A Ballantyne solo practice in Charlotte serving Mecklenburg County, led by Janice L. Davies, an NC Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law. She takes personal representatives and trustees through estate and trust administration, prepares estate and income tax returns, and resolves will and trust conflicts through settlement agreements and caveats.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Union County, North Carolina
How probate works in Union County: the Clerk of Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Union County Clerk of Superior Court
Union County · Superior Court District 30
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Office
400 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112
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 Cashier's Office in the Union County Judicial Center: cash, credit or debit card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover; a processing fee applies), money order or certified check; personal checks are not accepted. By mail: money order or certified check made payable to Union County Clerk of Superior Court. Fees on documents filed through File & Serve are paid online in File & Serve.
P.O. Box 5038
Monroe, NC 28112
About the court
- The Union County 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 Union 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 Union County, probate runs through the Clerk of Superior Court at 400 North Main Street, Monroe. The court sits in the Superior Court District 30.
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 Union County
What probate costs in Union 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 400 North Main Street, Monroe. The court is part of the Superior Court District 30.
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 Union County, North Carolina are filed at the Clerk of Superior Court. The court sits in the Superior Court District 30.
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 Union 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 Union County
In North Carolina a death is registered locally, and in Union County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Union 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
Union County · Union County Register of Deeds
Phone
Office
500 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Order online
P.O. Box 248
Monroe, NC 28111
Local rule
- The office issues certified copies of deaths elsewhere in North Carolina from September 2023 on. An in-person request carries a valid state identification or driver's license, a military identification or a current passport.
Burial and cremation permits
- Issued byUnion County Register of Deeds
- Union County Human Services, Public Health Vital Records1-704-296-4853 · 2330 Concord Avenue, Monroe, NC 28110 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
State Medical Examiner
Union 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 Union 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 Union County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 500 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112. Phone: 1-704-283-3843.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 248, Monroe, NC 28111.
The Register of Deeds charges $26 for the first 15 pages plus $4 for each page beyond 15.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Union County
P.O. Box 248
Monroe, NC 28111
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 Union County
North Carolina uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Union 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 an Union 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.
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.
A Monroe general-practice firm serving Union, Anson, and Stanly counties since 1980. Its attorneys draft wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, and carry executors and administrators through the Clerk of Court filings North Carolina probate requires, including the 75-day creditor notice and the 90-day inventory. It also represents heirs in will caveats.
Serves the Lake Norman area and the Piedmont Triad from offices in Cornelius and Winston-Salem. Attorneys guide executors and trustees from the first probate filing to the final distribution — preparing court inventories and accountings, filing federal estate tax returns, and handling trust administration and irrevocable-trust modifications. The firm meets by phone and video as well as in person.
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)
- Union County Clerk of Superior Court, official page
- Union County Register of Deeds, official page
- Union 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.
Get the Answer
Hire a North Carolina Probate Attorney
Browse vetted North Carolina attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
