Chatham County, Georgia Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Chatham County, Georgia — home to approximately 295,291 residents and in the top quarter of Georgia jurisdictions by population — handles court filings through the Chatham County Probate Court in Savannah. Georgia's court structure (Superior Court (civil/family) / Probate Court (estates — separate system) / Magistrate Court (small claims)) determines which courthouse accepts which case types and what fees apply.

For residents of Chatham County, the filing fee amounts depend on both the state's statutory schedule and any local surcharges added by the county.

Chatham County encompasses Savannah, one of America's most beautifully preserved historic cities, famous for its oak-lined squares and antebellum architecture. The port of Savannah is one of the busiest on the East Coast, driving the county's economy alongside tourism.

These local economic characteristics shape the types of legal proceedings filed in Chatham County — from probate of estates that include commercial property or business interests near Savannah to civil disputes arising from the county's primary industries. The Chatham County Probate Court handles the full range of case types for this community, with filing fees applying uniformly based on case type regardless of the underlying subject matter.

Chatham County is known for landmarks including Forsyth Park, River Street Historic District, Telfair Museums. For residents and businesses in the areas surrounding these community anchors, knowing the applicable filing fees and court procedures in advance helps legal matters proceed efficiently at the Chatham County Probate Court in Savannah.

• Filing fees in Chatham County are based on Georgia's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $65–$200 (Probate Court, varies by county)
• civil complaints and appearances — $195–$225 (Superior Court) / $45–$85 (Magistrate Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $195–$225 (Superior Court — Domestic Relations)
• small claims filings — $45–$85 (Magistrate Court small claims). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Chatham County Probate Court in Savannah may include additional local charges.

As one of Georgia's larger jurisdictions, Chatham County may assess higher local surcharges than the state's rural counties, reflecting the greater administrative cost of operating a high-volume court in Savannah.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Chatham County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Georgia), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in Chatham County, request the full fee schedule from the Chatham County Probate Court clerk in Savannah before initiating the proceeding.

Georgia has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Chatham County is among the jurisdictions where e-filing is more established.

For this major county, the Chatham County Probate Court in Savannah likely participates in the state's e-filing system, and represented parties in civil and family matters may be required to file electronically. Contact the Chatham County Probate Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Chatham County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Chatham County Probate Court clerk's window in Savannah during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Chatham County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some Georgia probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Chatham County Probate Court in Savannah which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Chatham County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under O.C.G.A.
• § 9-15-2.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Chatham County Probate Court clerk's office in Savannah at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in Chatham County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in O.C.G.A.
• § 9-15-2 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Chatham County Probate Court clerk in Savannah for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Chatham County Probate Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Chatham County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.