Charleston County, South Carolina Court Filing
Fee Lookup

The Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston is the primary filing location for Charleston County's approximately 408,235 residents. As one of South Carolina's three largest jurisdictions by population, Charleston County's filing volume and court procedures reflect the county's specific character within South Carolina's Circuit Court (civil) / Family Court / Probate Court (county-level) / Magistrate Court (small claims).

Understanding local fee schedules before approaching the clerk's window prevents delays and unexpected costs.

Charleston County blends 350+ years of history with a booming tech corridor, major Boeing and Volvo manufacturing plants, a world-renowned culinary scene, and one of the East Coast's busiest ports. These local economic characteristics shape the types of legal proceedings filed in Charleston County — from probate of estates that include commercial property or business interests near Charleston to civil disputes arising from the county's primary industries.

The Charleston 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.

Charleston County is known for landmarks including Fort Sumter National Monument, Historic Charleston City Market, Rainbow Row. 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 Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston.

• Filing fees in Charleston County are based on South Carolina'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 — $50–$150 (Probate Court — per county)
• civil complaints and appearances — $150–$260 (Circuit Court) / $80–$100 (Magistrate Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $150–$260 (Family Court)
• small claims filings — $80–$100 (Magistrate Court / Small Claims). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston may include additional local charges.

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

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Charleston 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 South Carolina), 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 Charleston County, request the full fee schedule from the Charleston County Probate Court clerk in Charleston before initiating the proceeding.

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

For this major county, the Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston 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 Charleston County Probate Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Charleston 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 Charleston County Probate Court clerk's window in Charleston during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Charleston County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some South Carolina 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 Charleston County Probate Court in Charleston which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Charleston County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under S.C.
• Code Ann.
• § 8-21-310.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Charleston County Probate Court clerk's office in Charleston 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 Charleston 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 S.C.
• Code Ann.
• § 8-21-310 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Charleston County Probate Court clerk in Charleston for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Charleston County Probate Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Charleston 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.