How probate works in Houston County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Houston County
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Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Houston County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 462 North Oates Street, Dothan.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Alabama intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Alabama estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsAla. Code §§ 43-2-60, 43-2-61, 43-2-350, 43-2-354, 43-2-371Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What probate costs in Houston County, Alabama comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Probate Court at 462 North Oates Street, Dothan.
The Probate Court charges $45Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(1); Ala. Code § 12-19-90(a)(2)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Alabama are negotiated, typically 1.6%Modeled estimate under Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.5%Modeled estimate under Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Alabama allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payAla. Code § 43-2-848 (reasonable compensation capped at 2.5% of property received/controlled + 2.5% of disbursements; court may award more for extraordinary services)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Alabama requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Ala. Code § 43-2-851Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Alabama typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate documents in Houston County can be filed in person at the Probate Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Chief Probate Clerk.
In Alabama, informal probate is not availableAla. Code §§ 43-2-20, 43-2-40 (letters granted by the probate court; Alabama has no registrar/informal-appointment track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Houston County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Personal representative handbook for intestate estates
The court publishes an Intestate Estate Administration Personal Representative Handbook on its Estate page.
SourceFiled with the opening petition at the Probate Court: Sworn (verified) petition for letters / for probate of will, stating the decedent, domicile, date of death, heirs/devisees, and the estimated value of the estate; Original will and any codicils (testate estates), to be admitted to probate before letters testamentary issueAla. Code §§ 43-2-20 to 43-2-27 (letters testamentary); §§ 43-2-40 to 43-2-48 (letters of administration); § 43-2-851 (bond)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Alabama a death is registered locally, and in Houston County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Houston County Health Department as well as by Alabama Department of Public Health - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Houston County · Houston County Health Department
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| First certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $6 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Houston County · Houston County Coroner's Office
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Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Judge of Probate.
Deeds and other real property documents for Houston County are recorded with the Judge of Probate at 462 North Oates Street, Dothan, AL 36303. Phone: 1-334-677-4701. Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM-5:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 6406, Dothan, AL 36302-6406.
The Judge of Probate charges $16 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Houston County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC and ePN.
Recording Office Record
Houston County
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E-recording
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $16 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
Ala. Code 12-19-90(b)(22), (b)(24); Ala. Code 40-22-1(c); Houston County Probate recording and fees page
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Alabama allows independent administrationAla. Code § 43-2-834Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Alabama are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Houston County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
FirmDothan, AL
Dothan general practice firm formed in 2006, with a second office on West Court Square in Abbeville. Handles probate law and litigation, estate planning and administration, and the real estate closings and deeds that often follow an estate.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate Litigation
FirmDothan, AL
Downtown Dothan father-and-son firm whose practice also covers criminal, family and injury law. Guides families through probate and estate administration, advises trustees and beneficiaries on trust administration, litigates will contests and disputes with executors, and petitions for or challenges guardianships and conservatorships in probate court.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
Solo PracticeDothan, AL
Dothan solo practice half a block from the Houston County Courthouse, serving the Wiregrass counties of southeast Alabama. Probates wills, administers decedents' estates and trusts, and establishes guardianships and conservatorships, with trial experience in will contests, alongside wills, living trusts and estate and gift tax planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
FirmBirmingham, AL
Firm whose Dothan practice serves Houston County and the Wiregrass, with its office of record in Birmingham. Handles estate administration, probate of wills and intestate estates, guardianships, conservatorships and claims against trustees who mismanage trust funds, along with wills, trusts and powers of attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrust LitigationConservatorshipGuardianship
Solo PracticeEnterprise, AL
Downtown Enterprise practice near the Coffee County Courthouse, Enterprise Division, working primarily in Coffee County. Ashley Cranford Marshall handles estate and probate work, will drafting and guardian nominations for children, including for military families, and also mediates. Virtual consultations are available.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
FirmTuscaloosa, AL
Greensboro Avenue practice a short walk from the Tuscaloosa County Probate Court, taking estates in Tuscaloosa County and across Alabama. Luke Barry handles probate from petition to closing, trust and estate administration with accountings and estate tax returns, and will contests and trust disputes. Flat fees are quoted before work starts.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Alabama statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Alabama: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Alabama.
Settling an estate in Alabama: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysAla. Code §§ 43-2-835, 43-2-836Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsAla. Code §§ 43-2-60, 43-2-61, 43-2-350, 43-2-354, 43-2-371Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.
Settling a trust in Alabama happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeAla. Code § 19-3B-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysAla. Code §§ 19-3B-813, 19-3B-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
In Alabama, informal probate is not availableAla. Code §§ 43-2-20, 43-2-40 (letters granted by the probate court; Alabama has no registrar/informal-appointment track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Browse vetted Alabama attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Alabama attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Alabama lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
