Use This County Probate Reference Before You File
This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Register of Wills and Orphans' Court contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for York County.
Local Fee Schedule
Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.
Court Rules and Orders
Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.
Clerk and Filing Logistics
Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.
York County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court Guide
York County Court of Common Pleas · Register of Wills and Orphans' Court information · Updated May 2026
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Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Source ↗Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Petition for Probate Standard probate filing fee | $40 |
Note: Pennsylvania Register of Wills grant-of-letters fees are a sliding scale on the gross probate estate value. petition_probate ($40.00) is the lowest (smallest-estate) bracket; the fee rises with estate value. A separate statewide JCS/JCP surcharge of $41.25 (42 Pa.C.S.; Act 45 of 2025, eff. 11/17/2025) applies to every petition for grant of letters. Source: yorkcountypa.gov ROW fee schedule. Confirm the current graduated fee and surcharges with the county Register of Wills before quoting an estate total.
Pennsylvania Register of Wills grant-of-letters fees are a sliding scale on the gross probate estate value. petition_probate ($40.00) is the lowest (smallest-estate) bracket; the fee rises with estate value. A separate statewide JCS/JCP surcharge of $41.25 (42 Pa.C.S.; Act 45 of 2025, eff. 11/17/2025) applies to every petition for grant of letters. Source: yorkcountypa.gov ROW fee schedule. Confirm the current graduated fee and surcharges with the county Register of Wills before quoting an estate total.
Required Documents
- County Register of Wills probate or administration petition packet(County ROW packet)
Opening forms are county-specific. Use the current Register of Wills packet for the county where probate or administration is being opened.
- Certified death certificate
Registers of Wills commonly require a certified death certificate for opening letters; confirm copy count and accepted format with the county office.
- Renunciations, consents, or bond papers
Whether these are needed depends on the will, priority to serve, bond requirements, and county packet instructions.
- Short certificate or certified-copy request
Request after appointment when banks, title companies, agencies, or other holders need certified proof of authority.
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Source ↗Records portal
Use this county-linked source to check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.
York County points estate-record searches to CountyFusion Online Search. Treat the portal as an account-gated lookup surface, not a complete probate index or certified record response.
Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- Verify locally
- Creditor Claims
- 12 months
- Known Creditor Notice
- 60 days
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first complete advertisement of grant of letters
- Statute
- 20 Pa.C.S. Section 3532
Publication Requirements
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗York County Assessment and Tax Claim Office
28 E Market Street, York, PA 17401
Official county delinquent-tax page links payment and tax-claim information. Online payment/search context should not be treated as certified tax status; verify certifications and tax-claim balances with the office.
Sources (8)
- https://www.yorkcountypa.gov/385/Register-of-Wills
- https://yorkcountypa.gov/932/Search-Estate-Records
- https://countyfusion2.kofiletech.us/countyweb/loginDisplay.action?countyname=York
- https://www.yorkcountypa.gov/1140/E-File-for-Wills-Estates
- https://yorkcountypa.publicforms.us/
- https://www.yorkcountypa.gov/427/Forms
- https://www.yorkcountypa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1588/Fee-Schedule-PDF
- https://efilepa.tylertech.cloud/OfsEfsp