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GA · Probate Court

Georgia

Small-estate procedure under § O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40.
Verified 2026-05-04Structural test

Eligibility

Structural

No dollar threshold — eligibility is structural, not size-based.

Available when (1) decedent died intestate, (2) all heirs unanimously agree on division, (3) no debts exist or all creditors consent, (4) no personal representative previously appointed. Estate size does not gate eligibility.

01

Who is eligible to file

Georgia's no-administration procedure requires unanimity. All heirs must agree before the petition can proceed:

  • Decedent must have died intestate (no will)
  • All heirs must unanimously agree on division of the estate
  • No debts may exist, or all creditors must consent
  • No personal representative may have been previously appointed
02

What counts toward the threshold

There is no dollar threshold in this state. The following assets nevertheless do not enter the probate estate at all and pass outside of any small-estate procedure:

Joint tenancy property

Passes by right of survivorship.

Community property w/ ROS

Vests in surviving spouse.

Beneficiary-designated

Life insurance, IRAs, 401(k)s.

TOD / POD accounts

Bank, brokerage, vehicle titles.

Living trust assets

Distributed by the trust, not the will.

Wages owed to surviving spouse

Often a separate path.

Real property

Eligible — included in calculation

GPCSF 9 form instructions explicitly list real property as an asset to describe in the petition.

03

Where to file

File with the Probate Court in the county where the decedent resided at death.

We do not maintain a county-by-county directory. The Georgia judicial system operates an authoritative court locator.

Find your county’s Probate Court via the Georgia judicial council website. Search for “Georgia Probate Court county locator” or visit the state government court directory.

04

Form & statute

Form

  • GPCSF 9 Petition for Order Declaring No Administration Necessary
    Statewide standardized form issued by Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia.

Statute

§ O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40
https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/206841
order declaring no administration necessary