Beaufort County Probate Court Records
Beaufort County Probate Court handles estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage licenses, involuntary commitments, and related probate court business. Probate Judge Heather R. Galvin is listed in the research, with Associate Judges Lindsay A. Sutcliffe and Haley G. Finneran. Probate Court is separate from Circuit Court, Family Court, Magistrate Court, and Municipal Court. That matters because an estate, guardianship, or conservatorship record should not be requested from the Clerk of Court unless another court file is involved.
The South Carolina Probate Court overview confirms the statewide Probate Court role for estates, guardianships, marriage licenses, and commitments.
The state overview supports the local split between Probate Court records and other Beaufort County court records.
Beaufort County Probate Terms
Probate filings use terms that are precise but easy to mix up. These definitions help identify the right record type before using the public index or calling the court. A term may also affect fees, required forms, and whether the case is open to ordinary public inspection.
- Testator
- A person who made a will.
- Executor
- A person named to carry out a will, often called a personal representative in probate practice.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will, which changes how estate property is handled.
- Guardianship
- A court-supervised personal-care arrangement for a minor or incapacitated person.
- Conservatorship
- A court-supervised financial management arrangement for a protected person.
Search Beaufort County Probate Records
The Beaufort probate public index provides online search paths for probate cases and parties. The research captured separate search areas for cases and parties, with agency choices for Beaufort County Estates and Beaufort County guardianship/conservatorship records. Search results depend on the available fields and the record's public status.
The Beaufort probate public index is the county's online probate case and party search.
The public index is the right first stop for case numbers, party names, and open-status checks before requesting copies or filing papers.
- Open the Beaufort probate public index.
- Choose Search Cases or Search Parties based on what information is known.
- Select the agency, such as Beaufort County Estates or Beaufort County G/C.
- Enter case number, party name, case type, party type, or status filters when known.
- Contact Probate Court for certified copies, filing guidance, or records not available online.
Beaufort County Probate Index Fields
The probate index field inventory is one of the most useful details for record search. A case search works best when a case number or exact decedent or party name is known. A party search can help when the case number is unknown. The captured disposition filters include All and Open, which helps separate active matters from broader historical search results.
| Search Area | Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Search Cases | Agency | Dropdown | Yes | Beaufort County Estates; Beaufort County G/C. |
| Search Cases | Case No. | Text | No | Official probate case number. |
| Search Cases | Case Type | Dropdown | No | Probate case type; exact options not fully exported. |
| Search Cases | Last Name / First Name | Text | No | Party or decedent name fields. |
| Search Cases | Disposition Status | Dropdown | No | All or Open. |
| Search Parties | Agency | Dropdown | Yes | Beaufort County Estates; Beaufort County G/C. |
| Search Parties | Last Name / First Name | Text | No | Party surname and given name. |
| Search Parties | Party Type | Dropdown | No | Role filter; exact options not fully exported. |
Beaufort County Probate Offices
Beaufort County has a main Probate Court office and two south-county service points. Probate meetings and court business are by appointment. The research also notes that some satellite offices are not equipped to write receipts, open new estates, or process filings, so users should confirm the right office before bringing original estate papers or payment.
Beaufort Main Office
102 Ribaut Road
Beaufort, SC 29902
843-255-5850
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; building closes to public at 4:30 p.m.
Hilton Head Island Satellite
539 William Hilton Parkway
Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
843-255-5866
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; closed to public at 4:30 p.m.; lunch 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
Bluffton Satellite
4819 Bluffton Parkway, Myrtle Park Building, 3rd Floor
Bluffton, SC 29910
843-255-5872
8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; lunch 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.
Beaufort County Estate Filings
County estate-administration pages direct users to official statewide probate forms from the South Carolina Judicial Branch. Estate work may include informal probate, will filing, appointment of a personal representative, creditor notices, collection by affidavit, certified copies, and estate-value-based filing fees. Probate Court should be contacted for appointment and filing guidance, especially when opening a new estate or when the correct form path is not clear.
The Beaufort Probate Court estate administration page points users to official statewide probate forms.
The estate administration page is the local bridge between Beaufort County Probate Court and statewide probate forms.
Beaufort County Guardianship Records
Guardianship and conservatorship matters are part of the Probate Court workload. These files may involve minors, incapacitated adults, protected-person finances, accountings, and court orders. Public access can be more limited than ordinary estate records because protected-person and medical details may be sensitive or confidential. The public index has a Beaufort County G/C agency choice, but not every detail in a guardianship or conservatorship file should be expected online.
The Beaufort Probate guardianships and conservatorships page links users to required forms.
That county page is the better starting point when the probate matter concerns care or finances for a protected person rather than estate administration.
Beaufort County Probate Fees
Probate filing fees vary by the service requested and, for estates, by estate value. Filing fees must be by check or money order when required. Certified copies, exemplified copies, estate filings, will indexing, conservatorship accountings, collection by affidavit, and formal petitions each have separate fee entries.
The Beaufort Probate Court fee schedule is the official county fee source.
The fee schedule should be checked before filing because estate-value brackets and copy types change the amount owed.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified copy issuance | $5.00 |
| Photocopy by staff | $0.50/page |
| Public copies | $0.30/page |
| Exemplified/authenticated copy issuing | $20.00 |
| Informal probate, no appointment | $25.00 |
| Will filed/indexed | $10.00 |
| Demand for notice filing | $5.00 |
| Conservatorship accounting filing | $10.00 |
| Petitions/formal testacy/appointment and similar probate petitions | $150.00 |
| Notice to Creditors publication | $45.00 additional |
Estate Value Fee Brackets
Estate filing fees depend on the value of the estate. The research captured several fixed brackets and percentage-based brackets. These fees are not the same as copy fees. A person opening an estate should confirm the estate value, creditor-notice needs, and any required forms before appearing for an appointment.
| Estate Value / Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Estate under $5,000 | $25.00 |
| Estate under $20,000 | $45.00 |
| Estate under $60,000 | $67.50 |
| Estate under $100,000 | $95.00 |
| Estate under $600,000 | $95 plus .15% of value between $100,000 and $600,000 |
| Estate $600,000 or higher | $95 plus .15% between $100,000-$600,000 and .25% over $600,000 |
| Collection by affidavit: $20,000 to $25,000 | $67.50 |
Beaufort County Probate Access Limits
The South Carolina Probate Code Article 3 supplies the estate-administration framework for probate of wills and estate matters. Probate records are not all public in the same way. Involuntary commitments can involve mental-health details. Guardianship and conservatorship cases can involve protected-person information. Sealed or restricted filings may not be available through the public index or ordinary copy request.
The Probate Code is the legal framework, while Beaufort County Probate Court controls local filing, copy, appointment, and public-index access.