South Carolina Guardianship Court Forms: Every Form You Need and What It Does

Why the Forms Matter More Than You'd Think

South Carolina's guardianship forms are standardized by the state probate court system, which means the same form numbers work in Charleston, Greenville, Richland, and every other county. That's the good news. The bad news is that these forms are scattered across county probate court websites with minimal instructions, inconsistent formatting, and no clear indication of filing order or which forms are mandatory versus optional.

Filing the wrong form, missing a required form, or submitting forms out of sequence delays your case — and every week of delay is another week your incapacitated parent has no one legally authorized to manage their care or finances.

The Filing Sequence

South Carolina guardianship forms fall into three phases: initiating the case, supporting the case, and managing the appointment. Here's each form in the order you'll typically need it.

Phase 1: Initiating the Case

Form 520GC — Summons and Dual Petition for Guardian and Conservator

This is the primary filing document if you're seeking both guardianship (authority over the person) and conservatorship (authority over finances). It's the form most families file, because an incapacitated parent typically needs someone managing both their care decisions and their money.

The petition asks for: the alleged incapacitated individual's (AII's) personal information, current residence, medical condition, the names and addresses of all close relatives, the reason guardianship is needed, and information about the proposed guardian/conservator.

If you only need one type of authority, use Form 530GC (guardian of the person only) or Form 540GC (conservator only).

Form 524GC — Notice of Right to Counsel

This must be served on the AII along with the summons and petition. It formally notifies your parent that a guardianship proceeding has been filed against them and that they have the right to an attorney. If the AII wants a lawyer and can't afford one, the court will appoint one.

Phase 2: Proving Service and Capacity

Form 120PC — Proof of Delivery

After personally serving the AII and mailing certified copies to all co-respondents (close relatives), you file this form to show the court that everyone has been properly notified. Service must be completed within 120 days of the initial filing. The court won't schedule a hearing until this form is on file.

Form 539GC — Examiner Report and Affidavit Regarding Capacity

This form is completed by the two court-appointed medical examiners — at least one of whom must be a physician. Each examiner independently evaluates the AII's cognitive and physical capacity and fills out this affidavit. The completed forms must be filed with the court at least 48 hours before the hearing.

You don't fill out Form 539GC yourself, but you need to know it exists because you may need to coordinate the examinations. If the AII is in a care facility, you'll need to arrange access for the examiners. If the AII is living at home, you'll need to schedule the evaluation visits.

SLED Criminal History Report

Not a probate form, but a mandatory filing. You submit a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division background check ($25) for the proposed guardian or conservator. The court uses this to screen for criminal history that would disqualify the petitioner.

Consumer Credit Report

Also not a probate form, but required for conservatorship petitions. A current credit report for the proposed conservator demonstrates financial responsibility. Some counties (like Greenville) have specific local forms for submitting this information.

Phase 3: Post-Appointment Requirements

Form 550GC — Inventory and Appraisement

Due within 30 days of the conservator's appointment. This is a comprehensive inventory of every asset in the ward's estate — bank accounts, investments, real property, personal property, retirement accounts — with verified fair market values. The court uses this to establish the baseline against which all future financial reporting is measured.

Form 551PC — Restricted Account Agreement

An alternative to posting a surety bond. If the ward's liquid assets exceed $15,000, the conservator must either post a bond (equal to 1.5 times the liquid assets) or file this agreement with a bank to freeze the ward's accounts in a restricted arrangement. The restricted account approach avoids the annual bond premium, which comes out of the ward's estate.

Form 566GC — Conservator Financial Plan

A formal budget and management plan for the ward's assets. This shows the court how the conservator intends to manage income, pay expenses, and preserve the estate over time.

Form 534GC — Annual Guardian Report

Guardians file this annually, detailing the ward's physical health, mental status, residential situation, social activities, and any significant changes during the reporting period. The court uses this to verify that the guardian is fulfilling their duties.

Form 567GC — Annual Conservator Report

Conservators file this annually with a $10 filing fee. It's a detailed financial accounting showing every penny received and every penny spent, supported by bank statements and receipts. This is the most labor-intensive ongoing requirement — the court expects receipt-level documentation of all expenditures from the ward's estate.

County-Specific Variations

While the form numbers are standardized, individual counties may add local requirements:

Charleston County uses the EZ-Filing.net portal for electronic submissions. Copy fees are $0.50 per page, $5 for certified copies. The court requires the petitioner to hire an independent court reporter for the hearing.

Richland County accepts paper filings at their Main Street office. They host free monthly workshops to train new fiduciaries on probate reporting requirements and actively encourage restricted account agreements over surety bonds.

Greenville County integrates with the state CourtPlus Portal and publishes its own local instruction sheets. They require Greenville-specific forms (GrCoGC Forms B, C, D, and E) for submitting SLED and credit information, and provide a detailed local guideline (GrCoGC Form A) for assembling conservator reports.

Before filing, check your county's probate court website for any local supplemental forms or specific assembly instructions.

Where to Find the Forms

County probate court websites are the primary source: Richland County, Charleston County, Greenville County, and Lexington County all publish downloadable PDFs. The South Carolina Judicial Branch website provides some standardized forms, but county-specific versions are often more current.

The South Carolina Power of Attorney & Guardianship Kit includes a form-by-form assembly guide with the correct filing sequence, the specific information each form requires, and the common errors that cause courts to reject filings — so you don't learn the hard way that a missing SLED report or an improperly served Notice of Right to Counsel resets your timeline by weeks.

See more South Carolina guides →