Back to Tennessee
Sevier County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Sevier County details |
|---|---|
| Court | General Sessions Court of Sevier County, which has probate jurisdiction under Private Acts of 1998, ch. 104 and T.C.A. § 16-16-201. |
| Filing office | Sevier County Clerk's probate office. |
| Courthouse address | Sevier County Courthouse, 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E, Sevierville, TN 37862. |
| Mailing | The probate office does not publish a separate mailing address. Call before mailing an original will or petition. |
| Phone | (865) 453-5502, option 5. |
| Fax | The probate office does not publish a fax number or fax-filing practice. |
| Hours | The county clerk's courthouse office publishes 8:00 a.m. and asks visitors to arrive by 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern time. Call before you go. |
| Filing fee | The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. Sevier County publishes probate without publication at $433.50, effective January 1, 2026, and probate with publication at $503.50, effective January 1, 2026. |
| Local forms | The probate office does not publish a petition, packet, checklist or cover sheet on its website. It publishes the attorney-preparation instruction, local requirements and fee schedule. |
| E-filing | Tennessee does not run a statewide trial-court e-filing system. The Sevier County Clerk's probate office does not publish an e-filing option for probate. |
| Case search | Sevier County's online court records system covers General Sessions criminal and civil cases, not the probate docket. The probate office says probate matters are public record and available for review in the county clerk's office. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves use of remote technology to the trial court's discretion. Sevier County does not publish a probate remote-appearance practice. |
| Website | Sevier County Clerk probate office |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Sevier County, make a working list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, bills and possible refunds tied to the person who died. The local office publishes different probate costs depending on whether publication is needed, and the attorney preparing the filing will need a practical asset and liability picture.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches across 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and assets before papers are prepared for the Sevier County Clerk's probate office. That discovery step can prevent a filing from being built around an incomplete estate.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee law sends the estate to the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In many Tennessee counties that court is chancery under T.C.A. § 16-16-201, but Sevier County has a private act, Private Acts of 1998, ch. 104, that gives probate jurisdiction to the General Sessions Court of Sevier County and leaves estate clerking with the Sevier County Clerk.
Use the Sevier County Clerk's probate office at 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E, in Sevierville for estates of people who lived in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Pittman Center, Kodak, Seymour or the unincorporated parts of Sevier County. The county clerk's Gatlinburg office, Pigeon Forge office, drive-through and library kiosks publish services that do not include probate, so do not take a will to those locations.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets and debts first. Sevier County's probate office publishes local requirements for the small estate route under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, including a certified death certificate and a list of outstanding debts, so asset discovery matters before the attorney prepares the filing.
- Contact a Tennessee-licensed attorney early. The Sevier County Clerk's probate office publishes that probate filings, conservatorship filings, guardianship filings, name changes and small estate filings under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney and filed with a probate clerk.
- File with the Sevier County Clerk's probate office at the Sevier County Courthouse, 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E, Sevierville, TN 37862. Do not go to the Clerk and Master in Suite 108-W for a decedent's estate.
- Arrive by 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern time, and call (865) 453-5502, option 5, before mailing anything because the probate office does not publish a probate mailing address.
- Pay the county's published probate cost. Sevier County publishes probate without publication at $433.50, effective January 1, 2026, and probate with publication at $503.50, effective January 1, 2026. The statewide clerk's fee component is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with state and local litigation taxes and any costs deposit handled under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- Ask the probate office how the matter will be handled by the General Sessions Court of Sevier County. The court does not publish a probate docket day or remote-appearance practice, and Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, leaves remote technology to the trial court's discretion.
- After the petition is accepted, the Tennessee authority document is letters testamentary when there is a will or letters of administration when there is not, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. In a small estate under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, the clerk issues limited letters tied to the property listed in the petition.
- Administer the estate after letters issue. The clerk gives notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and the personal representative handles the required estate settlement steps, creditor mailings and closing work with the attorney.
- Review records through the county clerk's probate office. Sevier County publishes that probate matters are public record and available for review in the county clerk's office in the county of filing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sevier County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set for county probate filings. In Sevier County, the probate office does not publish a petition, packet, checklist or cover sheet on its website.
What Sevier County does publish is operational guidance: the probate office page, the attorney-preparation instruction, local small estate requirements under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, and the probate fee schedule effective January 1, 2026. The County Clerk's forms page has a probate section, but it points back to the probate information page rather than to downloadable probate forms.
Fees
The statewide clerk's fee component 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 are added under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, which is why the amount paid at the counter can be higher than the statewide clerk's fee.
| Sevier County item | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Probate without publication | $433.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Probate with publication | $503.50, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Will filed for safe keeping | $10.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Re-open old estate | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Creditor claim against estate | $50.00, effective January 1, 2026, under the Sevier schedule and T.C.A. § 8-21-401 |
| Copies | $0.50 per page, effective January 1, 2026 |
Sevier County publishes totals, not a breakdown. Call (865) 453-5502, option 5, before filing to ask what payment methods the probate office accepts.
Local nuance
Sevier County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Probate is not in chancery | Private Acts of 1998, ch. 104 places probate jurisdiction in the General Sessions Court of Sevier County, consistent with the exception language in T.C.A. § 16-16-201. The Clerk and Master is in the same courthouse, but estates go to the Sevier County Clerk's probate office. |
| The suite number matters | The probate office is Suite 202E at 125 Court Avenue. The Chancery Court office is Suite 108-W in the same building, so a family can easily arrive at the wrong counter. |
| Attorney preparation is published locally | The Sevier County Clerk's probate office publishes that probate filings and small estate filings under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney and filed with a probate clerk. Staff cannot give legal advice or recommend counsel. |
| Only the courthouse county clerk location handles probate | The county clerk's other published locations handle services such as marriage licenses, vehicle renewals, titles, registrations or kiosks. Their listed services do not include probate. |
| The online records portal is not the estate search | Sevier County's online court records system offers General Sessions criminal and civil case types. The probate office instead publishes that probate matters are public record and available for review in the county clerk's office. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Sevier County's probate office published an updated probate fee schedule. Probate without publication is listed at $433.50, effective January 1, 2026, and probate with publication is listed at $503.50, effective January 1, 2026. The statewide clerk's fee component is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with T.C.A. § 8-21-401 governing the fee structure. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Sevier County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying what is jointly owned and what is in the deceased spouse's name alone. If a probate filing is needed, Sevier County directs the filing to the county clerk's probate office in Suite 202E, and the office publishes that probate filings must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney. | Sunset helps organize accounts, debts and property information so the attorney can decide what belongs in the probate estate and what passes outside the filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Do not assume the case can be handled online. The probate office does not publish e-filing, a probate mailing address or downloadable forms, and it publishes local requirements for small estate filings under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, including attorney preparation. | Sunset supports estate settlement from a distance by helping locate assets, collect institution details and connect the family with a local attorney before anyone travels to Sevierville. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A filing involving real property will need attorney review. Sevier County's probate office is the filing office, but the authority to act comes through letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 after the court accepts the estate filing. | Sunset helps find financial accounts and provides an estate settlement workspace so the parent and attorney can coordinate the probate packet, creditor information and next steps for sale-related authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Sevier County Clerk's probate office | The filing office for decedent estates in Sevier County. It publishes the probate fee schedule, the attorney-preparation instruction, local small estate requirements under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 and the statement that probate matters are public record and available for review in the office. Staff cannot give legal advice or recommend counsel. | 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E, Sevierville, TN 37862; (865) 453-5502, option 5; probate office page |
| Legal Aid of East Tennessee | Sevier County's General Sessions Court page links to this organization for people without an attorney. Its published service area includes Sevier County, and its published areas of help include housing, family and domestic matters, protection orders, elder law and safety, financial and identity services, mental health legal support and community legal education. Ask whether your matter fits before relying on it for an estate filing. | Knoxville office, (865) 637-0484; laet.org |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts court clerk directory | The Judiciary's own directory helps families find the correct court clerk in a Tennessee county, which matters because probate is not handled by the same office in every county. | Find a court clerk |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts self-help center | The Judiciary's self-help page directs probate and estate questions to the clerk in the county. It also explains that court staff may not provide legal advice under T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | Self-help center |
When to hire an attorney
In Sevier County, counsel makes sense at the very start because the county clerk's probate office publishes that probate filings, including the small estate route under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney and filed with a probate clerk. Counsel is especially important when there is real property, a will dispute, creditor pressure, missing heirs, questions about publication or uncertainty over whether letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 are needed. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for financial accounts, insurance, benefits and other assets that may need to be handled during estate settlement before the Sevier County filing is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you collect into an organized probate packet for attorney review, with the details needed for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
Find a local probate attorney. Because the Sevier County Clerk's probate office publishes that probate filings must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney, Sunset helps connect families with a vetted attorney who understands the local filing office.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and prepare for the Sevier County probate process at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sevier County?
File with the Sevier County Clerk's probate office at the Sevier County Courthouse, 125 Court Avenue, Suite 202E, Sevierville, TN 37862. Probate jurisdiction is in the General Sessions Court of Sevier County under Private Acts of 1998, ch. 104 and T.C.A. § 16-16-201, while estate clerking is handled by the county clerk.
Is the Clerk and Master the right office for a Sevier County estate?
No. The Clerk and Master is in Suite 108-W in the same courthouse and serves the Chancery Court. Sevier County estates go to the county clerk's probate office in Suite 202E.
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Sevier County?
The Sevier County Clerk's probate office publishes that probate filings, including small estate filings under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, must be prepared by a Tennessee-licensed attorney and filed with a probate clerk. The office also says its staff cannot give legal advice or recommend counsel.
What does probate cost in Sevier County?
Sevier County publishes probate without publication at $433.50, effective January 1, 2026, and probate with publication at $503.50, effective January 1, 2026. The statewide clerk's fee component is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and T.C.A. § 8-21-401 also addresses litigation taxes and court costs.
Does Sevier County publish probate forms?
The Sevier County Clerk's probate office does not publish a petition, packet, checklist or cover sheet on its website. It publishes the attorney-preparation instruction, local small estate requirements under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 and the fee schedule.
Can I file a Sevier County probate case online?
The Sevier County Clerk's probate office does not publish an e-filing option for probate, and Tennessee does not run a statewide trial-court e-filing system. Call (865) 453-5502, option 5, before assuming you can file or pay without going through the probate office.
Can I look up a Sevier County estate online?
Sevier County publishes an online court records system, but it covers General Sessions criminal and civil cases, not probate. The probate office publishes that probate matters are public record and available for review in the county clerk's office in the county of filing.
Can I appear by phone or video for a Sevier County probate matter?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted by order filed June 8, 2023, allows remote technology at the trial court's discretion. The General Sessions Court of Sevier County does not publish a probate remote-appearance practice, so ask the county clerk's probate office how the court will handle your matter.
What are the Sevier County probate office hours?
The county clerk's courthouse office publishes an 8:00 a.m. opening time and asks visitors to arrive by 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern time. It does not publish a courthouse lunch closure for probate.
Do I have to travel to Sevierville?
Probate is handled at the courthouse office in Sevierville. The county clerk's Gatlinburg office, Pigeon Forge office, drive-through and library kiosks publish services that do not include probate, and the probate office does not publish a mailing address for probate filings, so call (865) 453-5502, option 5, before making travel plans.
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.