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Charleston County Probate Court Records, Estate Search, Forms, Fees & Division Help
Use this guide to find the correct Charleston County, South Carolina Probate Court path for estate records, wills, certified copies, estate filings, guardianship, conservatorship, marriage-license records, court fees, forms, division addresses, phone numbers and official search links.
Where Should You Start for Charleston County Probate Court Records?
Start with Charleston County Probate Court and the Charleston Probate Search tool. The official county page lists Probate Court functions including probating estates, resolving estate and trust disputes, commitments, marriage licenses, guardianships, conservatorships, minor and wrongful death settlements. It also separates Estate, Commitment, Guardianship/Conservatorship and Marriage License division routes.
For estate administration and wills, the Estate Division is listed at the Historic Courthouse, 84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, SC 29401, phone 843-958-5030. Commitment and guardianship matters are listed at the Judicial Center, 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, phone 843-958-5180. Marriage-license services use the same Judicial Center suite and list phone 843-958-5183.
Official Site Screenshot: Charleston County Probate Court
This screenshot is included so readers can visually confirm they are on the official Charleston County Probate Court page before using links, forms, addresses or search tools. Use the screenshot as a trust cue, then use the clickable official links below for live information.
How to use this official page: confirm whether your task belongs to Estate Division, Commitment & Guardianship, Marriage License, Probate Search, Forms & Instructions, or Fee Schedule before calling or filing. The screenshot is only a visual reference; use the official links for current details.
Choose the Charleston County Probate Step You Actually Need
Probate search intent is not always one thing. Some users need a case number; others need letters, a certified copy, a death-certificate checklist, a fee amount, guardianship help or marriage-license records. Pick the closest task below.
Search Charleston probate case records
Estate name, party name, case number, filing date, type of case, appointment date, creditor claim due date and case status-style lookup.
Start with Charleston Probate Search, then contact the Estate Division if you need documents, copies or certified records.
Online case information may not equal a certified record, complete estate file or usable letter for banks and title companies.
Official Charleston County Probate Court Path
Charleston County Probate Court is not just one record-search page. The official court page lists probate functions and separates divisions. That matters because estate administration, guardianship, commitment matters, marriage licenses and court-certified documents can use different contact points, phone numbers and office hours.
Estates, wills and letters
Use this path for estate administration, probate of wills, personal representative questions, estate records, estate search, opening an estate and estate appointments.
Protected-person matters
Use this path for guardianship, conservatorship, involuntary commitment and other sensitive Probate Court matters involving protected individuals.
Marriage applications and copies
Use this path for Charleston County marriage-license applications, certified marriage-license copies and marriage-license search questions.
How to Search Charleston County Probate Court Records
Use Charleston Probate Search first when your goal is to locate a case. Search results can show fields such as case number, case name, party, type of case, filing date, county, appointment date, creditor claim due date and case status. For certified copies, letters or complete estate records, use the search result to contact the Estate Division with better details.
Search by case number when possible
A case number is usually cleaner than a name-only search. If you do not have one, use last name, business name, first name, middle name, all parties or case-name options.
Confirm the record is Charleston Probate
Do not confuse Charleston Probate with Circuit Court, Family Court, Magistrate Court, Municipal Court, another South Carolina county or a private record directory.
Open the result details carefully
The search page tells users to click the gray plus to expand the grid and view details. Review the case name, party, type of case and case status before requesting copies.
Contact the division for official documents
If you need a certified copy, letters, a full estate file, a sealed record review, a certified marriage copy or an original court document, contact the proper division directly.
Opening an Estate or Probating a Will in Charleston County
The official Estate Division page gives a practical estate-opening workflow. For informal estate administration, it points to Application/Petition Form 300ES and says the form is filed in the Probate Court in the county where the decedent was a permanent resident. It also explains that no hearing is required for informal probate or informal appointment, while formal probate or appointment may require attorney help.
Documents and steps that users should prepare
Application / petition
Start here for informal administration or formal petition for probate of will or appointment. Use the statewide SC form and Charleston County instructions together.
Certified death certificate
Charleston’s estate materials include certified death certificate requirements. Bring or prepare official documentation before trying to open the estate.
Publication matters
Charleston County explains that creditor notice publication is handled by the Probate Court and runs once a week for three weeks when required.
90-day inventory deadline
The Estate Division page says Inventory and Appraisement Form 350ES must be filed within 90 days after appointment, unless an extension is requested before the due date.
Filing caution: Do not file using another county’s packet, an old PDF, or a private template. Charleston County may have local workflow steps for advertising fees, bond, renunciations, fiduciary letters, certificates of appointment, real-property distribution and settlement documents.
Charleston County Probate Court Fees, Copies and Certification Costs
The official Probate Court fee schedule says estate and conservatorship fees are based on the gross value of probate assets under South Carolina Code Section 8-21-770(B). Treat these as planning numbers only, then verify the exact total with Charleston County Probate Court before filing or paying.
Estate and conservatorship value-based fee tiers
Other fee-schedule items users often miss
Fee warning: Creditor notice or other legal-advertisement costs are in addition to prescribed court costs and are due before publication. The Estate Division page also explains that advertisement cost can depend on the newspaper selected. Always confirm before paying.
Charleston County Probate Forms and South Carolina Probate Court Forms
The South Carolina Judicial Branch provides statewide Probate Court forms. Charleston County users should use the statewide form list and then verify local Charleston County filing instructions before filing, especially for estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship, settlement, creditor notice, affidavit or certified-copy matters.
Certified Copies, Estate Documents and Probate Record Requests
Online search is useful for locating a record, but official use often requires a court-issued document. Banks, title companies, insurance carriers, attorneys, heirs, fiduciaries and government agencies may ask for certified letters, certificates of appointment, certified estate records, copies of orders or settlement documents.
Ask for the exact document
Use case number, estate name, decedent name and filing year. Ask whether you need letters, a certified estate record, an order, a will copy or a full file copy.
Search may not show everything
Older wills, estate records, microfilm copies or historic probate materials may require direct court, archive or library research rather than the modern search page.
Not all details are public
Guardianship, conservatorship, commitment, minor, medical, sealed or protected-person records may not be fully visible through public search.
Copies may cost extra
The fee schedule lists copy and certification items. Confirm current cost, payment method and delivery options before ordering.
Charleston County Guardianship, Conservatorship and Commitment Information
Charleston County lists the Commitment & Guardianship Division at the Judicial Center, 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, Charleston, SC 29401. The listed phone is 843-958-5180 and the official page shows office hours Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 5PM for that division.
Care and personal decisions
Use this route for guardian appointment and court-supervised personal care decisions involving a protected or incapacitated person.
Money and property
Use this route for appointment or reporting related to money, assets, property, accounts and financial management for a protected person.
Sensitive court matters
Commitment-related Probate Court matters may involve restricted information. Contact the division before assuming records are searchable online.
Charleston County Marriage Licenses and Marriage Records
Charleston County Probate Court also handles marriage-license functions. The official Probate Court page lists the Marriage License Division at the Judicial Center, 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, Charleston, SC 29401. It lists phone 843-958-5183 and hours Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM.
Use marriage-license division
Marriage-license questions should not be routed to the Estate Division. Use the Marriage License Division page or phone line for application and certified-copy questions.
Marriage and estate searches differ
Marriage license records and estate probate records may use different search paths. Choose the correct record type before ordering copies.
Official Charleston County Probate Court Links
Use these links after you understand your task. They are included for practical action: search cases, check official division pages, use statewide probate forms, review the fee schedule, and confirm addresses or phone numbers.
Charleston County Probate Court Map and Division Locations
Charleston County Probate Court uses more than one division location. Estate Division matters are listed at 84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor. Commitment, guardianship and marriage-license divisions are listed at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469. Confirm the correct division before visiting.
Historic Courthouse
84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-958-5030
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-5PM
Guardianship / Marriage
100 Broad Street, Suite 469
Charleston, SC 29401
Guardianship phone: 843-958-5180
Marriage phone: 843-958-5183
Estate Division — Historic Courthouse
Address: 84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, SC 29401
Why a Charleston County Probate Case May Not Show Online
No search result does not automatically mean no probate file exists. Try these checks before paying a private record site or assuming there is no estate case.
Wrong court type
The case may belong to Probate Court, Circuit Court, Family Court, Magistrate Court, Municipal Court or another county.
Name mismatch
Try decedent name, estate name, business name, fiduciary name, all-party search, case-name search or alternate spelling.
Older file
Older probate records may require direct court, library, archive or microfilm research rather than a modern online search.
Restricted matter
Guardianship, conservatorship, commitment, minor, medical or sealed details may not be fully public.
Recently opened estate
A newly opened estate, notice, appointment or case update may not be reflected in search results immediately.
Need official copy
The online result may identify a file, but the court may still need to issue certified copies, letters or certificates.
Useful Related ProbateCourtUSA.org Guides
These internal links are included because they help South Carolina probate users compare court search, forms, fees, estate and guardianship workflows across nearby or related SC probate pages. For Charleston action, still use the Charleston official links above.
Charleston County Probate Court FAQs
Where is Charleston County Probate Court located?
Charleston County Probate Court has multiple division locations. The Estate Division is listed at 84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, SC 29401. Commitment, guardianship and marriage-license divisions are listed at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, Charleston, SC 29401.
How do I search Charleston County probate records?
Use Charleston Probate Search for case-number and name-based lookup. Results may include case number, case name, party, type of case, filing date, county, appointment date, creditor claim due date and case status.
What is the phone number for Charleston County Probate Court Estate Division?
The official Probate Court page lists the Estate Division phone number as 843-958-5030 and fax as 843-958-5044.
Where do I file Charleston County estate documents?
Estate administration and will-related filings are handled through the Estate Division at the Historic Courthouse, 84 Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Charleston, SC 29401. Verify the current filing method before mailing or visiting.
What form starts an estate in Charleston County?
The Estate Division page points users to Form 300ES, Application / Petition for Probate of Will or Appointment, for informal administration or formal petition. Confirm local requirements with Charleston County Probate Court before filing.
How much does Charleston County probate cost?
The official fee schedule uses value-based tiers for estate and conservatorship proceedings, starting at $25 for probate assets under $5,000 and increasing by value. Other fees include copy, certification, filing will for record, marriage-license and conservatorship-accounting items. Verify current totals before paying.
Does Charleston County Probate Court handle guardianship and conservatorship?
Yes. The Probate Court page lists guardianship and conservatorship functions and identifies the Commitment & Guardianship Division at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, phone 843-958-5180.
Where can I find South Carolina probate forms?
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch Probate Court forms page, then confirm any Charleston County local instructions with Probate Court before filing.
Does Charleston County Probate Court issue marriage licenses?
Yes. Charleston County lists the Marriage License Division at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, phone 843-958-5183, with listed hours Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM.
Can court staff give legal advice about probate?
Court staff can provide information and assistance to the extent allowed by South Carolina law, but they cannot provide legal advice. For case-specific legal decisions, consult a South Carolina probate attorney.
Best Next Step for Charleston County Probate Help
For Charleston County Probate Court searches, start with the correct division. Use Charleston Probate Search for case lookup, the Estate Division for estate files and wills, the official fee schedule for costs, SC Judicial Branch forms for probate paperwork, and the Marriage License or Guardianship division only when your record type belongs there.
This page is an independent informational guide published for ProbateCourtUSA.org. It is not Charleston County Probate Court, Charleston County Government, South Carolina Judicial Branch, a court office, or a law firm. Always verify urgent or official matters directly with the appropriate court office or a qualified South Carolina attorney.