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Berkeley County Probate Court SC Records, Estates, Forms, Marriage Licenses & Guardianships
Use this refreshed guide to find Berkeley County estate records, open an estate, probate a will, check small-estate rules, request marriage-license copies, understand guardianship and conservatorship, use official South Carolina probate forms, and avoid private record sites or wrong-county search paths.
Where Do Berkeley County Probate Court Questions Start?
Start with Berkeley County Probate Court in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The official Probate Court page lists services for estates, marriage licenses, mental health, alcohol and drug addiction, guardians, conservators and minor settlements. It also explains that Probate Court is both an administrative and judicial office.
The official location is 300-B California Avenue, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. The court lists office hours as 9am–5pm Monday through Friday. The primary Moncks Corner contact is (843) 719-4519, with Charleston and St. Stephen extension numbers also listed on the county page.
Choose the Berkeley County Probate Step You Actually Need
Most users do not need a generic probate explanation. They need one correct path: search an estate, open probate, use a small-estate affidavit, request a marriage-license copy, file guardianship, or find the right form before visiting.
Search Berkeley estate or probate case records
Estate case lookup, case number, case type, estate name, party search, judicial assistant or disposition status.
Use Berkeley County’s official Estates Lookup first; use SC Probate Search only if the county/case type is available there.
An online case listing is not the same as a certified copy, letters, court order or complete estate file.
How to Search Berkeley County Probate Records Without Getting Misrouted
Berkeley County probate users can easily land on Clerk of Court, Register of Deeds, Charleston County, Dorchester County, private people-search sites or Berkeley County, West Virginia pages. Use this order before paying for records or filing forms.
Confirm this is Berkeley County, South Carolina
This guide is for Berkeley County, SC Probate Court in Moncks Corner. It is not Berkeley County, West Virginia, Charleston County, Dorchester County or a municipal court search page.
Start with the official Probate Court page
Use the county Probate Court page to choose the right division: Estates, Guardianship/Conservatorship, Therapeutic, Marriage License, Forms & Documents, SC Courts Forms or PAWS Portal.
Use Berkeley Estates Lookup for estate searches
The official Estates Division links to Berkeley’s public probate case search. Search by case number, name, agency, case type, judicial assistant or disposition status when available.
Call the right estate clerk if you need copies or help
The Estates Division routes questions by case-number ending. If your case does not appear online, or if you need a certified copy, letters, order or archived file, call Probate Court or the clerk assigned to that number group.
Verify payment method and walk-in rules before visiting
The Estates Division says cash or check is required for estate fees and credit cards are not accepted. Walk-ins are listed 9–3:30 Monday through Friday, first come, first served, but you should still verify current rules before traveling.
Official Berkeley County Probate Court Links That Actually Help
These links are included because each one solves a real user task: estate lookup, opening an estate, marriage license, guardianship, therapeutic commitment, county forms or statewide South Carolina probate forms.
Opening an Estate or Probating a Will in Berkeley County
The official Estates Division page gives different requirements depending on whether the decedent had a will, no will, a small estate or no assets. Do not use a generic online probate checklist until you match your situation to the Berkeley County instructions.
All estate cases require these basics
Original death certificate
Berkeley County lists an original death certificate for all cases. Bring it or confirm the court’s current submission method before visiting.
Photo ID for anyone signing
Anyone executing documents must have valid picture identification. Do not send a relative to sign without verifying ID and authority requirements.
Cash or check for estate fees
The Estates Division says cash or check payable to Berkeley County is required and credit cards are not accepted for estate-fee payment.
Mailing or email addresses for all heirs
Prepare addresses for all heirs, whether the estate is testate or intestate. For minors, the Estates Division also asks for year of birth in listed scenarios.
Will, no-will, small-estate and no-assets paths
Small-estate warning: Berkeley County says a Small Estate Affidavit cannot be used if the decedent owned real estate. The page also asks for a zero-balance funeral bill receipt, property list, bank balances, vehicle/mobile-home/boat titles where applicable, fair-market-value proof and names/addresses of heirs and devisees.
Berkeley County Probate Records, Estate Lookup and Copy Help
An online record may help identify a probate case, but it does not replace certified copies, letters, orders or clerk-issued documents. Use the lookup to confirm the case, then contact Probate Court for the exact record or certification level needed.
Estate clerk routing by case-number ending
Estate clerk route
The Estates Division lists Kimberly Alteri at (843) 719-4512 for case numbers ending in 2, 5 or 8.
Estate clerk route
The Estates Division lists Jodi Privette at (843) 719-4525 for case numbers ending in 1, 6 or 9.
Estate clerk route
The Estates Division lists Wendy Coleman at (843) 719-4253 for case numbers ending in 4 or 7.
Estate clerk route
The Estates Division lists Pamela Hubbard at (843) 719-4563 for case numbers ending in 0 or 3.
Berkeley County Marriage License and Certified Copy Help
The Marriage License Division page has a major 2026 update: effective June 8, 2026, Berkeley County Probate Court no longer accepts mailed-in, in-person or dropped-off marriage-license applications. All marriage applications must be submitted online.
Online only
All transactions are completed online only. Requests submitted after 4:30 p.m. are processed the next business day.
$50 marriage-license fee
The official page lists a $50 filing fee and says cash, money order or credit/debit card is accepted.
24-hour South Carolina waiting period
The court states that South Carolina law requires a 24-hour waiting period after receipt of the marriage-license application.
SSN proof and photo ID
Both parties must provide Social Security number verification and valid photo identification, such as state ID, driver’s license, military ID, passport or visa.
18 or older only
Berkeley County says it does not issue marriage licenses to individuals under 18. A blood test is not required in South Carolina.
$5 per copy
Certified copies may be obtained after the original executed license is returned to the office. The page lists a $5 fee per copy.
Marriage-license planning tip: Berkeley County advises users to plan around the wedding date, court holidays and office hours. The page suggests beginning the process about two weeks in advance to avoid last-minute problems.
Berkeley County Guardianship, Conservatorship and Minor Funds
The Guardianship/Conservatorship Division explains that if an adult is incapacitated due to mental or physical impairment and cannot make health and welfare decisions, a guardian may be appointed. If the person cannot make financial decisions or manage financial affairs, a conservator may be appointed.
Health and welfare decisions
Use this path when an allegedly incapacitated adult may need someone to make personal, care or welfare decisions.
Money and property management
Use this path when an adult or minor may need someone appointed to handle finances, funds, property or court-supervised assets.
More than $15,000
The court states that if a minor receives more than $15,000, a conservator must be appointed to manage funds until the minor turns 18.
Reports, Guardian ad Litem and hearing
After medical reports and a visitor’s report are received, a Guardian ad Litem is appointed and a hearing is held to decide whether appointment is appropriate.
Legal advice warning: Guardianship and conservatorship cases involve rights, capacity, money, medical facts and court supervision. Berkeley County’s Probate Court page says clerks cannot give legal advice and recommends an attorney if legal assistance is needed.
Mental Health, Alcohol or Drug Addiction Court-Ordered Treatment Routing
The Therapeutic Division page says court-ordered treatment may be required if a person is considered mentally ill or addicted to alcohol or drugs. If the person is in imminent danger of harm to self or others, the application should be made at Berkeley County Mental Health Center. If it is not an emergency, the page directs mental-illness applications to BCMH Center and alcohol/drug addiction applications to Kennedy Center.
Imminent danger route
If imminent danger exists, the page points users to Berkeley County Mental Health Center for the application route.
BCMH contact
The page lists BCMH at (843) 761-8282 and 403 Stoney Landing Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.
Kennedy Center contact
The page lists Kennedy Center at (843) 719-3000 and 306 Airport Drive, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.
Safety note: This section is informational only. For immediate danger, emergency, medical, safety or crisis issues, contact local emergency services or the appropriate local mental-health/addiction agency directly.
Berkeley County Probate Forms, PAWS Portal and SC Probate Forms
Berkeley County links users to county Forms & Documents, the SC Judicial Branch Probate Court forms page and the PAWS Portal. Use official forms rather than old private templates or another South Carolina county’s packet.
Berkeley Forms & Documents
The county forms page lists Probate Court estate forms including Information Form, Documents Needed to Open an Estate, 120PC, 300ES, 302ES, 344ES and SCCA401PC.
SC Judicial Branch Probate Forms
The SC forms page can be filtered by Probate Court and includes common estate and protective-proceeding forms such as 300ES, 420ES, 542GC, 361ES and related forms.
PAWS / hosted portal
Use Berkeley’s linked hosted portal only when the county directs you there for online forms, resident portal steps, marriage applications or records tasks.
Form quality tip: Match the form to the task. Probate of will, appointment, small-estate affidavit, accounting, conservatorship, guardianship and marriage-license copy requests are not interchangeable.
Berkeley County Probate Court Address, Phone and Visit Checklist
Before visiting, call or check the official page if you need to confirm walk-in status, drop-box use, payment method, required forms, original-document rules, certified copies, marriage-license copy status or guardianship/conservatorship routing.
Official court details
Address:
300-B California Avenue
Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Hours: 9am–5pm Monday–Friday
Moncks Corner: (843) 719-4519
Charleston: (843) 723-3800 ext. 4519
St. Stephen: (843) 567-3136 ext. 4519
Fax: (843) 719-4527
Prepare these details
- Case number, estate name, decedent name or marriage-license parties.
- Original death certificate, original will or valid ID if required.
- Cash/check for estate fees; do not assume credit cards are accepted for estate filings.
- Names, addresses and emails for heirs, devisees or required parties.
- Exact document needed: certified copy, letters, order, filed copy, marriage-license copy or form.
Drop-box note: The main Probate Court page says a drop box is located at the front of the courthouse for documents to be filed between 9 and 4. Verify current drop-box rules and whether your specific document may be left there before using it.
Map to Berkeley County Probate Court in Moncks Corner
Use this map for general direction planning only. Confirm office hours, court holidays, estate walk-in limits, online marriage-license rules, payment method and document requirements before traveling.
Berkeley County Probate Court
Address: 300-B California Avenue, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Berkeley County Probate Court Mistakes That Waste Time
Using Berkeley County, West Virginia
This page is for Berkeley County, South Carolina. West Virginia probate records use a different court system and different offices.
Assuming SC Probate Search covers every case
Use Berkeley’s official Estates Lookup first. SC Probate Search is useful only when the needed county and case type are available in that tool.
Bringing a credit card for estate fees
The Estates Division says credit cards are not accepted for estate fees. Prepare cash or check payable as directed.
Trying to mail or drop off a marriage application
Effective June 8, 2026, Berkeley says marriage-license applications must be submitted online, not mailed, dropped off or submitted in person.
Useful Related ProbateCourtUSA.org Guides
These internal links help South Carolina probate users compare official court paths, estate lookup, forms, copy rules, marriage-license routing and probate office details. For Berkeley County action, still use the official Berkeley County links above.
Berkeley County Probate Court SC FAQs
Where is Berkeley County Probate Court located?
Berkeley County Probate Court is listed at 300-B California Avenue, Moncks Corner, SC 29461.
What is the phone number for Berkeley County Probate Court?
The official Probate Court page lists Moncks Corner phone (843) 719-4519, Charleston (843) 723-3800 ext. 4519, St. Stephen (843) 567-3136 ext. 4519, and fax (843) 719-4527.
What are Berkeley County Probate Court office hours?
The official page lists office hours as 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Estate walk-ins are listed separately as 9–3:30 Monday through Friday, first come, first served.
How do I search Berkeley County estate records?
Use Berkeley County’s official Estates Lookup linked from the Estates Division page. Search by case number, names or available case fields. Contact Probate Court if you need certified copies or cannot find the record online.
What do I need to open an estate in Berkeley County?
All cases require an original death certificate, valid picture ID for anyone executing documents, cash or check for fees, and mailing or email addresses for all heirs. More items are required depending on whether there is a will, no will, small estate or no assets.
How much is the Berkeley County will or no-will estate fee?
The Estates Division page lists a $25 cash/check fee for will and no-will estate scenarios. A no-assets case with an original will is listed at $50. Verify the current amount before filing.
Does Berkeley County accept credit cards for estate filings?
The Estates Division page states that credit cards are not accepted for estate fees and lists cash or check payable to Berkeley County.
What is the Berkeley County small-estate rule?
The Estates Division says you must wait 30 days after the date of death. If the estate, minus liens and encumbrances, is valued at less than $45,000, it may qualify. A Small Estate Affidavit cannot be used if the decedent owned real estate.
How do Berkeley County marriage-license applications work in 2026?
Effective June 8, 2026, Berkeley County Probate Court says all marriage-license applications must be submitted online. Mailed, in-person and dropped-off applications are no longer accepted.
How much is a Berkeley County marriage license or certified copy?
The Marriage License Division page lists a $50 marriage-license filing fee and $5 per certified copy after the executed license has been returned to the office.
When is a conservator required for a minor in Berkeley County?
The Guardianship/Conservatorship Division states that if a minor receives more than $15,000, a conservator must be appointed to manage the funds until the minor reaches age 18.
Can Berkeley County Probate Court staff give legal advice?
No. The Probate Court page says clerks cannot give legal advice and recommends seeking an attorney if legal assistance is needed.
Best Next Step for Berkeley County Probate Court Help
Use this order: confirm the record belongs to Berkeley County, South Carolina; open the official Probate Court page; choose the right division; use Estates Lookup for estate searches; verify required documents, payment method and walk-in rules; and contact Probate Court before filing, paying, mailing documents or requesting certified copies.
This page is an independent informational guide published for ProbateCourtUSA.org. It is not Berkeley County Probate Court, Berkeley County Government, the South Carolina Judicial Branch, a court office, a government agency or a law firm. Always verify official matters directly with Berkeley County Probate Court or a qualified South Carolina probate attorney before acting.