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Cook County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Cook County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Probate Division |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division |
| Courthouse address | Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602 |
| Mailing address | Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, ATTN: Probate Division, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602 |
| Phone | Probate Division counter: (312) 603-6441. Clerk customer call center: (312) 603-5030, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Fax | The Clerk does not publish a probate filing fax number. Use the counter, mail, eFileIL, or call the Probate Division before faxing anything. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding court holidays. The Clerk publishes no lunch closure or earlier filing cutoff for the Probate Division counter. |
| Filing fee | Decedent estate new case filing fee: $479.00, plus $250.00 appearance fee, effective October 1, 2025 under Cook County Clerk form CCP-0607. Depositing an original will costs $0.00 per the Clerk's Probate Division page, verified August 2026, with the will filing duty in 755 ILCS 5/6-1. |
| Local forms | Yes. Cook County has a large CCP-numbered Probate Division form set, including the mandatory Probate Division Cover Sheet, CCP 0199, revised January 14, 2026. |
| E-filing | Cook County probate filings use eFileIL. The Clerk states that Cook civil e-filing became mandatory July 1, 2018 under Illinois Supreme Court Order M.R. 18368, except quasi-criminal, housing and wills. Original wills are handled outside e-filing. |
| Case search | Cook County uses the Clerk's on-line case information search at casesearch.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org. Cook County is not on Judici. |
| Remote appearance | Zoom is available for many non-evidentiary decedent-estate matters under Probate Division GAO 2023-P-01 and the assigned judge's order. Opening and closing estates and other listed evidentiary matters are in person unless the court allows remote appearance. |
| Website | Clerk Probate Division: cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/divisions/probate-division. Court Probate Division: cookcountycourtil.gov/division/probate-division. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in Cook County, identify the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, beneficiaries, heirs and any original will. The local Probate Division forms ask for case type, heirship, bond, representative information and the authority requested, and the right path depends on what property must be collected or transferred.
Sunset's estate settlement workflow helps build that picture before you pay filing fees or schedule a hearing. Sunset can search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize account leads and help you decide what a Cook County probate attorney or the Clerk may need to see.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Cook County is served by the Circuit Court of Cook County, which is a judicial circuit by itself under 705 ILCS 35/1. Decedent-estate filings go to the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division, at the Daley Center in Chicago.
Cook County covers the City of Chicago and suburban Cook communities served by the Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview and Markham suburban districts. Those suburban districts do not handle Cook County decedent-estate probate. District 3 materials identify probate as not heard there, District 6 materials say probate is not heard there, and the District 5 Suburban Bureaus guide states that Bridgeview no longer handles probate cases.
Illinois venue is determined by county, not by a suburban district or courthouse. File in the county of the decedent's known place of residence, or if there is no known Illinois residence, the county holding the greater part of the decedent's real estate, or failing that, the county holding the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Locate the original will, if one exists, and deposit it with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division, at the Daley Center, Room 1202, or by mail to that room. The Clerk states there is $0.00 fee to file a will, verified August 2026, and Illinois law directs the holder to file the will with the clerk of the proper county (755 ILCS 5/6-1).
- Choose the Cook County decedent-estate filing path and local case type. Cook's cover sheet includes categories such as independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII, supervised administration, letters of administration to collect and summary administration under 755 ILCS 5/9-8.
- Prepare the local packet. Most opening packets include CCP 0199, the petition, proposed heirship order, oath and bond forms, notice or waiver forms and proposed appointment order. If a will is involved, Cook Rule 12.3 requires the will to be on file at least 3 court days before the hearing and requires a copy-of-will affidavit.
- E-file the petition and local forms through eFileIL unless an exemption applies. The original will is handled outside e-filing. Self-represented litigants may use the same eFileIL system, and exemption forms are available through Illinois Courts.
- Pay the Cook County opening fees. CCP-0607 lists a $479.00 new case filing fee and $250.00 appearance fee for decedent estate case types, effective October 1, 2025. If you need a fee waiver, follow the Probate Division's Rule 298 instructions.
- Schedule and attend the opening hearing. Under GAO 2023-P-01, opening estates are in person unless the court approves a remote appearance, and required documents for openings must be tendered to the court in person on the hearing date.
- After appointment, obtain certified copies of letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. CCG-0140 lists certified probate copies at $2.00, effective October 28, 2025, and 705 ILCS 105/27.1b addresses certified copies of letters of office.
- Give required notices, publish creditor notice and manage claims. Illinois creditor notice runs under 755 ILCS 5/18-3, including publication once each week for 3 successive weeks and claim dates tied to 6 months from first publication or 3 months from mailing or delivery, whichever is later.
- Administer the estate under the assigned Cook calendar. Follow Cook Part 12 for inventories, claims, accounts, supplemental proceedings and mediation where applicable. If a claim is placed on the monthly claim call, the representative must be present.
- Close the estate. Cook's GAO treats closing estates as in-person matters unless remote appearance is approved, and Cook Rule 12.13 sets local account and closing statement requirements for supervised administration.
Executor duties
| Cook County duty | What it means locally |
|---|---|
| File the local cover sheet with the first petition | Cook County requires CCP 0199, Probate Division Cover Sheet, with the initial petition in every Probate Division action. The cover sheet identifies the local case type, such as independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII, supervised administration, letters of administration to collect, or summary administration under 755 ILCS 5/9-8. |
| Prepare proof of heirship for the opening hearing | Cook County Rule 12.2 requires proof of heirship when a petition to admit a will or for letters of administration is filed, and a proposed order declaring heirship must be submitted. |
| Meet Cook will-copy requirements | Cook County Rule 12.3 requires the will to be on file at least 3 court days before the hearing to admit it. The petitioner files a copy of the will with an affidavit, uses a typewritten copy for a handwritten will, and uses a certified translation for a will not in English. |
| Use Cook inventory detail | Cook County Rule 12.9 requires inventories to use consecutive item numbers and specific detail for personal property and real estate, including address, legal description, unpaid tax years and encumbrances when real estate is listed. |
| Format court-filed accounts the Cook way | Cook County Rule 12.13 requires any account filed in court to use five sections in order: Receipts, Disbursements, Distributions, Recapitulation and Assets On Hand. |
| Calendar supervised accounts and closing papers | In supervised administration, Cook County Rule 12.13(b)(i) requires an account within 60 days after the expiration of one year after letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 issue unless the court waives it. Before discharge, Rule 12.13(b)(iv) requires a statement that death taxes are paid, provided for, or not owed, plus the court-approved status report, CCP 0382. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Cook County
Cook County has an extensive local Probate Division form set. The Clerk's Court Form Search lists forms by Probate Division tag, and the Circuit Court's Probate Division publishes a shorter decedent-estate set. Illinois does not provide an approved decedent-estate packet for opening an estate in every county, so Cook's CCP forms are the local forms most families will see.
| Form | Use | Revision |
|---|---|---|
| CCP 0199, Probate Division Cover Sheet | Required with the initial petition in all Probate Division actions. | January 14, 2026 |
| CCP 0315, Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters Testamentary | Opening a testate estate and asking for letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0302, Petition for Letters of Administration | Opening an intestate estate. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0316, Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters of Administration with Will Annexed | Will exists, but the nominated executor is not serving. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0301, Petition for Letters of Administration to Collect | Requesting interim authority to collect and preserve assets. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0317, Affidavit, Copy of Will | Cook Rule 12.3 copy-of-will requirement. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0305, Order Declaring Heirship | Proposed heirship order for the opening process. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0319 and CCP 0314 | Orders appointing the representative for testate and intestate estates. | July 1, 2025 |
| CCP 0334, Inventory | Inventory form for estate administration. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0345, Claim | Creditor claim form. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 1000, Proof of Mailing and Publication | Proof related to mailed and published notice. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 1011 and CCP 1012 | Final report and order of discharge for independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII. | December 1, 2024 and March 13, 2025 |
| CCP 0500 and CCP 0502 | Summary administration petitions under 755 ILCS 5/9-8. | December 1, 2024 |
| CCP 0248 and CCP 0247 | Small estate affidavit forms under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV, split by date of death. | January 8, 2026 |
Fees
| Fee item | Cook County amount | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Decedent estate new case filing | $479.00 | Cook County Clerk Probate Division Fee Schedule, CCP-0607, effective October 1, 2025. |
| Decedent estate appearance | $250.00 | Cook County Clerk Probate Division Fee Schedule, CCP-0607, effective October 1, 2025. |
| Will-only deposit | $0.00 | Clerk's Probate Division page states there is no fee for filing a will, verified August 2026. The duty to file the will is in 755 ILCS 5/6-1. |
| Certified copy of letters of office, court order, or other probate certification | $2.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. Certified copies of letters of office are also addressed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b. |
| Each account filed in a decedent estate | $25.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
| Probate claim over $150.00 up to $500.00 | $40.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
| Probate claim over $500.00 up to $10,000.00 | $55.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
| Probate claim over $10,000.00 | $75.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
| Claim, petition, or supplemental petition for equitable relief | $60.00 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
| Probate jury services | $137.50 | Cook County Clerk Miscellaneous Fees, CCG-0140, effective October 28, 2025. |
Publication for creditor notice is paid to the newspaper, not to the Clerk. A fee waiver application may be filed with the Clerk in Room 1202, by mail or courier, or by email under the Probate Division's Rule 298 instructions.
Timeline
- Before filing, gather the original will, death certificate information, heir and beneficiary information, asset details and the local Cook County forms needed for the selected case type.
- For a will case, make sure the will is filed before the hearing. Cook County Rule 12.3 requires the will to be on file at least 3 court days before the hearing on a petition to admit it.
- After the e-filed petition is accepted, follow the assigned calendar's hearing instructions. The court publishes no general filing-to-hearing interval for opening a decedent estate.
- For remote matters, email courtesy copies and proposed orders in PDF to the judge in one email per case no less than two and no more than five business days before the court date. Courtesy copies over 20 pages must be delivered to the courtroom at least five business days ahead.
- For in-person opening or closing hearings, bring the required documents to the Daley Center on the hearing date. GAO 2023-P-01 states that required documents for openings and closings must be tendered in person on the hearing date.
- For claims placed on the monthly claim call, use the Clerk's published docket. The standing notice calls the claim docket for each calendar on the fourth Monday of each term and continues it from day to day until concluded.
- After a remote hearing, entered orders are uploaded to Odyssey and normally appear on the CCC Portal within two business days.
Local nuance
Cook County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Cook has a standing Probate Division | Unlike other Illinois counties, Cook has a dedicated Probate Division with decedent-estate calendars on the 18th floor of the Daley Center and a Clerk probate counter in Room 1202. |
| Suburban districts do not handle decedent estates | Even if the decedent lived in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, Maywood, Bridgeview, Markham, or another suburban Cook community, the decedent estate is filed at the Daley Center. |
| Opening and closing hearings are generally in person | Probate Division GAO 2023-P-01 lists opening and closing estates among matters where evidence will be presented in person unless the court approves remote appearance. |
| Cook Rule 12 adds local filing details | Part 12 covers heirship proof, will-copy affidavits, handwritten and non-English wills, inventories, bond issues, claims and account format. |
| Claim call is a recurring Cook docket | The Clerk publishes monthly claim call dockets for the five decedent-estate calendars, and the representative of the estate must be present on the call. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Cook County's local small estate affidavit forms under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV are split by date of death. CCP 0248 is captioned for use only when the decedent died on or after August 15, 2025, and CCP 0247 is captioned for deaths from September 1991 to August 2025. Both were revised January 8, 2026.
The date split matters because the higher 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV personal-property ceiling of $150,000 applies only to deaths on or after August 15, 2025. A small estate affidavit does not open a Cook County Probate Division case, and there is no Cook County filing fee for using it with a bank, transfer agent, or other holder.
Recent updates
| Change | Date |
|---|---|
| The Clerk's Probate Division Fee Schedule, CCP-0607, lists the decedent estate new case filing fee at $479.00 and the appearance fee at $250.00. | Effective October 1, 2025 |
| The Clerk's Miscellaneous Fees schedule, CCG-0140, lists probate claim tiers of $40.00, $55.00 and $75.00, certified probate copies at $2.00 and each account filed in a decedent estate at $25.00. | Effective October 28, 2025 |
| The Clerk reissued small estate affidavit forms under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV as a dated pair, CCP 0248 for deaths on or after August 15, 2025 and CCP 0247 for earlier deaths. | January 8, 2026 |
| The Probate Division Cover Sheet, CCP 0199, was revised. | January 14, 2026 |
| The Probate Division Reference Guide for Virtual Hearings was amended with courtroom Zoom and contact information. | May 21, 2026 |
| The Clerk's Suburban Bureaus guide was revised to state that District 5, Bridgeview no longer handles probate cases and hears minor guardianship cases. | July 14, 2026 |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Cook County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming title, beneficiary designations and whether any asset actually needs Cook County court authority. If a court case is needed, file at the Daley Center Probate Division and use Cook's CCP opening forms. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize home and debt information, prepare for conversations with a Cook County probate attorney and keep estate settlement tasks in one place. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether institutions will accept a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV or whether Cook County letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 are needed. Cook publishes separate small estate affidavit forms based on date of death. | Sunset helps gather account information remotely, identify whether institutions may need court authority and connect the family with a Cook County probate attorney. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Cook County real estate often requires court authority if title did not pass outside probate. The opening petition, heirship proof, bond questions and in-person hearing are handled through the Daley Center Probate Division. | Sunset helps assemble asset and debt information, track the documents an attorney may request and support the family through the estate settlement process. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division | Probate counter, will filing, fee schedules, local CCP forms and case information. | Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602. (312) 603-6441. [email protected]. |
| Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division | Division procedures, decedent-estate information, Part 12 rules, administrative orders and Zoom information. | cookcountycourtil.gov/division/probate-division. |
| Self-Represented Litigant Center | Clerk-run help for people navigating court without a lawyer. | Daley Center, Room 602. (312) 603-3530 or (312) 603-3532. [email protected]. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Probate Court Assistance Program, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services | Pro bono representation for low-income people referred by Probate Division judges and screened by CVLS. | cvls.org. Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation, 33 N. Dearborn St., Suite 400, Chicago, IL 60602. (312) 332-1624. |
| Self-Help Resource Center, Chicago-Kent College of Law | Law students help with online resources, case lookup, legal aid applications and court forms. They do not give legal advice or represent anyone. | Daley Center, Room 602. Walk-in, first come first served, hours vary. |
| CARPLS legal aid | Cook County legal aid hotline. Intake includes Probate/Estates issues. | (312) 738-9200. carpls.org. |
| Legal Aid Chicago | Free civil legal assistance to low-income people in Cook County. | (312) 341-1070. 200 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60601. |
| Cook County Law Library, Daley Center branch | Public law library in the same building as the Probate Division, with remote Westlaw access for Cook County residents and onsite resources. | 50 W. Washington, Room 2900, Chicago, IL 60602. (312) 603-5423. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language guides to settling an estate and an automated small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. | illinoislegalaid.org. |
| eFileIL | Electronic filing system for Cook County probate filings and provider comparison chart. | illinoiscourts.gov/eFileIL. |
| Remote Access Center, Daley Center | Court-provided computers and staff help for people who need assistance joining a Zoom hearing. | Daley Center, Room CL-16. (312) 603-9222. |
When to hire an attorney
The Clerk's published Cook County guidance tells people opening a decedent's estate to hire an attorney first, and Cook estates often involve a mandatory cover sheet, local CCP forms, Part 12 rules, in-person opening or closing hearings, bond questions, claim calls and letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. That guidance should not be read as saying self-represented people are barred, because the Probate Division publishes resources for people without lawyers and its orders address self-represented litigants. For Cook County full probate, Sunset routes matters to [email protected] so a person can handle them directly, and Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organizes account leads and helps families build the asset picture before deciding whether Cook County probate is needed. That asset discovery can make estate settlement faster and less dependent on old mail or passwords.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps organize the information needed for the Cook County CCP forms, including heirs, beneficiaries, assets, debts and documents tied to letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. For Cook County full probate, Sunset routes matters to [email protected] so a person handles them directly.
Find a local probate attorney. Cook County has a standing Probate Division, Part 12 local rules, a mandatory cover sheet, in-person opening and closing requirements and a monthly claim call. Sunset helps connect families with a Cook County probate attorney when the estate settlement needs court authority.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand assets, tasks and next steps without paying Sunset. If court filing or legal representation is needed, any court costs, publication costs and attorney fees are separate from Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Cook County?
File a Cook County decedent estate with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division, at the Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Room 1202, Chicago, IL 60602. Venue is based on the county rules in 755 ILCS 5/5-1.
Can I file a Cook County probate case at a suburban courthouse?
Cook County decedent estates are centralized at the Daley Center. Clerk materials for suburban districts identify probate as a case type not heard in those district courthouses, including District 3, District 5 and District 6.
Does Cook County use e-filing for probate?
Yes. Cook County probate filings use eFileIL. The Clerk states that Cook civil e-filing became mandatory July 1, 2018 under Illinois Supreme Court Order M.R. 18368, with exceptions for quasi-criminal, housing and wills. An original will is not e-filed.
How do I deposit an original will in Cook County?
The Clerk accepts an original will for the Probate Division at the Daley Center, Room 1202, or by mail to the same room with ATTN: Probate Division. The Clerk's page also describes in-person filing at five Clerk offices, but the Probate Division brochure describes Daley Center delivery or mail, so call the Probate Division before relying on a suburban location. There is $0.00 fee to file the will, verified August 2026, and the will filing duty is in 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
How much does a Cook County decedent estate cost to open?
The Cook County Clerk's Probate Division Fee Schedule, CCP-0607, lists a $479.00 new case filing fee and a $250.00 appearance fee for decedent estate case types, effective October 1, 2025. Depositing an original will costs $0.00 per the Clerk's Probate Division page, verified August 2026, with the will filing duty in 755 ILCS 5/6-1.
Can I appear by Zoom in a Cook County probate matter?
Often, but not always. Under Probate Division GAO 2023-P-01, counsel and self-represented litigants may attend many decedent-estate matters remotely without advance approval. Opening and closing estates, affidavits of heirship, claims, citations, contests, settlements and trials are in person unless the judge allows a remote appearance.
When is the Cook County probate claim call?
The Clerk publishes a monthly Probate Claim Call docket. The standing notice states that the claim docket for each calendar is called on the fourth Monday of each term and continues from day to day until concluded. The five decedent-estate claim calls run in courtrooms 1807, 1803, 1802, 1814 and 1801 at staggered times between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Can I look up a Cook County probate case online?
The Clerk and the Court link the public on-line case information search at casesearch.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org. The attorney and justice-partner CCC Portal is separate. The Clerk cautions that online docket information is a summary and recent activity can take a few days to appear.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.