville filing is needed.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real property, a will contest, TennCare questions under T.C.A. § 71-5-116, or a full administration without a county-published form, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand the local filing path, and move forward without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Putnam County?
File with the Probate Court Clerk at the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk's office, 421 East Spring Street, Room 1C, Suite 49A, Cookeville, TN 38501. Putnam County is an exception to the usual chancery pattern because Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 created a separate Probate Court, which T.C.A. § 16-16-201 allows where a private act provides otherwise.
Is Putnam County probate handled in chancery court?
No. Decedents' estates are handled by the Probate Court of Putnam County, and the Probate Court Clerk is the Circuit Court Clerk. The Clerk and Master runs the chancery office in a different suite, but that office's published case list does not include decedents' estates.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Putnam County?
Putnam County's schedule effective January 1, 2026 lists $376.50, effective January 1, 2026, for a petition for testate executor or intestate administration. The statewide statutory clerk fee component is $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with litigation taxes handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Does Putnam County publish probate forms?
Yes for small estates under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105. The county publishes a five-document packet for limited letters. The Probate Court Clerk's website does not publish a full-estate petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
Can I file a Putnam County estate electronically?
Putnam County publishes no probate e-filing channel. The Thirteenth Judicial District circuit rules address circuit e-filing, but they also require original wills and probate settlement accountings to be filed on paper. Plan on paper delivery unless the Probate Court Clerk gives you a different instruction for your matter.
Can I look up a Putnam County estate online?
Putnam County links to putnam.tncrtinfo.com, but that search lists Circuit Court and General Sessions, with civil and criminal case types. It does not list a probate office. For an estate file, call the Probate Court Clerk at (931) 528-1508 or use the records request address [email protected].
Can I appear by phone or video in Putnam County Probate Court?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion and creates no statewide default. Putnam County publishes no local probate rule on phone or video appearances, so ask the Probate Court Clerk how the court is handling your specific matter.
When does Putnam County Probate Court hear matters?
Private Acts of 1965, ch. 229 says Probate Court terms begin monthly on the first Monday of each calendar month. The clerk's docket page does not publish a probate docket, so call (931) 528-1508 for a specific setting.
Do I have to travel to Cookeville for a Putnam County estate?
Papers can be mailed, but the office publishes no post office box, so call before sending originals. If you travel to the Justice Center, remember that the clerk's FAQ says cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited, the upper lot has very limited parking, and a free shuttle runs hourly Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
What do I bring for a Putnam County small estate?
The Probate Court Clerk's Forms page says to wait 45 days after the date of death and bring a death certificate, consistent with T.C.A. § 30-4-103. The county petition also asks for a Bureau of TennCare release as an exhibit under T.C.A. § 71-5-116.
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.