Serves Iredell County and the western Piedmont from downtown Statesville, the county seat, with a stated service area reaching Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Rowan, and Mecklenburg counties. The firm handles probate and estate administration, trust administration, guardianship, and Medicaid planning. It is a family-run firm practicing in Statesville since 1932, and consultations carry a fee.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Cabarrus County, North Carolina
How probate works in Cabarrus County: the Clerk of Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Cabarrus County Clerk of Superior Court
Cabarrus County · Superior Court District 25
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
61 Union Street South, Concord, NC 28025
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file estate documents through eCourts File & Serve. Self-represented filers may use File & Serve or file on paper at the clerk's office. The original will and any codicils are delivered to the clerk on paper and stay in the clerk's office. On paper: Self-represented filers may file on paper at the clerk's office; Original wills and codicils are delivered to the clerk on paper.
Self-represented filing
AllowedAn estate may be opened and administered without a lawyer. The statewide estate forms are on the Judicial Branch forms page.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Credit card, Debit card, Money order.In person at the Clerk of Superior Court office, Room 104: cash, credit or debit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover; a processing fee applies), money order or certified check; personal checks are not accepted, and the courthouse has a cash machine. By mail: money order or certified check made payable to Cabarrus County Clerk of Superior Court, to the attention of Bookkeeping. Fees on documents filed through File & Serve are paid online in File & Serve.
P.O. Box 70
Concord, NC 28026
About the court
- Courthouse security does not permit cell phones, knives of any size including pocket knives, scissors, firearms or mace, and bags may be searched. The courthouse has an eCourts public kiosk with a scanner, printer, payment services and access to File & Serve.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Cabarrus County
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 Cabarrus County, probate runs through the Clerk of Superior Court at 61 Union Street South, Concord. The court sits in the Superior Court District 25.
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 North Carolina intestacy law when there is no will.
Most North Carolina estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 3 monthsNCGS §§ 28A-14-1, 28A-19-1, 28A-19-3, 28A-19-6, 28A-19-16Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Cabarrus County
What probate costs in Cabarrus County, North Carolina 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 Clerk of Superior Court at 61 Union Street South, Concord. The court is part of the Superior Court District 25.
North Carolina charges $120 plus 0.4% of personal property, up to $6,120N.C.G.S. § 7A-307(a)(1), (1a), (2)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in North Carolina are negotiated, typically 2%Modeled estimate under N.C.G.S. § 28A-13-3(a)(19), § 28A-23-3(a) (attorney fees are a negotiated administration expense; no statutory schedule or percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Modeled estimate under N.C.G.S. § 28A-13-3(a)(19), § 28A-23-3(a) (attorney fees are a negotiated administration expense; no statutory schedule or 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.
North Carolina allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payN.C.G.S. § 28A-23-3 (clerk sets commission up to 5% on receipts/expenditures; no fixed schedule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
North Carolina 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 N.C.G.S. § 28A-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in North Carolina typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Clerk of Superior Court
Probate cases in Cabarrus County, North Carolina are filed at the Clerk of Superior Court. The court sits in the Superior Court District 25.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In North Carolina, informal probate is not availableN.C.G.S. § 28A-2-1 (clerk of superior court is ex officio judge of probate), § 28A-6-1 (single application for letters; no informal/formal election)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 Cabarrus County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Clerk of Superior Court: Evidence of the decedent’s death — a certified or authenticated copy of the death certificate is the first of four alternatives the clerk may accept; the NC Judicial Branch tells applicants to bring a certified death certificate (N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-6-1(c)); Original will and any codicils (offered for probate; AOC-E-201 / addendum AOC-E-309 for out-of-state probate) (N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-2A-1); Oath / Affirmation of the personal representative (AOC-E-400) (N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-7-1)N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-6-1 (application for & grant of letters), 28A-6-2 (letters without notice), 28A-2A-1 (probate of will); 28A-7-1 (oath required before letters issue)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Cabarrus County
In North Carolina a death is registered locally, and in Cabarrus County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Cabarrus County Register of Deeds as well as by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services - NC Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Register of Deeds
Cabarrus County · Cabarrus County Register of Deeds
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
65 Church Street South, Concord, NC 28025
Website
Order online
Fax
1-704-920-2898
Local rule
- The office issues certificates filed in Cabarrus County, and a certified copy requires identification.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
State Medical Examiner
Cabarrus County · North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Phone
1-919-743-9000 (option 3 for family inquiries)
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4312 District Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607
Website
Serves this county
North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Mail and offices
Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
3025 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-3025
Fax
1-919-743-9099
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Cabarrus County
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 Register of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Cabarrus County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 65 Church Street South, Concord, NC 28025. Phone: 1-704-920-2112. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $26 for the first 15 pages plus $4 for each page beyond 15.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Cabarrus County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
65 Church Street South, Concord, NC 28025
Website
Fax
1-704-920-2898
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 15 pages) | $26 |
| Each page beyond 15 | $4 |
| Non-Standard Document Fee | $25 |
NCGS 161-10(a)(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Cabarrus County
North Carolina uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Cabarrus County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in North Carolina are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Cabarrus County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Clerk of Superior 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.
A Huntersville solo practice serving the Lake Norman region and Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln, Cabarrus and Rowan counties, started by Michael K. Elliott in 2004. Its probate work advises executors of their rights and obligations — the estate inventory, the spousal allowance, creditor notice, the final accounting and distribution — and the firm also serves as executor or administrator itself.
Practicing in Concord since 1976 from a downtown office the firm describes as near the Cabarrus County Courthouse, and representing clients in Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly, Iredell and Union counties. The firm walks executors and court-appointed administrators through applying to the Clerk of Court for letters, notifying creditors and filing the final accounting, and also drafts wills and trusts.
Serves Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Union, Stanly, Iredell and Lincoln counties from an office on McCachern Boulevard in Concord. Attorney Michael R. Burgner handles probate and trust administration alongside wills, trusts and wealth-management planning. The firm traces to a Concord law office opened in 1896 and now lists twelve attorneys across estate, litigation, family and criminal practices.
A three-attorney family firm in Monroe, founded by Harry B. Crow, Jr. in his hometown, that takes executors through estate administration in Union County and also serves Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Stanly, and Anson counties. It prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, and handles will contests and other estate disputes. The Crow attorneys hold more than 75 years of combined legal experience.
Serves south Iredell and the Lake Norman area from Mooresville, with offices in Cornelius, Denver, and Kannapolis. Attorneys prepare wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and advance directives, alongside a heavy real estate closing practice. Its published practice pages cover planning and real estate only; probate and estate administration are not among the services it names.
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.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-6-1 (application for & grant of letters), 28A-6-2 (letters without notice), 28A-2A-1 (probate of will); 28A-7-1 (oath required before letters issue)
- N.C.G.S. § 28A-2-1 (clerk of superior court is ex officio judge of probate), § 28A-6-1 (single application for letters; no informal/formal election)
- N.C.G.S. § 28A-23-3 (clerk sets commission up to 5% on receipts/expenditures; no fixed schedule)
- N.C.G.S. § 7A-307(a)(1), (1a), (2)
- NCGS §§ 28A-14-1, 28A-19-1, 28A-19-3, 28A-19-6, 28A-19-16
- NCGS 161-10(a)(1)
- Cabarrus County Clerk of Superior Court, official page
- Cabarrus County Register of Deeds, official page
- Cabarrus County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from North Carolina statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in North Carolina
Free tools for settling an estate in North Carolina: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in North Carolina: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysN.C.G.S. §§ 28A-20-1, 28A-20-3, 28A-20-4Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsNCGS §§ 28A-14-1, 28A-19-1, 28A-19-3, 28A-19-6, 28A-19-16Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in North Carolina happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeN.C.G.S. § 36C-1-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In North Carolina, informal probate is not availableN.C.G.S. § 28A-2-1 (clerk of superior court is ex officio judge of probate), § 28A-6-1 (single application for letters; no informal/formal election)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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