How probate works in Chatham County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Chatham County
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E-filing
Filing in person
Self-represented filing
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E-filing
Filing in person
Self-represented filing
County forms
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About the court
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 Chatham County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah.
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 Georgia intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Georgia estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsO.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-40, 53-7-41, 53-7-42, 53-7-43, 9-3-36Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the last publication of the notice to creditors.
What probate costs in Chatham County, Georgia 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 133 Montgomery Street, Room 509, Savannah.
The Probate Court charges $175O.C.G.A. § 15-9-60(e)(1) (2024 Ga. L. Act 515 / SB 232, eff. 1/1/2025)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 Georgia are negotiated, typically 2.1%Modeled estimate under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-6(4) (petition to the probate court for a judgment fixing the attorney's fees and expenses; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.4%Modeled estimate under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-6(4) (petition to the probate court for a judgment fixing the attorney's fees and expenses; no statutory percentage): 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.
Georgia sets executor compensation by statute — about $25,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 5.0%O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60(b)(1)-(4) (2 1/2 percent on sums received and on sums paid out; 10 percent on interest; up to 3% on property delivered in kind; up to 10% of annual income for working land)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Georgia 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 O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50(a),(c) (bond required of the personal representative of an intestate estate or a temporary administrator; relieved by the unanimous consent of the heirs)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Georgia typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate documents in Chatham 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 separate lines for Estates, Guardianships and Conservatorships, and Marriage Licenses.
In Georgia, informal probate is not availableO.C.G.A. § 53-5-15 ("Probate of a will may be in common form or in solemn form or both") — both are proceedings in the probate court; no registrar/clerk appointment trackVerified 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 Chatham County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Where personal service on an heir or beneficiary is required, the court charges the sheriff's service fee unless the petition expressly asks for service by certified mail.
The rule took effect October 1, 2025; sheriff service is $50 and certified mail $15.
SourceCourt staff will search for a current address for an heir or beneficiary on a written request, for $10 per person searched.
SourceThe Record Room is open until 4:30 p.m.
SourceFiled with the opening petition at the Probate Court: Original will (and any codicils), for testate estates (GPCSF 5/4); Acknowledgments of service / consents of heirs or beneficiaries, sworn before a notary or probate clerk (O.C.G.A. § 53-11-6); Oath of personal representative (GPCSF Supplement 4), administered by a probate judge or clerk (not a notary) — the oath is not part of the petition form itself (O.C.G.A. §§ 53-6-16, 53-6-24); Bond on the intestate track, unless all heirs consent to waive it (O.C.G.A. § 53-6-50(a), (c)); executors under a will are not within § 53-6-50 and give no bond by defaultO.C.G.A. § 53-5-20 et seq. (probate of will in solemn form / Letters Testamentary); § 53-6-20 et seq. (Letters of Administration); § 53-6-1 (eligibility), § 53-6-10 (nomination by testator), § 53-6-11 (qualification)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Georgia a death is registered locally, and in Chatham County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Chatham County Vital Records Office (Chatham County Health Department) as well as by Georgia Department of Public Health - State Office of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Chatham County · Chatham County Vital Records Office (Chatham County Health Department)
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Certified copies
Order online
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Burial and cremation permits
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $5 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Chatham County · Chatham County Coroner's Office
Mail and offices
Fax
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 Clerk of Superior Court.
Deeds and other real property documents for Chatham County are recorded with the Clerk of Superior Court at 133 Montgomery Street, 3rd Floor, Room 304, Savannah, GA 31401. Phone: 1-912-434-8970. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 10227, Savannah, GA 31412.
The Clerk of Superior Court charges $25 flat, regardless of page count.
Chatham County requires electronic recording through the GSCCCA eFile Portal; paper documents are not accepted.
Recording Office Record
Chatham County
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E-recording
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Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $25 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
O.C.G.A. 15-6-77(f)(1)(A)(i)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Georgia allows independent administrationO.C.G.A. § 53-7-1(b) (unanimous consent to the § 53-12-261 powers, without court authorization); § 53-7-33 (will may dispense with the inventory); § 53-7-69 (and the annual return)Verified 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 Georgia are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Chatham 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.
FirmSavannah, GA
A small, specialized firm located on Skidaway Island in Savannah providing estate planning and probate services including preparing probate petitions, coordinating with heirs and beneficiaries, and corresponding with the Chatham County Probate Court.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
Solo PracticeSavannah, GA
Has been helping people in Chatham County and surrounding communities plan for the future with estate planning services for more than 20 years.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationGuardianship
FirmSavannah, GA
Long-established Savannah firm guiding executors through the Georgia and South Carolina probate courts: filing the will, transferring assets to the estate, valuing the estate, and completing administration. Also litigates probate and will disputes and mediates among beneficiaries, with more than 70 years of combined trusts-and-estates experience.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateWills Trusts
FirmSavannah, GA
A boutique firm of estate planning attorneys in Savannah specializing in wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, fiduciary litigation, taxation, and business succession planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 2 more
FirmSavannah, GA
A Savannah estate planning and elder law firm, with a second office in Marietta, whose attorneys work only in estate planning and estate administration. Guides executors and beneficiaries through probate, including appointment of an executor or administrator, required public notices, creditor claims, and distribution of the estate, with fixed upfront pricing.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmAlbany, GA
An Albany firm founded in 1994 with offices in Valdosta, Tifton, and Savannah. Represents executors, administrators, trustees, and other fiduciaries through estate administration and probate, including accountings and asset transfers, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and estate disputes, along with guardianship and conservatorship proceedings.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 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 Georgia 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 Georgia: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Georgia.
Settling an estate in Georgia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysO.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-30, 53-7-31, 53-7-32, 53-7-33Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsO.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-40, 53-7-41, 53-7-42, 53-7-43, 9-3-36Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
Settling a trust in Georgia happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteO.C.G.A. § 53-12-1 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysO.C.G.A. §§ 53-12-242, 53-12-243, 53-12-307Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
In Georgia, informal probate is not availableO.C.G.A. § 53-5-15 ("Probate of a will may be in common form or in solemn form or both") — both are proceedings in the probate court; no registrar/clerk appointment trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Browse vetted Georgia 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 Georgia 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 Georgia 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.
