The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for South Carolina with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
When the clock starts in South Carolina
The single fact that governs every other date on this page: in South Carolina the creditor-claim period runs from the date of first publication of the notice to creditors, capped by the first anniversary of the death.
This is not the same in every state. Some states run the period from the date of death, others from the date letters are issued to the personal representative, others from first publication of the notice to creditors. A deadline calculated from the wrong event is simply wrong, and a missed claim deadline is not curable.
South Carolina deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | South Carolina | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | Ninety days after appointment. The inventory and appraisement of probate property is filed with the court, and a copy mailed to interested persons who filed a demand for notice under §62-3-204. A separate list of nonprobate property is due within 90 days of an interested person's demand for one. The court may extend either deadline on the personal representative's application. | S.C. Code §62-3-706(A), (B), © |
| Creditor claim period | Eight months after the date of first publication of the notice to creditors, which runs once a week for three successive weeks — the longest published period in this dataset. A creditor given written notice by mail or delivery instead gets the earlier of one year from the decedent's death or 60 days from the mailing; a 2013 amendment changed that test from "whichever is later" to "whichever is earlier." No notice is required at all where no personal representative is appointed during the year following the death (§62-3-801(d)). | S.C. Code §62-3-801(a), (b) |
| Outer claim bar | One year after the decedent's death — and it works as a cap rather than a floor. §62-3-803(a) bars a claim unless presented within the earlier of one year after death or the applicable §62-3-801 notice period, so an eight-month published period that would otherwise run past the first anniversary of the death is cut short by it. The bar reaches nonprobate transferees as well as the estate, the personal representative, the heirs and the devisees. A claim already barred by the non-claim statute of the decedent's domicile before notice was given in South Carolina is barred here too (§62-3-803(b)). Claims arising at or after death run on their own schedule under §62-3-803©. | S.C. Code §62-3-803(a), (b) |
| Closing / final distribution | No fixed calendar deadline. The full accounting, proposal for distribution, and application for settlement are due at the later of three event-triggered dates: expiry of the time for a creditor to contest a disallowance under §62-3-806(a); the end of all legal proceedings commenced for allowance of a claim; and, where a state or federal estate tax return was filed, 90 days after receipt of the estate tax closing letter. | S.C. Code §62-3-1001(a) |
The inventory deadline, as written
Within ninety days after his appointment, a personal representative, who is not a special administrator or a successor to another representative who has previously discharged this duty, shall: (1) prepare an inventory and appraisement of probate property owned by the decedent at the time of his death, listing it with reasonable detail, and indicating as to each listed item, its fair market value as of the date of the decedent's death, and the type and amount of any encumbrance that may exist with reference to any item; (2) file the original of the inventory and appraisement with the court…
— S.C. Code §62-3-706(A), (B), ©
The creditor-claim period, as written
a personal representative upon his appointment must publish a notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county announcing his appointment and address and notifying creditors of the estate to present their claims within eight months after the date of the first publication of the notice or be forever barred.
— S.C. Code §62-3-801(a), (b)
What this page does not state
Where a figure is not recorded above, it is because it was not found in the statute cited — not because no deadline exists. Court rules, local rules, and standing orders set additional dates that are not part of the statutory text, and those are not reproduced here. Confirm every date against the South Carolina court handling the estate.
Sources
- Statutes: S.C. Code §62-3-706(A), (B), ©; S.C. Code §62-3-801(a), (b); S.C. Code §62-3-803(a), (b); S.C. Code §62-3-1001(a)
- Authority: South Carolina Legislature, S.C. Code of Laws Title 62 (scstatehouse.gov)
- Source URL: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t62c003.php
- Verified: 2026-08-17
Related South Carolina guides
- How Long Does Probate Take in South Carolina? — the overall timeline these deadlines sit inside.
- How much does probate cost in South Carolina? — the cost side.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in South Carolina? — compensation for the work.
- South Carolina Probate Fee Sheet — printable one-page reference.
- Executor Duties: The Complete Checklist — what the role involves.
Executor deadlines in other states
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This page reproduces South Carolina statutory deadlines as published at the time of verification. It is not legal advice. Statutes are amended, court rules impose additional dates, and application depends on the specific estate. Confirm every date with the South Carolina court or a licensed South Carolina attorney.