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Georgia probate guide

How to find out if an estate was probated in Georgia

The short answer

Start with the probate court in the county where the person lived when they died. Most Georgia counties are on one statewide site, georgiaprobaterecords.com. Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett are not on its estate search. Each has its own system or records desk. Search by name, try other spellings, and call the clerk before you decide nothing was filed.

By Georgia Probate Specialist team

On this page
  1. 01Start with the right county
  2. 02The statewide search site
  3. 03Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett
  4. 04When the court searches for you
  5. 05Reading what you find
  6. 06If nothing turns up
  7. 07What copies cost

Start with the right county

Start with the probate court in the county where the person lived when they died. The estate is everything they left. If the clerk there finds nothing, ask which county to try next.

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Probate is the court process that puts one person in charge of the estate. If it happened, there is a case file at that court.

The statewide search site

Georgia Probate Records, at georgiaprobaterecords.com, is a statewide site for probate courts. When we checked in October 2026, its estate search listed 94 counties.

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You can search by county, by the person's name, by a range of death dates, or by a range of filing dates.

Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett are not on its estate search list. Neither are Cherokee and Forsyth, among others. Check the county list on the site before you trust a blank result.

Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett

These four large metro counties keep their estate cases elsewhere. This is what we found in October 2026.

CountyWhere to lookGood to know
Fultonre:SearchGA, a court records search site. A free account lets you search.Copies of filed papers cost a fee per page.
CobbThe probate court's own case search and online docket, linked from its website.Call the court if a case you expect isn't there.
DeKalbThe court's site does not describe an online case search.Call Wills and Estates at (404) 371-3022.
GwinnettSome papers are on re:SearchGA. The court also takes records requests.Copies are $1 a page. The court lists a $10 fee for a staff estate search.

When the court searches for you

Some courts will look a name up for a small fee. Chatham charges $10 for research, and Henry charges $10 for a staff estate search. Fees vary by county, so ask the clerk first, along with what kinds of payment they take.

Reading what you find

A case list can show several kinds of estate cases. In Fulton, for example, the types include administration, wills, and wills filed but not probated. Another is No Administration Necessary, an order used when the heirs agree and no one needs to be put in charge.

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A will filed for safekeeping is not a probate case. It means the will was left with the court to hold.

A will filed but not probated means someone turned the will in, but no one asked the court to accept it. Georgia law requires the person holding a will to turn it in.

If the case shows letters, the court's paper naming who acts for the estate, that person is who to contact about it.

If nothing turns up

A blank search doesn't prove nothing was filed. A website can miss cases the court holds, and names get spelled many ways. Call the clerk and ask them to check the court's own files.

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If no estate was ever opened, the house and accounts may still be in your loved one's name.

Read next: Do you need probate?Read next: House still in a parent's name

What copies cost

Georgia law sets the probate court's copy fee at $1 a page. A certified copy of letters is $10. Some courts add a search fee on top.

Read next: What probate costs

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Is georgiaprobaterecords.com free?

Its estate search form opened without a sign-in when we checked. We did not test whether results or copies cost anything. Copies at the court run $1 a page under state law.

Why can't I find a case I'm sure was filed?

Try other spellings, and make sure you have the right county. The site you used may not cover that county. Then call the clerk, who can check the court's own files.

How do I find out who the executor is?

Look for the letters in the case file. They name the person the court put in charge. Ask the clerk for a copy if you can't see it online.

Does Fulton County use the statewide site?

Not for estate searches. Fulton estate cases show up on re:SearchGA, which takes a free account.

Where these facts come from13 sources

This page explains how things work. It is not legal advice. Each fact here comes from one of these sources.