Probate in North Carolina · 100 counties

North Carolina Probate Courts

Estates here go through the Superior Court (Clerk of Superior Court - Ex-Officio Judge of Probate). Pick a county on the map or search below — each record shows where to file and where every detail comes from.

Small-estate limit

$20,000

Wait 30 days

Death taxes

None

No state death tax

Executor fee

≤ ~5%

Capped by statute

Handwritten wills

Valid

Unwitnessed, in testator’s hand

Plate · NC

Every North Carolina county, on one map

Population, low → high courthouse probate office checked

§ I

North Carolina probate rules

Court: Superior Court (Clerk of Superior Court - Ex-Officio Judge of Probate)In North Carolina, the elected Clerk of Superior Court in each of the 100 counties serves as the exclusive judge of probate for decedents' estates, wills, and trusts.
Small estates: $20,000 ($30,000 if surviving spouse is sole heir)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1 (Collection by Affidavit)
Filing the will: Must be filed with Clerk of Superior Court promptly; no fixed limit but 2-year notice guidelines
Creditor claims: Date stated in notice, at least 3 months after first publication or posting of notice to creditorsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-14-1 & § 28A-19-3
Executor fees: Discretionary allowance by Clerk of Superior Court up to a statutory ceiling of 5% of receipts and 5% of disbursementsN.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-23-3 · calculator
Estate tax: NoneNorth Carolina repealed its estate tax effective January 1, 2013.
Inheritance tax: NoneNo inheritance tax in North Carolina.
Typical duration: 6 to 12 months
Official courts site: nccourts.govCase search: North Carolina Judicial Branch Portal (eCourts / Odyssey)

Re-checked Sept 2026 against: ncleg.gov (statute) · ncleg.gov (statute)

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§ II · Register

All 100 counties

Sorted by population. office checked = probate office address/phone confirmed on the court's own website. courthouse mapped = located in OpenStreetMap.

#	County	Seat	Population	Record
1	Wake County	Raleigh	1,190,275	office checked
2	Mecklenburg County	Charlotte	1,163,701	office checked
3	Guilford County	Greensboro	549,866	courthouse mapped
4	Forsyth County	Winston-Salem	392,921	courthouse mapped
5	Cumberland County	Fayetteville	337,890	courthouse mapped
6	Durham County	Durham	336,892	courthouse mapped
7	Buncombe County	Asheville	275,901	courthouse mapped
8	Union County	Monroe	256,452	county site
9	Johnston County	Smithfield	241,955	courthouse mapped
10	Cabarrus County	Concord	240,016	courthouse mapped
11	New Hanover County	Wilmington	238,852	county site
12	Gaston County	Gastonia	237,242	courthouse mapped
13	Onslow County	Jacksonville	213,676	courthouse mapped
14	Iredell County	Statesville	199,710	courthouse mapped
15	Alamance County	Graham	179,165	courthouse mapped
16	Pitt County	Greenville	175,119	courthouse mapped
17	Davidson County	Lexington	174,804	courthouse mapped
18	Catawba County	Newton	164,645	courthouse mapped
19	Brunswick County	Bolivia	159,964	county site
20	Rowan County	Salisbury	151,661	courthouse mapped
21	Orange County	Hillsborough	150,626	courthouse mapped
22	Randolph County	Asheboro	147,458	courthouse mapped
23	Harnett County	Lillington	141,477	courthouse mapped
24	Henderson County	Hendersonville	119,230	courthouse mapped
25	Wayne County	Goldsboro	118,686	courthouse mapped
26	Robeson County	Lumberton	117,365	courthouse mapped
27	Moore County	Carthage	106,898	courthouse mapped
28	Craven County	New Bern	102,391	courthouse mapped
29	Cleveland County	Shelby	101,378	courthouse mapped
30	Nash County	Nashville	96,551	county site
31	Lincoln County	Lincolnton	95,675	courthouse mapped
32	Rockingham County	Wentworth	92,518	county site
33	Burke County	Morganton	88,338	courthouse mapped
34	Chatham County	Pittsboro	81,624	courthouse mapped
35	Caldwell County	Lenoir	80,574	courthouse mapped
36	Wilson County	Wilson	78,970	courthouse mapped
37	Franklin County	Louisburg	77,001	courthouse mapped
38	Surry County	Dobson	71,462	courthouse mapped
39	Carteret County	Beaufort	69,615	county site
40	Pender County	Burgaw	68,521	county site
41	Lee County	Sanford	67,059	courthouse mapped
42	Wilkes County	Wilkesboro	66,013	county site
43	Stanly County	Albemarle	65,699	courthouse mapped
44	Rutherford County	Rutherfordton	65,507	courthouse mapped
45	Haywood County	Waynesville	62,969	courthouse mapped
46	Granville County	Oxford	62,192	courthouse mapped
47	Sampson County	Clinton	59,601	courthouse mapped
48	Lenoir County	Kinston	54,895	county site
49	Watauga County	Boone	54,748	courthouse mapped
50	Hoke County	Raeford	54,446	courthouse mapped
51	Columbus County	Whiteville	50,121	courthouse mapped
52	Duplin County	Kenansville	49,520	courthouse mapped
53	Edgecombe County	Tarboro	48,832	courthouse mapped
54	Halifax County	Halifax	47,298	courthouse mapped
55	Stokes County	Danbury	45,532	courthouse mapped
56	McDowell County	Marion	44,893	courthouse mapped
57	Davie County	Mocksville	44,599	courthouse mapped
58	Jackson County	Sylva	44,574	courthouse mapped
59	Beaufort County	Washington	44,481	county site
60	Richmond County	Rockingham	42,324	county site
61	Vance County	Henderson	42,301	courthouse mapped
62	Pasquotank County	Elizabeth	41,444	courthouse mapped
63	Person County	Roxboro	39,737	courthouse mapped
64	Macon County	Franklin	38,412	courthouse mapped
65	Dare County	Manteo	38,110	courthouse mapped
66	Yadkin County	Yadkinville	37,774	courthouse mapped
67	Alexander County	Taylorsville	36,473	courthouse mapped
68	Scotland County	Laurinburg	34,376	courthouse mapped
69	Transylvania County	Brevard	33,549	courthouse mapped
70	Currituck County	Currituck	31,593	courthouse mapped
71	Cherokee County	Murphy	29,959	courthouse mapped
72	Bladen County	Elizabethtown	29,484	courthouse mapped
73	Ashe County	Jefferson	27,063	courthouse mapped
74	Montgomery County	Troy	26,085	courthouse mapped
75	Caswell County	Yanceyville	22,807	courthouse mapped
76	Madison County	Marshall	22,071	courthouse mapped
77	Anson County	Wadesboro	21,897	county site
78	Martin County	Williamston	21,447	courthouse mapped
79	Greene County	Snow Hill	20,530	courthouse mapped
80	Polk County	Columbus	20,060	courthouse mapped
81	Hertford County	Winton	19,453	courthouse mapped
82	Yancey County	Burnsville	18,938	courthouse mapped
83	Warren County	Warrenton	18,836	courthouse mapped
84	Avery County	Newland	17,561	courthouse mapped
85	Bertie County	Windsor	16,922	courthouse mapped
86	Northampton County	Jackson	16,715	courthouse mapped
87	Mitchell County	Bakersville	14,999	courthouse mapped
88	Swain County	Bryson	13,916	courthouse mapped
89	Chowan County	Edenton	13,891	courthouse mapped
90	Perquimans County	Hertford	13,377	courthouse mapped
91	Pamlico County	Bayboro	12,423	courthouse mapped
92	Clay County	Hayesville	11,864	county site
93	Alleghany County	Sparta	11,342	courthouse mapped
94	Camden County	Camden	11,137	courthouse mapped
95	Washington County	Plymouth	10,713	courthouse mapped
96	Gates County	Gatesville	10,343	courthouse mapped
97	Jones County	Trenton	9,401	courthouse mapped
98	Graham County	Robbinsville	8,052	courthouse mapped
99	Hyde County	Swan Quarter	4,607	courthouse mapped
100	Tyrrell County	Columbia	3,461	courthouse mapped

§ III

North Carolina probate questions

What is the small estate affidavit limit in North Carolina?

$20,000 ($30,000 if surviving spouse is sole heir) (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1 (Collection by Affidavit)). It can be used 30 days after death. Wait 30 days after death. Net personal property under $20,000 (or $30,000 if surviving spouse is sole heir). Real estate excluded.

How are executor and administrator fees calculated in North Carolina?

Discretionary allowance by Clerk of Superior Court up to a statutory ceiling of 5% of receipts and 5% of disbursements (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-23-3). Courts can award more for extraordinary services, such as running a business or litigation.

What is the creditor claim deadline for estates in North Carolina?

Date stated in notice, at least 3 months after first publication or posting of notice to creditors (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-14-1 & § 28A-19-3). Claims filed after the deadline are generally barred.

Does North Carolina recognize handwritten (holographic) wills?

Yes. North Carolina recognizes holographic wills if wholly in testator's handwriting, signed, and found among valuable papers (N.C.G.S. § 31-3.4).

Does North Carolina have a state estate tax or inheritance tax?

North Carolina has no state estate tax. There is no inheritance tax.