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DuPage County, IL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | DuPage County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, DuPage County. Decedents' estates are handled on the Chancery Division probate call. |
| Courthouse | DuPage County Judicial Center, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. The Circuit Court Clerk's Office is on the first floor; decedents' estates are in Courtroom 2011 on the second floor. Guardianship matters are heard in Courtroom 2009. |
| Mailing address | Clerk of the Circuit Court, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-0707. |
| Phone | Civil Department: (630) 407-8700. The clerk does not publish a dedicated probate phone line. |
| Fax | The clerk does not publish a filing fax for probate matters. |
| Accessibility phone | Hearing Impaired TTD: 630-407-8910. Illinois Relay Service: 1-800-526-0844. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except court holidays. The courthouse building is open 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Opening fee | PR administration of a decedent's estate: $400.00, effective April 28, 2026. |
| Appearance fee | General appearance: $225.00, effective April 28, 2026. No fee for an appearance filed only for consent or by an executor, administrator, administrator to collect, guardian, guardian ad litem or special administrator, effective April 28, 2026. |
| Will filing | Original wills cannot be e-filed. Filing the original will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 and the DuPage fee book, effective April 28, 2026. |
| Local forms | Yes. DuPage publishes numbered probate forms and mandatory opening and closing cover sheets for Courtroom 2011. |
| E-filing | DuPage civil filings are electronic. DuPage required civil e-filing from January 1, 2016 and moved to eFileIL on July 1, 2019. Original wills are filed on paper. |
| Case lookup | The Circuit Clerk's case lookup is the Public Information Application. The clerk says it can show case status, next court date and docket entries for a case. Contact the Civil Department for records the lookup does not show. |
| Remote appearance | Zoom is available for scheduled court participants. Courtroom 2011 appears in the remote-hearing selector. Zoom is not a public viewing gallery. |
| Website | DuPage County Circuit Clerk and Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Chancery Division pages. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing in DuPage County, identify the assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and whether any real estate must be transferred or sold. That asset picture determines whether the estate settlement can stay outside court, whether an original will must be deposited first, and whether the representative needs letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 from Courtroom 2011.
Sunset can help collect this information before the first filing. Its asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions, then organizes what is found so the family and any attorney can decide whether to use DuPage's local probate packet, a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV, or another estate settlement path.
Which court handles jurisdiction
DuPage County estates are filed with the DuPage County Circuit Clerk at 505 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton and heard in the same courthouse complex. The Circuit Clerk states that court cases are heard at the DuPage County Courthouse, and the court location pages list the Wheaton courthouse complex for courtrooms. DuPage County communities include Wheaton, Naperville, Elmhurst, Downers Grove, Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream, Addison, Bloomingdale, Villa Park, Woodridge, Westmont, Hinsdale, Wood Dale, Warrenville, Winfield, Roselle, Bensenville, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Darien and West Chicago.
DuPage is the only county in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit under 705 ILCS 35/1. Illinois venue is a county rule: probate or administration is filed first in the county of the decedent's known place of residence, then, if there is no known Illinois residence, in the county with the greater part of the real estate, and then in the county with the greater part of the personal estate (755 ILCS 5/5-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm DuPage venue. File in DuPage County if it is the proper county under 755 ILCS 5/5-1, based first on the decedent's known Illinois residence, then real estate, then personal estate.
- Deposit the original will if there is one. Original wills cannot be e-filed. Deliver or mail the paper original to the DuPage County Circuit Clerk at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-0707. Filing the will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 and the DuPage fee book, effective April 28, 2026.
- Prepare the DuPage opening packet. Use the Courtroom 2011 Probate Cover Sheet for Opening an Estate, the petition, oath, affidavit of heirship, bond, will copy if testate, consents or waivers when needed, resident-agent designation when needed, and the proposed orders from the DuPage local form set.
- E-file the petition and supporting filings through eFileIL unless an exemption applies. DuPage does not allow attachments to the lead document, so each document needs its own filing code and upload. A filer who is not an attorney uses DuPage County attorney number 99500 in the Case Cross Reference field.
- Pay the opening fee. PR administration of a decedent's estate is $400.00, effective April 28, 2026. A general appearance is $225.00, effective April 28, 2026, unless the DuPage fee book lists the appearance as no fee.
- Send the hard-copy opening packet to Courtroom 2011. The standing order requires hard copies of filed documents, the opening cover sheet and the original bond to be mailed or delivered as directed. The judge reviews the packet, identifies deficiencies if any, or allows an opening order to be submitted through E-Access.
- Handle notice and publication. The representative publishes the claims notice once a week for three successive weeks in a DuPage County newspaper, mails or delivers notice to known or reasonably ascertainable creditors, files proof of publication with the clerk, and follows the claim-date rule in 755 ILCS 5/18-3.
- Use the scheduled hearing or no-appearance route correctly. Courtroom 2011 hears opening and closing estates at 8:30 a.m. and PR probate matters at 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. The no-appearance opening procedure exists, but the published cover sheet is signed by counsel for petitioner and should not be assumed to fit an unrepresented filing without asking the Chancery Division.
- Receive letters of office under 755 ILCS 5. Once the order is entered, the clerk issues letters of office, the Illinois authority document for the executor or administrator. The first copy is free and each additional copy is $2.00, effective April 28, 2026.
- Administer and inventory the estate. Follow DuPage Article 18 inventory and account rules, including legal descriptions for real estate, encumbrance information, asset numbering, vouchers and any annual account or status date set by the court.
- Close the estate. E-file the final report, proof of publication, receipts or vouchers, 42-day notice if applicable, and the Attorney Closing Affidavit when using the published Courtroom 2011 closing procedure. Send the hard-copy closing packet behind the closing cover sheet, submit the order of discharge, and close the estate only after the court enters the discharge order.
Executor duties
DuPage adds detailed local requirements to the statewide duties of an executor or administrator. Article 18 of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit local rules requires careful inventory descriptions, numbered assets carried forward into later accounts, vouchers for disbursements, court approval of inventories, and an annual report or account schedule.
| Local duty | What DuPage requires |
|---|---|
| Inventory detail | Personal property other than cash and goods must be marked good, doubtful or desperate. Real estate entries must include the legal description, street address if any, improvements, encumbrances, principal balance at death, and whether the representative is in possession. |
| Asset numbering | Inventory items use consecutive Arabic numbers starting with 1, and those numbers carry into each account. |
| Accounts and vouchers | Each disbursement in an account is numbered and supported by a voucher. Vouchers are arranged in order and filed with the account. |
| Status date | The first annual report or account is due approximately one year after letters issue. If the attorney states when the inventory is filed that a federal estate tax return is required, the judge approving the inventory may set the first account eighteen months after letters issue. |
| Discharge | The representative is not discharged until the court enters DuPage form 3773, Order of Discharge. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in DuPage County
DuPage has an extensive local probate form set. The clerk's Court Forms page carries a Probate category, and the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Chancery Division page lists the Courtroom 2011 forms used to open, administer and close decedents' estates. Illinois does not publish an approved decedent-estate form set, so DuPage's local forms matter.
| Form or packet | DuPage use |
|---|---|
| Probate Cover Sheet for Opening an Estate, revision r5 | Mandatory for opening estates in Courtroom 2011 as of July 14, 2025. The form is signed by counsel for petitioner. |
| Probate Cover Sheet for Closing an Estate, revision r6 | Mandatory for closing estates in Courtroom 2011 as of July 14, 2025. The form is signed by counsel for estate and includes the Attorney Closing Affidavit item. |
| Form 3807 | Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters Testamentary. |
| Form 3812 | Petition for Letters of Administration. |
| Form 3704 | Oath of Office. |
| Forms 3841 and 3842 | Affidavit of Heirship forms. |
| Forms 3702 and 3721 | Bond of Legal Representative, no surety and surety. |
| Forms 3820, 3715 and 3716 | Notice to Heirs and Legatees, Appearance or Consent to Proof of Will by Affidavit, and Affidavit of Attesting Witnesses. |
| Forms 3808, 3810 and 3795 | Orders admitting will, appointing a representative and declaring heirship. |
| Forms 3815, 3830, 3832 and 3773 | Final report, notice of final report, receipt of distribution and order of discharge. |
Questions about DuPage court forms can be directed to [email protected] or the Civil Department at (630) 407-8700. The clerk says forms may be completed online and printed, or printed and completed by hand in black ink.
Fees
DuPage publishes a probate fee schedule in its Filing Fee Book. The figures below are from the DuPage schedule with fees effective April 28, 2026. Illinois circuit clerk fees are governed by 705 ILCS 105/27.1b, but the local schedule is the practical amount to check before filing.
| Fee item | Amount, effective April 28, 2026 |
|---|---|
| PR administration of decedent's estate | $400.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| PR missing person | $400.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| PR wrongful death or collection of judgment | $300.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| General appearance | $225.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Appearance for consent, executor, administrator, administrator to collect, guardian, guardian ad litem or special administrator | No fee, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Estate claim from $150.01 to $500.00 | $25.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Estate claim from $500.01 to $10,000.00 | $40.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Estate claim of $10,000.01 or more | $60.00, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, including reissued letters | First copy free, then $2.00 each, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Certified copies | Copy charges plus $6.00 per certification stamp or seal, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Probate exemplification | Copy charges plus $2.00 per stamp or seal, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Transfer will | $56.08, effective April 28, 2026 |
| Publication | Paid to the publishing vendor, not the clerk. |
A fee-waiver application under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 298 may be set for hearing by telephone or video conference under DuPage Local Rule 2.12. Publication costs are not waived under that local rule.
Timeline
- Before filing, collect the will, asset list, debts, real estate information and heir information. If there is an original will, file the paper original with the clerk because WF Will Filing is excluded from e-filing.
- For the opening packet, e-file the petition and supporting documents, then send hard copies, the opening cover sheet and the original bond as directed for Courtroom 2011.
- Courtroom 2011 lists opening and closing estates at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and PR probate matters at 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. The court publishes no filing-to-hearing interval.
- Presentment motions at 9:00 a.m. may be scheduled using the Court Date Availability Calendar or by calling the administrative assistant. Courtesy copies in hard copy are due seven days before presentment.
- Contested non-evidentiary matters are listed at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Trials are set by the court at 1:30 p.m. Tax cases are listed at 9:30 a.m. on Fridays.
- The first annual report or account is due approximately one year after letters issue unless the court sets a different date. If a federal estate tax return is required and the attorney says so when the inventory is filed, the judge may set the first account eighteen months after letters issue.
- For closing, e-file the final report, proof of publication, receipts or vouchers, 42-day notice if applicable, and the Attorney Closing Affidavit when using the published Courtroom 2011 closing procedure. Send the closing hard-copy packet behind the closing cover sheet and submit the order of discharge.
Local nuance
DuPage County-specific considerations
| DuPage point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Courtroom 2011 cover sheets | Opening and closing estates without an appearance depends on the Courtroom 2011 cover-sheet procedure. The published forms are signed by counsel, and closing requires a filed Attorney Closing Affidavit. |
| Hard-copy packet after e-filing | The standing order requires hard copies of filed documents and the cover sheet to be sent to the Chancery Division administrative assistant. Original bonds are mailed to Courtroom 2011. |
| Original bond rules | A nominated executor may use a no-surety bond only when the will supports that route. Other individual petitioners must mail an original surety bond endorsed by an insurance company, using the Courtroom 2011 formula. |
| Paper original will | WF Will Filing is excluded from electronic filing. The original will is delivered or mailed to the clerk on paper, and the estate petition references the DuPage County will number when one has been assigned. |
| Device restrictions | Camera phones and recording devices are restricted in the courthouse. The court recommends arriving early for security screening, and lockers are available at the parking garage and near the bus stop west of the 503 building. |
Recent updates
| Date | DuPage update |
|---|---|
| July 14, 2025 | Courtroom 2011 made the Probate Estate cover sheets mandatory for opening and closing estates. |
| Fees effective April 28, 2026 | The DuPage fee book set the PR administration fee at $400.00, the general appearance fee at $225.00, the estate claim tiers at $25.00, $40.00 and $60.00, and letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 at $2.00 each. |
| January 2026 | The Oath of Office form 3704 and Bond of Legal Representative forms 3702 and 3721 were reissued at revision 1/26. |
| March 24, 2026 | The Probate Cover Sheet for Opening an Estate was reissued at revision r5, and the Probate Cover Sheet for Closing an Estate was reissued at revision r6. |
| May 21, 2026 | The circuit republished the consolidated master copy of its local court rules. Article 18 on probate was not changed. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely DuPage path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | If the home was held with survivorship rights, it may pass outside the estate. If accounts in the deceased spouse's sole name still need administration, open the estate with the DuPage Circuit Clerk through eFileIL, pay the $400.00 PR administration fee effective April 28, 2026, and send the Courtroom 2011 hard-copy packet with the original bond. | Sunset helps identify titled assets, sole-name accounts and debts before a spouse starts an estate settlement filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | The original will is mailed or delivered to Wheaton on paper and cannot be e-filed. Other filings are electronic. A filer who is not an attorney uses DuPage County attorney number 99500 in eFileIL. If using a small estate affidavit under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV instead of court probate, the affidavit is used with the asset holder, not filed with the court. | Sunset helps sort which assets need court authority, prepares the information for the DuPage packet, and flags when the published no-appearance route should be discussed with the Chancery Division because the cover sheets are counsel-signed. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A home sale usually requires letters of office under 755 ILCS 5 so a representative can work with title. Independent administration under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXVIII is the usual Illinois path when available. DuPage Local Rule 18.04 requires the inventory to include the legal description, street address, improvements, encumbrances and possession information. | Sunset helps assemble asset, mortgage, heirship and sale information for the representative and can connect the family with a DuPage probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| DuPage County Circuit Clerk | Hours, filing fee book, court forms, e-filing information, case lookup and document copy ordering. | 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-0707. Civil Department: (630) 407-8700. [email protected]. |
| Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Chancery Division | Courtroom 2011 standing order, probate calendar, mandatory cover sheets and links to DuPage probate forms. | Chancery Division page on the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit website. |
| Eighteenth Judicial Circuit local court rules | Article 18 probate rules, Rule 2.12 fee-waiver procedure, Rule 5.03 e-filing case types and Rule 1.30 courthouse device rules. | Local court rules page on the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit website. |
| DuPage County Law Library | Public law library with print and electronic legal resources, plus Zoom stations for public use to attend a court proceeding. | Second floor, south end of the Judicial Center. 630-407-8811. [email protected]. |
| Civil Law General Ask a Lawyer Help Desk | General civil help desk staffed by DuPage County Bar Association volunteer attorneys. The court does not describe it as a probate-specific help desk. | Thursdays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Room 2017, second floor of the courthouse. |
| Prairie State Legal Services, West Suburban office | Free civil legal help for eligible people. The office's published service area includes DuPage. | 31W001 East North Avenue, Suite 200, West Chicago, Illinois 60185. (630) 690-2130. Toll free: (800) 690-2130. |
| Illinois Legal Aid Online | Plain-language estate guides and the Small Estate Affidavit Easy Form for affidavits under 755 ILCS 5/Art. XXV. | Illinois Legal Aid Online website. |
| Illinois Courts approved forms | Certification for Exemption From E-filing, Application for Waiver of Court Fees and Order, and Appearance. Illinois does not publish an approved decedent-estate form set. | Illinois Courts approved forms page. |
| eFileIL | Electronic filing system used for DuPage civil filings, including probate petitions, with certified filing service providers. | Illinois Courts eFileIL page. |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel is especially useful in DuPage County when the estate involves a home sale, disputed or unknown heirs, a contested will, creditor problems, a required surety bond, a handwritten or non-English will, an estate large enough to require Illinois estate-tax work with the Attorney General, or any hearing in Courtroom 2011. DuPage does not publish a rule saying every estate must have a lawyer, but its no-appearance opening and closing procedure is written around counsel signature blocks, a filed Attorney Closing Affidavit, and an order route through a restricted attorney and agency portal. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset's estate settlement tools search across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, benefits and property that may need attention before you decide whether a DuPage probate filing is needed.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information families need for the petition, heirship information, bond questions, notice steps and closing documents, including the DuPage local forms and Courtroom 2011 cover-sheet workflow.
Find a local probate attorney. When a DuPage estate needs counsel, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney familiar with Illinois letters of office under 755 ILCS 5, Courtroom 2011 practice, eFileIL and local probate forms.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partners, not by grieving families. The goal is a clearer estate settlement path, whether the matter stays outside court or proceeds through the DuPage County Circuit Clerk.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in DuPage County?
File with the DuPage County Circuit Clerk at the DuPage County Judicial Center, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. DuPage is the only county in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, and probate for decedents' estates is heard on the Chancery Division call in Courtroom 2011.
Can I e-file a DuPage probate petition?
Yes. DuPage civil filings, including probate petitions, are filed through eFileIL. DuPage required civil e-filing from January 1, 2016 and moved to the statewide eFileIL platform on July 1, 2019. A self-represented filer who qualifies for an exemption uses the Illinois Supreme Court certification process under Rule 9(d).
Can I e-file the original will in DuPage County?
No. Original wills cannot be e-filed under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(c)(1), DuPage Local Rule 5.03(a), and the DuPage fee book. Deliver or mail the paper original to the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187-0707. Filing the will alone has no fee under 755 ILCS 5/6-1 and the DuPage fee book, effective April 28, 2026.
How much does it cost to open a decedent's estate in DuPage County?
The DuPage PR administration filing fee is $400.00, effective April 28, 2026. A general appearance is $225.00, effective April 28, 2026, but the DuPage fee book lists no fee for an appearance filed only for consent or by an executor, administrator, administrator to collect, guardian, guardian ad litem or special administrator.
Do I have to go to court to open or close a DuPage estate?
DuPage publishes a Courtroom 2011 procedure allowing opening and closing estates without a court appearance if the cover-sheet procedure is followed. As published, that procedure is written for counsel: the opening cover sheet is signed by counsel for petitioner, the closing cover sheet is signed by counsel for estate, and closing requires a filed Attorney Closing Affidavit. A person without a lawyer should ask the Chancery Division what it will accept before relying on that route.
When are DuPage probate matters heard?
Courtroom 2011 lists opening and closing estates at 8:30 a.m. and PR probate matters at 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. The court also lists contested non-evidentiary matters at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., trials at 1:30 p.m. as set by the court, and tax cases at 9:30 a.m. on Fridays. No filing-to-hearing interval is published.
Can I attend a DuPage probate hearing by Zoom?
Remote court hearings use Zoom. Search the DuPage remote-hearing page by case number or courtroom to access the session for a scheduled case. Remote proceedings are for court participants only, and the assigned judge controls the proceeding under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 45 and local practice.
Can I look up a DuPage probate case online?
Use the Circuit Clerk's Public Information Application. The clerk says it can show case status, next court date and docket entries for a case. The lookup should not be treated as a complete research tool, and the Civil Department can be contacted at (630) 407-8700 for records the lookup does not show.
What if I live outside Illinois and need to handle a DuPage estate?
The original will can be mailed or delivered to the Wheaton clerk because it cannot be e-filed. Other filings are electronic. DuPage's opening cover sheet includes a Designation of Resident Agent line when needed, and a filer who is not an attorney uses DuPage County attorney number 99500 in the eFileIL Case Cross Reference field. If you hope to avoid travel by using the Courtroom 2011 no-appearance route, ask the Chancery Division what it will accept if you do not have counsel.
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.