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Washington County, TN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Probate Division of the Washington County Chancery Court, with the Washington County Clerk and Master as the filing office. |
| Probate address | George Jaynes Justice Center, 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2109, Jonesborough, TN 37659. |
| Chancery division address | 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2157, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Use the Probate Division suite for estate filings. |
| Mailing | The Clerk and Master's own site gives P.O. Box 919, Jonesborough, Tennessee 37659. Call (423) 753-1623 before mailing an original will or any irreplaceable paper. |
| Phone | Probate Division: (423) 753-1623. General Clerk and Master line: (423) 788-1450. |
| Fax | No probate fax number is published. The court's 2026 fee schedule prices fax filing at $5.00 plus $1.00 per page, up to fifty pages, so call the Probate Division before trying to send anything by fax. |
| Hours | The George Jaynes Justice Center's published hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Probate Division publishes no separate counter hours, lunch closure or filing cutoff, so call before traveling. |
| Cost to open | The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, rising to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. Washington County's 2026 schedule prices probate without publication notice at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents, probate with publication notice at $459.50, and small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents. Confirm the current total before writing a check. |
| County forms | The Clerk and Master does not publish a probate petition, packet or checklist on the county's Chancery Court or Probate Court pages. The county does publish a 2026 fee schedule and court calendar. |
| Electronic filing | Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. Washington County's Chancery Court and Probate Court pages publish no probate e-filing portal, vendor or email-filing channel. |
| Online file lookup | washington.tncrtinfo.com is linked by the county, but it covers Circuit Court and General Sessions, not the Chancery Court's Probate Division. Call (423) 753-1623 or ask at the Jonesborough office for an estate file. |
| Remote appearance | Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for court proceedings remotely is permissible at the trial court's discretion. Washington County's court pages and First Judicial District local rules publish no probate-specific remote appearance practice. |
| Website | Probate Court page: https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/266/Probate-Court. Chancery Court page: https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/264/Chancery-Court. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you start an estate settlement in Washington County, make a practical list of the accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, beneficiaries and possible creditors. The petition for letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 depends on the family tree, the will if one exists, and the size and type of property.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions so families can find accounts before they choose a filing path, pay Washington County's 2026 court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, or ask the Probate Division what the local paper filing should include. A better asset list makes the first courthouse trip or mailing more productive.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Tennessee sends an estate to the court then exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102). In most Tennessee counties that court is chancery court under T.C.A. § 16-16-201. Washington County's local answer is more specific: Private Acts of 1955, ch. 165, section 2, as amended by Private Acts of 2005, ch. 48, places probate in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District, and section 6 makes the Clerk and Master the clerk for estate matters.
That means estates for people who lived in Washington County, including Johnson City residents whose county of residence was Washington, Jonesborough, Watauga and unincorporated Washington County, are filed with the Clerk and Master's Probate Division at the George Jaynes Justice Center in Jonesborough. Johnson City is larger and the county's Law Court sits there, but the private act requires probate matters to be heard in Jonesborough and the files to be kept in the Jonesborough office.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the property, debts, heirs and beneficiaries before filing. This determines whether the estate proceeds through ordinary letters under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 or through the small estate process under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105.
- Prepare the verified petition for letters testamentary if there is a will, or letters of administration if there is no will, under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Bring the original will if one exists.
- File on paper with the Probate Division of the Washington County Chancery Court at 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2109, Jonesborough, or mail the papers after calling (423) 753-1623 to confirm the mailing address and what the office wants sent.
- Pay the clerk's fee and local court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. The clerk's fee is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486, rising to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028, with state and local litigation tax and any local costs on top. Washington County's 2026 schedule prices probate without publication notice at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents and probate with publication notice at $459.50.
- If the will is uncontested, the Clerk and Master may probate it in common form under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Solemn form probate under T.C.A. § 30-1-117 requires notice and goes before the Chancellor.
- After approval, the Clerk and Master's Probate Division issues letters testamentary or letters of administration under T.C.A. § 30-1-117. Administration runs from the day letters are issued, and the county's 2026 schedule prices an additional letter issued at opening at $6.00 under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- If a hearing is needed, the Chancery Court sits on the Chancellor's four-month docket schedule. Court opens at 9:00 a.m. unless ordered otherwise, and a matter to be heard on a miscellaneous day must be on the calendar by noon of the working day before.
- Complete the statewide post-opening work, including the inventory unless excused, beneficiary notices and the TennCare affidavit within sixty days under T.C.A. § 30-2-301 and T.C.A. § 71-5-116.
- The clerk handles notice to creditors under T.C.A. § 30-2-306 when required. Washington County's 2026 schedule prices verified claims against the estate at $50.00 and exceptions to claims at $100.00 under T.C.A. § 30-2-307 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
- Administer the assets, resolve allowed claims, prepare the accounting or settlement, and close the estate through the Clerk and Master.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Washington County
Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set. Its self-help materials direct estate and probate readers to the clerk in their county, and Washington County directs estate filings to the Clerk and Master's Probate Division.
The Washington County Clerk and Master does not publish a probate petition, packet, checklist or probate cover sheet on the county's Chancery Court or Probate Court pages. The county publishes practical court materials instead: a Chancery Court Fee Schedule 2026 with a final page titled Probate Court Schedule of Fees, a Chancery Schedule page, the annual court calendar, and the First Judicial District local rules.
Use the county's fee schedule to budget the filing, but call (423) 753-1623 before filing or mailing. The Probate Division publishes no office-level email address, no probate e-filing channel and no separate instruction page for which petition format to use.
Fees
Washington County publishes a 2026 Chancery Court Fee Schedule with a separate Probate Court Schedule of Fees. The statutory clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, rising to $300 in 2027 and $325 in 2028. State and local litigation tax and local costs are added to the statutory fee, which is why the counter total is higher than $275.
| 2026 schedule item | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Probate without publication notice | Three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents in Washington County's 2026 schedule. |
| Probate with publication notice | $459.50 in Washington County's 2026 schedule. |
| Small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 | Three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents in Washington County's 2026 schedule. |
| Publication notice difference | The 2026 schedule makes publication notice an $80.00 difference between the two ordinary probate totals. |
| Verified claim against an estate | $50.00 in Washington County's 2026 schedule, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401 and T.C.A. § 30-2-307. |
| Exception to a claim | $100.00 in Washington County's 2026 schedule, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Fax filing | $5.00 plus $1.00 per page, up to fifty pages, in Washington County's 2026 schedule. |
| Certification seal | $5.00 in Washington County's 2026 schedule, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Copies | $0.50 per page in Washington County's 2026 schedule, under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
The schedule also lists a $92.50 litigation tax in its 2026 chancery section under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, but it does not say whether that amount is already included in the probate totals or charged in addition. Confirm the current total with the Probate Division before filing.
Timeline
- Call before setting or traveling. Washington County posts a Chancery Schedule page and annual calendar, but the calendar says dates are subject to change.
- Expect the court day to start at 9:00 a.m. unless the court orders otherwise. That start time comes from the First Judicial District local rules.
- Use the four-month chancery docket schedule. The local rules say Chancery Court meets at times and places set by the Chancellor and reflected on that schedule, with copies kept in the Clerk and Master's office.
- If a matter is to be heard on a miscellaneous day, it must be placed on the calendar by noon of the working day before the miscellaneous day.
- Do not rely on the county's annual calendar to pick a probate date yourself. It is written for the local bar, uses court abbreviations and tells readers to call before setting a case.
Local nuance
Washington County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Private act route into chancery | Private Acts of 1955, ch. 165, section 2, as amended by Private Acts of 2005, ch. 48, places Washington County probate jurisdiction in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District, with the Clerk and Master serving as clerk for estate matters. That local act matters because T.C.A. § 16-16-201 applies only where no public, private, special or local act provides otherwise. |
| Jonesborough, not Johnson City | The same private act requires probate matters to be heard in Jonesborough and the files kept in the Jonesborough office. Johnson City has other civil court activity, but estate filings go to the Probate Division at the Justice Center in Jonesborough. |
| Two suites in one building | The Probate Division is Suite 2109 and has the estate phone line, (423) 753-1623. The Chancery Division is Suite 2157 and has the general Clerk and Master line, (423) 788-1450. |
| Local 2026 fee schedule | Washington County publishes its own 2026 probate fee schedule. It shows the local totals for probate with and without publication notice, small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, verified claims and fax filing, all in addition to the statutory framework in T.C.A. § 8-21-401. |
| Online court search does not cover probate | The county links to washington.tncrtinfo.com, but that search offers Circuit Court and General Sessions only. It does not offer Chancery Court or Probate Division searches. |
| Shared district docket | Washington County is in the First Judicial District with Carter, Johnson and Unicoi counties. The district's chancery docket is scheduled through a four-month calendar, so estate hearings are set around that shared schedule. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| 2026 fee schedule | Washington County publishes a Chancery Court Fee Schedule 2026 with a separate Probate Court Schedule of Fees. Its probate totals align with the statutory clerk's fee of $275 effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, with $300 scheduled for 2027 and $325 scheduled for 2028. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Washington County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by separating probate property from property that passes outside probate. If an estate must be opened, the petition goes to the Probate Division in Jonesborough. Ask the Probate Division before paying the Washington County 2026 court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401, especially if no publication notice is needed. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and beneficiary designations so the spouse does not open an estate settlement for property that already passes another way. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Washington County prices small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents in its 2026 schedule. The Probate Division publishes no e-filing portal, so plan for paper filing by mail or a trip to Suite 2109 after calling (423) 753-1623. | Sunset helps gather account information and generate a packet for attorney review or local filing, reducing back-and-forth from outside Tennessee. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A real estate sale usually makes attorney help important. The Probate Division handles the estate filing in Jonesborough, and Washington County's 2026 schedule includes separate probate and real-property-related court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | Sunset helps find assets, organize debts and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for the court sale and estate settlement steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Probate Division, Washington County Chancery Court | The filing office for Washington County estates. It receives estate papers, handles letters, publishes the local fee schedule and answers questions about its own procedures. Court staff cannot give legal advice, make legal referrals or perform legal research because T.C.A. § 16-3-804 bars state court system employees from the practice of law. | George Jaynes Justice Center, 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2109, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Phone: (423) 753-1623. Web: https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/266/Probate-Court. |
| Clerk and Master's Chancery Division | The general Clerk and Master office for chancery business and court-ordered sales, with the Chancery Court page and general office line. | 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2157, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Phone: (423) 788-1450. Web: https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/264/Chancery-Court. |
| Washington County Chancery Court Fee Schedule 2026 | The county's own price list for probate with and without publication notice, small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105, verified claims, exceptions, certification, copies and fax filing, tied to T.C.A. § 8-21-401. | https://www.washingtoncountytn.org/DocumentCenter/View/2854/Chancery-Court-Fee-Schedule-2026-PDF. |
| Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Johnson City office | A nonprofit providing free civil legal help to qualifying people. Its Johnson City office lists Washington County in its county list. Its published service areas do not name decedent estate administration, so ask whether your issue fits before relying on it for probate help. | 311 W. Walnut St., Johnson City, TN 37604. Phone: (423) 928-8311. Toll-free: (800) 821-1312. Web: https://laet.org/contact-us/. |
| Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts clerk directory | The Judiciary's statewide clerk directory can help families find the right filing office if the person lived in another Tennessee county. | https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/court-clerks/clerks-list. |
| First Judicial District local rules | The rules of practice for Circuit, Chancery and Criminal Courts in Carter, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. They set the 9:00 a.m. court opening and describe the four-month schedule kept in the Clerk and Master's office. | https://www.tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/local-rules/1st%20District%20Circuit-Chancery-Criminal%20Courts%20Local%20Rules.pdf. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider hiring a Tennessee probate attorney if the will may be contested, the family disagrees about who should serve, the estate includes a home sale, creditors are active, a solemn form proceeding is needed under T.C.A. § 30-1-117, or you live outside Tennessee and need someone to coordinate paper filing in Jonesborough. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate bank, investment, insurance and retirement accounts before the Washington County filing, so the estate settlement starts with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family and asset information into an organized probate packet that can be reviewed with counsel or used to prepare for the Clerk and Master's paper filing process.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs court strategy, a home sale, creditor work or a contested hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Tennessee probate attorney familiar with local estate settlement practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, understand the next steps and get matched with help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Washington County, Tennessee?
File estate papers with the Probate Division of the Washington County Chancery Court, the Clerk and Master's office, at the George Jaynes Justice Center, 108 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 2109, Jonesborough, TN 37659. Tennessee's venue rule points to the court then exercising probate jurisdiction in the county where the person lived at death (T.C.A. § 30-4-102), and Washington County's private act places that probate jurisdiction in chancery under Private Acts of 1955, ch. 165 and T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Is Washington County probate really in chancery court?
Yes. Private Acts of 1955, ch. 165, section 2, as amended by Private Acts of 2005, ch. 48, places probate in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District and makes the Clerk and Master the filing officer for estate matters. That local act works alongside the statewide chancery default in T.C.A. § 16-16-201.
Do I go to Jonesborough or Johnson City for a Washington County estate?
Go to Jonesborough for the estate filing. Johnson City has other civil court activity, but the Washington County private act requires probate matters to be heard in Jonesborough and the files to be kept in the Jonesborough office of the Clerk and Master.
What number should I call about an estate in Washington County?
Call the Probate Division at (423) 753-1623. The county gives that number for questions about the probate of an estate. The general Clerk and Master chancery line is (423) 788-1450.
How much does probate cost in Washington County?
The clerk's fee for a probate estate is $275, effective January 1, 2026 under 2025 Public Chapter 486 and T.C.A. § 8-21-401, with $300 scheduled for 2027 and $325 scheduled for 2028. Washington County's 2026 schedule prices probate without publication notice at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents, probate with publication notice at $459.50, and small estate administration under T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-105 at three hundred seventy-nine dollars and fifty cents. Call before filing because litigation tax and local costs can affect the total under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Does Washington County publish local probate forms?
The Washington County Clerk and Master does not publish a probate petition, packet or checklist on the county's Chancery Court or Probate Court pages. Tennessee's Administrative Office of the Courts does not publish a statewide probate form set either, so use the Probate Division phone number before preparing or mailing papers.
Can I file a Washington County estate online or by email?
Washington County's Chancery Court and Probate Court pages publish no probate e-filing portal, no vendor and no email-filing channel. Tennessee has no statewide trial-court e-filing system. The county's online payment links are for Circuit Court and General Sessions fines, not probate court costs under T.C.A. § 8-21-401.
Can I look up a Washington County estate online?
The county links to washington.tncrtinfo.com, but that search covers Circuit Court and General Sessions only. It offers no Chancery Court or Probate Division option. For an estate file, call the Probate Division at (423) 753-1623 or ask at the Jonesborough office.
Can I appear by phone or video in a Washington County probate matter?
Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 55, adopted June 8, 2023, says teleconferencing, video conferencing or other technology for proceedings remotely is permissible at the trial court's discretion. Washington County's court pages and First Judicial District local rules publish no probate-specific remote practice, so ask the Probate Division how the court is handling the matter.
When does Washington County Chancery Court sit?
The First Judicial District local rules say court opens at 9:00 a.m. unless ordered otherwise, and the Chancery Court sits on a four-month docket schedule kept in the Clerk and Master's office. The county posts an annual Chancery Court calendar that is marked subject to change, so call before setting or traveling.
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.