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Sumner County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Sumner County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Sumner County Chancery Court |
| Filing office | Sumner County Clerk and Master |
| Courthouse address | 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin, TN 37066 |
| Mailing | The office publishes the courthouse address and says it accepts filings by mail. Call (615) 451-6036 before mailing original estate papers because no separate mailing box is published. |
| Probate phone | (615) 451-6036, labeled by the court as Delinquent Taxes and Probate |
| Other court line | (615) 452-4282, labeled by the court as Civil and Domestic |
| Fax | (615) 451-6031 |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Central time. The office publishes a 2026 holiday list that includes Sumner County election days on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 and Thursday, August 6, 2026. |
| Costs | The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486. The fee rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Sumner County's January 1, 2026 schedule adds $109.50 in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Local forms | Yes. The Clerk and Master publishes estate forms, an estate checklist, a closing checklist, a small estate petition and instructions under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, an estate inventory form under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, accounting forms, an oath, a bond form and related forms. |
| Filing channels | Counter, mail, fax and the Tybera electronic filing system at go.tybera.net/tncis. The court states that counter, mail and fax filing continue. |
| Case lookup | Sumner County has an online records portal at sumner.tncrtinfo.com, but it covers Circuit Court and General Sessions Court only. The Clerk and Master's website does not publish an estate case search. |
| Remote or video hearings | Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves remote proceedings to the trial court's discretion. Sumner County publishes a probate notice effective February 1, 2023 that asks filings to state whether the hearing will be in person or by video and to provide an email address for a video setting. |
| Website | https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before starting in Sumner County, make a working list of the person's probate assets, nonprobate assets, debts, heirs, beneficiaries and any will. The Clerk and Master's own estate checklist asks for the petition, addresses, oath, original will or intestate consents, possible waivers, order and letters before a case is set, so asset discovery is not a side task. It drives the estate settlement from the first filing.
Sunset can help families search across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets before papers are prepared for the Sumner County Clerk and Master. That reduces the risk of opening the wrong process, missing a debt, or having to correct the packet after the hearing is set.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee law sends an estate to the court that exercises probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In most Tennessee counties that court is the chancery court and the filing office is the Clerk and Master under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Sumner County follows that pattern: estate papers go to the Sumner County Clerk and Master for the Sumner County Chancery Court.
The filing office is at the Sumner County Courthouse, 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin, TN 37066. The court's own fee schedule names Gallatin, Hendersonville and Portland publications for estate notice, so families in those communities and in the unincorporated parts of Sumner County use the Gallatin courthouse for probate filings.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts, heirs and beneficiaries first. The Sumner County estate checklist and estate inventory form under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 depend on accurate asset and liability information.
- Prepare the petition for letters testamentary if there is a will, or letters of administration if there is not, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Sumner County publishes estate forms and also states that using its forms is not required.
- Assemble the local estate checklist items before asking for a hearing date: a petition signed under oath with the decedent's and personal representative's full addresses, the personal representative oath, the original will or intestate consents, any nonresident fiduciary filing, any waivers of bond, inventory or accounting signed by all heirs and beneficiaries, the order appointing the personal representative and the letters.
- Take the papers to the Sumner County Clerk and Master at 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin. The office accepts filings at the counter, by mail, by fax and through the Tybera electronic filing system.
- Pay the required costs. The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486, with increases to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Sumner County's schedule adds $109.50 in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and adds $55.00, effective January 1, 2026, where notice is published. Personal checks are not accepted.
- Handle notice according to the type of probate. Common form probate has no notice of the probate proceeding under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Solemn form probate requires notice to interested persons under § 30-1-117, and Sumner County prices it as a separate probate category.
- Get a hearing date if one is needed. Probate motions are heard on Tuesdays, and the court tells people to call the probate line, (615) 451-6036, for available dates. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves video and teleconference use to the court's discretion. Sumner County's notice effective February 1, 2023 asks filings to say whether the hearing will be in person or by video and to provide an email address for a video setting.
- Receive letters from the Clerk and Master. Tennessee calls the authority document letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not (T.C.A. § 30-1-117). After letters issue, the clerk gives notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306.
- Administer the estate settlement. File the inventory required by T.C.A. § 30-2-301 unless it is excused, address claims under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, use the county's accounting and distributee statement forms when appropriate, and keep receipts and releases.
- Close with the county's published closing list. Sumner County asks for releases or proof of satisfaction for all claims filed, receipts or distributee statements from each beneficiary, a notarized statement from the personal representative that claims have been satisfied and the estate has been properly administered, a TennCare release under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 if the decedent was over 55 at death, and an order to close. The court states that the judge does not require a hearing to close an estate in most cases.
Executor duties
Sumner County adds practical filing duties through its estate checklist and closing checklist. To get a case set, the file needs the sworn petition, the personal representative oath, the original will or intestate consents, a nonresident fiduciary filing if needed, any waivers signed by all heirs or beneficiaries when bond, inventory or accounting is being waived, the order appointing the personal representative and the letters. Letters testamentary and letters of administration are governed by T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
To close, the court asks for releases or proof of satisfaction for every claim filed, receipts or distributee statements from each beneficiary, a notarized personal representative statement or similar filing saying the claims have been satisfied and the estate has been properly administered, a TennCare release under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 if the decedent was over 55, and an order to close. If the estate uses Tybera, the court's closing list says to leave off the judge's signature line on the order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sumner County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set or estate packet; its self help page sends readers to the clerk in their own county. Sumner County does publish local estate forms through the Clerk and Master's probate page.
| Form or checklist | How Sumner County uses it |
|---|---|
| Estate checklist | Lists the documents needed before the case is set for hearing, including the sworn petition, addresses, oath, original will or intestate consents, waivers, order and letters. |
| Documents required to close an estate | Lists the releases, receipts or distributee statements, personal representative statement, TennCare release under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 where the decedent was over 55, and order to close. |
| Petition for small estate limited letters and instructions | Sumner County's small estate petition form and instructions. Tennessee's current small estate procedure is a petition for limited letters under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, with the small estate definition in T.C.A. § 30-4-102. |
| Verified claim against an estate and instructions | Used for creditor claims, which are governed by T.C.A. § 30-2-307. |
| Estate inventory | Used for the inventory required by T.C.A. § 30-2-301 unless the requirement is excused. |
| Distributee statement | Used with closing papers to show distribution to beneficiaries or distributees. |
| Request for release from TennCare | Relevant to the closing checklist when the decedent was over 55 at death, under T.C.A. § 71-5-116. |
| Personal representative oath and statement | Used to qualify and to support administration or closing filings. |
| Nonresident fiduciary information and application | Used when the proposed personal representative is not a Tennessee resident. |
| Estate accounting and estate surety bond | Used when an accounting or bond is required in the estate settlement. |
The court states that the forms may be found on its website, but that using its forms is not required.
Fees
Sumner County publishes a current fee schedule for the Office of the Clerk and Master, effective January 1, 2026. The statewide clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486. That fee rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Sumner County's schedule adds $109.50 in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
| Charge | Amount and date | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Probate estate clerk's fee plus litigation taxes | $275 clerk's fee, effective January 1, 2026, plus $109.50 in litigation taxes, effective January 1, 2026 | Applies to the probate categories on the county schedule, including testate estate, intestate administration, solemn form administration and small estate matters under T.C.A. § 30-4-103. |
| Publication add-on | $55.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Added where notice is published. The clerk gives notice to creditors after letters issue under T.C.A. § 30-2-306. |
| Fax filing | $5.00 per pleading plus $1.00 per page including the cover sheet, effective January 1, 2026 | Fax number: (615) 451-6031. |
| Credit or debit card transaction | $3.00 or 3 percent, whichever is greater, effective January 1, 2026 | Applies at the counter and through the online payment portal. Personal checks are not accepted. |
| Petitions and motions after the initial petition | $25.00, effective January 1, 2026 | The county schedule excludes petitions to close from this line. |
| Annual accounting | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Used when accounting is required in the estate. |
| Reopening an estate | $75.00, effective January 1, 2026 | For petition and order to reopen. |
| Claim against an estate | $50.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Claims are governed by T.C.A. § 30-2-307. |
| Exceptions to a claim | $100.00, effective January 1, 2026 | Applies when an exception is filed to a claim. |
| Request involving sale of real property, year's support, exempt property, homestead, insolvency or interpretation | $200.00, effective January 1, 2026 | This is the local line a family may meet when the estate needs court authority involving the house. Muniment of title is addressed in T.C.A. § 32-2-111. |
| Copies | $0.50 per page, certified copies $5.00 plus $0.50 per page, authenticated copies $10.00 plus $0.50 per page, effective January 1, 2026 | Ask how many certified copies of letters are needed before ordering. |
| Electronic filings over 40 pages | $0.50 per page over 40 pages, effective May 5, 2025 | Set by the court's order for long electronic filings. |
Timeline
- Before filing, use the Sumner County estate checklist to gather the petition, oath, will or consents, any nonresident fiduciary paper, waivers, proposed order and letters.
- When the opening packet is ready, call the probate line at (615) 451-6036 for available Tuesday probate motion dates if a setting is needed.
- For any video setting, the court's notice requires a working email address at least two business days before the hearing. A person without access to a computer, tablet or smartphone with a working camera, microphone and speaker is told to file a statement saying so, with a phone number, at least two business days before the hearing. Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves video conferencing and other remote technology to the court's discretion.
- After letters testamentary or letters of administration issue under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, the clerk gives notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306, and the personal representative administers the estate.
- File the inventory required by T.C.A. § 30-2-301 unless it is excused, address claims under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, and prepare closing documents when administration is complete.
- For closing, Sumner County's checklist says the judge does not require a hearing to close an estate in most cases. Once the closing documents are filed, the office submits them to the judge.
- Beginning October 1, 2026, the second judge who hears Sumner County Chancery Court matters hears those chancery matters on the second and fourth Thursday and Friday of each month.
Local nuance
Sumner County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Four filing channels | The Clerk and Master accepts filings at the counter, by mail, by fax and through Tybera. That is broader than many Tennessee chancery offices, but paper and fax filings remain available. |
| No personal checks | The fee schedule and payment page both state that personal checks are not accepted. Use cash, attorney's check, cashier's check, business check, money order, or credit or debit card with the published card charge. |
| Security rule at the courthouse | The court states that no purses or bags of any kind are allowed inside the Judicial Building. Bring a wallet and paperwork. |
| Probate hearing notice | A standing notice effective February 1, 2023 asks filings to state whether the probate hearing will be in person or by video and to provide an email address for a video setting. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves the use of remote technology to the court. |
| Records portal does not cover estates | Sumner County's online court records system covers Circuit Court and General Sessions Court. Chancery Court estate files are not listed there. |
| 2026 election day closures | The office's 2026 holiday list includes Tuesday, May 5, 2026 and Thursday, August 6, 2026 as Sumner County election day closures. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| February 1, 2023 | Sumner County's standing probate hearing notice took effect, asking filings to state whether the hearing will be in person or by video and to provide an email address for a video setting. |
| May 5, 2025 | The court's order for long electronic filings took effect, charging $0.50 per page over 40 pages. |
| January 1, 2026 | The Clerk and Master's fee schedule was reissued with the $275 probate estate clerk's fee under 2025 Public Chapter 486, $109.50 in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, and the no personal checks rule. The same statute provides increases to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. |
| October 1, 2026 | The second judge who hears Sumner County Chancery Court matters moves to hearing chancery matters on the second and fourth Thursday and Friday of each month. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Sumner County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by sorting which assets are probate assets and which pass outside the estate. If an estate is needed, the Sumner County Clerk and Master uses the Chancery Court estate packet, and any request involving sale of real property, year's support, exempt property or homestead has its own $200.00 charge effective January 1, 2026 under the county schedule and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and ownership clues before the spouse decides whether a court estate is needed for the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Use Sumner County's small estate petition and instructions if the estate fits T.C.A. § 30-4-102 and § 30-4-103. The office accepts filings by mail and fax, and accepts filings through Tybera, but the original will and practical access to Tybera should be discussed with the probate line before sending papers. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, generate a packet to review, and flag when local counsel is useful because the child is outside Tennessee. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A full estate may be needed if real property must be handled. Sumner County's packet includes the petition, oath, letters, inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, accounting materials and closing list. A request involving sale of real property is a separate $200.00 charge effective January 1, 2026 under the county schedule and T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | Sunset helps find financial accounts, create a clearer inventory, and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for the real estate and court order issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it can do | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Sumner County Clerk and Master, Chancery Court | Filing office for Sumner County estates. It publishes the county's estate forms, estate checklist, closing checklist, current fee schedule and probate motion day. Court staff cannot give legal advice or tell you which form to use. Tennessee's court staff rule is tied to T.C.A. § 16-3-804. | 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin, TN 37066. Probate line (615) 451-6036. Civil and domestic line (615) 452-4282. Fax (615) 451-6031. https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/ |
| Sumner County Chancery Court probate forms and checklists | Local estate forms, including the estate checklist, closing checklist, small estate petition under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, accounting forms, oath, bond and related forms. The court states that using its forms is not required. | https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/probate/ |
| Sumner County Chancery Court fee schedule | County charges effective January 1, 2026, including the $275 clerk's fee under 2025 Public Chapter 486, litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, publication charge, fax filing charge, card charge and no personal checks rule. The fee rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. | https://sumnerchancerycourt.com/local-rules/ |
| Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Gallatin office | Nonprofit civil legal aid office serving Sumner County and nearby counties. Its listed problem areas do not include decedents' estate administration, so ask whether your issue fits before relying on it. | 106 Public Square, Suite 109, Gallatin, TN 37066. 615-451-1880 or 800-238-1443. https://las.org/get-help/office-locations-and-the-counties-we-serve/ |
| HELP4TN | Free statewide legal information site run by the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services and listed by the Sumner County Chancery Court. Its published topic list does not name probate or estates, so treat it as general legal information. | https://www.help4tn.org/ 844-435-7486 |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts self help center | The Judiciary's self help page says most probate and estate matters are handled by the Clerk and Master in your county and links the statewide clerk directory. It does not publish a statewide estate packet. | https://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, heirs will not sign waivers, the personal representative lives outside Tennessee, the estate needs authority to sell real property, a TennCare release under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 is part of closing, or you are unsure which Sumner County forms to prepare. The Clerk and Master's legal resources page says the same rules apply to self-represented litigants and that clerks cannot provide legal advice, a court staff boundary tied to T.C.A. § 16-3-804. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build the asset picture before the first Sumner County filing. That makes the petition, inventory and overall estate settlement more accurate.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized packet for review, using the local court path and the Tennessee terms letters testamentary and letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, Sunset can connect you with a Tennessee probate attorney who understands Sumner County Chancery Court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, identify next steps and prepare for the Sumner County process without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Sumner County?
Estate papers go through the Sumner County Chancery Court and the Sumner County Clerk and Master at 155 East Main Street, Room 3600, Gallatin, TN 37066. The probate line is (615) 451-6036. Tennessee venue for this purpose is the court exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death, T.C.A. § 30-4-102, and Sumner County follows the chancery pattern described in T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Sumner County?
The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026, under 2025 Public Chapter 486, and it rises to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Sumner County's schedule effective January 1, 2026 adds $109.50 in litigation taxes under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, with $55.00 more where notice is published. Personal checks are not accepted.
Can a Sumner County estate use electronic filing?
The Clerk and Master accepts filings at the counter, by mail, by fax and through Tybera at go.tybera.net/tncis. The court opened that channel on August 17, 2020 and says counter, mail and fax filing continue. Fax filing costs $5.00 per pleading plus $1.00 per page including the cover sheet, effective January 1, 2026. Electronic filings over 40 pages carry $0.50 per page over 40 pages, effective May 5, 2025.
Does Sumner County publish its own probate forms?
Yes. The Clerk and Master publishes an estate checklist, closing checklist, small estate petition and instructions under T.C.A. § 30-4-103, estate inventory under T.C.A. § 30-2-301, distributee statement, personal representative oath and statement, estate accounting, estate surety bond, verified claim form under T.C.A. § 30-2-307, TennCare release request under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 and a nonresident fiduciary application. The office states that using its forms is not required.
Can I look up a Sumner County estate online?
Sumner County publishes an online court records system at sumner.tncrtinfo.com, but its court choices are Circuit Court and General Sessions Court. The Clerk and Master's site does not publish an estate case search for Chancery Court files. Call (615) 451-6036 about a specific estate file. The online payment portal is for paying a bill of cost with a docket number you already have, not for looking up an estate.
When are probate matters heard in Sumner County?
Probate motions are heard on Tuesdays, and the court asks people to call (615) 451-6036 for available dates. Two judges hear Sumner County Chancery Court matters on different schedules, and beginning October 1, 2026, the second judge hears chancery matters on the second and fourth Thursday and Friday of each month. The court's closing checklist says the judge does not require a hearing to close an estate in most cases.
Can I use phone or video for a Sumner County probate hearing?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 55, adopted June 8, 2023, leaves teleconferencing, video conferencing and other remote technology to the trial court's discretion. Sumner County publishes a notice effective February 1, 2023 that asks filings to state whether the probate hearing will be in person or by video and to provide an email address for a video setting. For a video setting, the court requires a working email address at least two business days before the hearing. A person without a camera-equipped device is told to file a statement saying so, with a phone number, at least two business days before the hearing.
Do I have to travel to Gallatin to start probate?
Not always. The office accepts filings by mail and by fax as well as at the counter and through Tybera, but the original will has to reach the office and no separate mailing box is published. Call (615) 451-6036 before sending original papers. If you go to the courthouse, the court states that no purses or bags of any kind are allowed inside the Judicial Building.
What has to be filed to close an estate in Sumner County?
The court's closing list asks for releases or proof of satisfaction for all claims filed, receipts or distributee statements from each beneficiary signed under oath or penalty of perjury, a notarized statement from the executor or administrator that claims have been satisfied and the estate properly administered, a TennCare release under T.C.A. § 71-5-116 if the decedent was over 55 at death, and an order to close. The court states that a closing hearing is not required in most cases.
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.