Can You Self-File Probate in Richland County, South Carolina?
Find out if you can handle probate yourself, see estimated cost savings vs. hiring an attorney, and get a step-by-step filing checklist.
Frequently Asked Questions
South Carolina has no standardized statewide probate form, so the opening petition filed in Richland County must be drafted as a formal legal pleading. Most self-filers in this situation work with an attorney, though qualifying small estates are simpler to handle. The estate settlement plan tracks each Richland County filing step alongside the estate's accounts and deadlines.
File at the Probate Court, Richland County Judicial Center, 1701 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 207, Columbia, SC 29201. Phone: 803-576-1984. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
Richland County doesn't offer probate e-filing. Confirm paper or mail filing rules with the Probate Court.
You can technically file without a lawyer, but South Carolina has no standardized statewide probate form — the opening petition must be drafted as a formal legal pleading.S.C. Code § 62-3-719 (PR compensation, 5% cap, $50 min), § 62-1-111 (attorney fees), § 62-3-1201 (small estate affidavit — $45K cap on the ENTIRE probate estate less liens and encumbrances, so real property counts toward it; collects personal property only; 30-day wait; probate-judge approval and probate-court filing required per (a)(5)-(6); form SCCA 420ES also requires no interest in real property), § 62-3-1203 (summary administration — $45K PLUS exempt property, administration costs, funeral and last-illness medical expenses; (b) no dollar cap for a sole-devisee/sole-heir PR; requires an appointed PR), § 62-3-603 (bond not required by default in 4 enumerated cases; § 62-3-605 demand for bond), § 62-3-801(a) (8-month publication notice), § 62-3-803 (creditor claims — earlier of 1 year from death or § 62-3-801(a) period), § 62-3-203 (PR priority order), § 8-21-770(B) (graduated probate court fee schedule: $25 / $45 / $67.50 / $95 tiers, +0.15% over $100K, +0.25% over $600K); 2025 Act No. 26 / H.3472 (small estate + exempt property thresholds raised from $25K to $45K, eff. May 8, 2025). Verified against scstatehouse.gov 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026 Most people in this situation work with an attorney, though small-estate procedures remain simpler to handle independently.
Court filing fees in South Carolina vary by county.S.C. Code § 62-3-719 (PR compensation, 5% cap, $50 min), § 62-1-111 (attorney fees), § 62-3-1201 (small estate affidavit — $45K cap on the ENTIRE probate estate less liens and encumbrances, so real property counts toward it; collects personal property only; 30-day wait; probate-judge approval and probate-court filing required per (a)(5)-(6); form SCCA 420ES also requires no interest in real property), § 62-3-1203 (summary administration — $45K PLUS exempt property, administration costs, funeral and last-illness medical expenses; (b) no dollar cap for a sole-devisee/sole-heir PR; requires an appointed PR), § 62-3-603 (bond not required by default in 4 enumerated cases; § 62-3-605 demand for bond), § 62-3-801(a) (8-month publication notice), § 62-3-803 (creditor claims — earlier of 1 year from death or § 62-3-801(a) period), § 62-3-203 (PR priority order), § 8-21-770(B) (graduated probate court fee schedule: $25 / $45 / $67.50 / $95 tiers, +0.15% over $100K, +0.25% over $600K); 2025 Act No. 26 / H.3472 (small estate + exempt property thresholds raised from $25K to $45K, eff. May 8, 2025). Verified against scstatehouse.gov 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026 Self-filing costs typically include the court petition fee, publication costs, and bond premiums. The filing fee is a fraction of total probate costs. See a full breakdown with the South Carolina probate calculator.
Sources
Data sourced from Probate Court primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.
Self-File Probate Assessment in Nearby Counties
- More South Carolina counties: Pickens County (Pickens) · Saluda County (Saluda)
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