Back to Indiana
Perry County, IN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Perry County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Perry Circuit Court. Perry County constitutes the seventieth judicial circuit, and the circuit court is the county's only trial court (IC 33-33-62-1). |
| Clerk and courthouse address | Clerk of the Circuit Court, 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. |
| Mailing | Use 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. |
| Clerk phone | (812) 547-3741 for filings, copies and estate records. |
| Court phone | (812) 547-7048 for hearing and court-date questions. |
| Fax | Clerk fax: (812) 547-9782. Court fax: (812) 547-5424. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central time. Perry County is in the Central time zone under 49 CFR 71.5(b). |
| Court costs | $177, current through the 2026 legislative session, for a petition for letters under IC 33-37. Add $28 if sheriff service is requested under IC 33-37-5-15. |
| Local forms | Call the clerk before filing to ask whether Perry Circuit Court wants a local cover sheet or estate information sheet. Indiana has no statewide court-approved probate packet. The statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is not filed with the court. |
| E-filing | Attorneys must use the Indiana E-Filing System unless exempted. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file (Ind. Trial Rule 87). |
| Case search | Search public estate cases by the decedent's name on MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Estate case types include EU, ES and EM. |
| Remote appearance | Ask the court at (812) 547-7048. Indiana courts may handle non-testimonial matters remotely at the court's discretion, and testimonial matters require good cause or agreement (Ind. Administrative Rule 14). |
| Website | Indiana Judicial Branch Perry County page: https://www.in.gov/courts/local/perry-county/. County site: https://perrycounty.in.gov/. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Perry County, list the decedent's probate assets, debts, jointly owned property, beneficiary-designated accounts and any real estate. The right local path depends on what actually needs court authority, not just whether there is a will.
Sunset can help with estate settlement by searching across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and policies, then organizing what you find into the information a Perry County probate filing usually needs.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Perry Circuit Court in Tell City serves Perry County estate matters. Because Perry County has no superior court, a decedent's estate is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 2219 Payne Street.
Indiana venue is based on the decedent's domicile. If the decedent was domiciled in Perry County at death, Perry County is the venue for probate of the will and administration of the estate. If the decedent was not domiciled in Indiana, venue may be in an Indiana county where the decedent left property or where estate property later came (IC 29-1-7-1).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate assets, debts, heirs, will, beneficiary designations and any Perry County real estate before choosing the filing path.
- Prepare the petition for the Perry Circuit Court. If there is a will, Trial Rule 87(E) requires an e-filer to submit a copy of the will and an affidavit about possession or deposit of the original will.
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. Attorneys file through the Indiana E-Filing System. Unrepresented litigants may use e-filing or ask the clerk how the counter accepts their filing (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
- Pay the court costs that apply to the filing. A petition for letters is $177, current through the 2026 legislative session, under IC 33-37. Sheriff service adds $28 if requested under IC 33-37-5-15. Offering a will for probate without other proceedings is treated separately under IC 33-37-4-7(c)(3).
- Arrange required notice after letters testamentary or letters of general administration are issued. Indiana requires published notice once each week for two consecutive weeks and service on heirs, devisees, legatees and known creditors as required by IC 29-1-7-7.
- Use the court line, (812) 547-7048, for hearing and court-date questions. Ask before the hearing whether the court will allow a remote appearance under Ind. Administrative Rule 14.
- After the court appoints the personal representative, the clerk attests the letters. Those letters are the proof of authority to collect assets, deal with institutions, sell estate property when allowed and administer the estate (IC 29-1-10-4).
- Administer and close the estate. In an unsupervised estate, the personal representative generally closes by filing a verified closing statement no earlier than three months after first published notice to creditors (IC 29-1-7.5-4). Keep the estate settlement calendar tied to notice, inventory preparation, creditor claims and any real estate deadlines.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Perry County
Indiana does not publish a statewide court-approved probate form set for a standard estate. For a Perry County estate, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (812) 547-3741 before filing to ask whether Perry Circuit Court wants any local cover sheet, estate information sheet or other local document with the petition.
The statewide small estate affidavit, CCA-EM-0722-5000, is different. It is used only when the estate qualifies under IC 29-1-8, including the $100,000 limit for deaths after June 30, 2022. It is presented to the bank or other property holder, not filed with Perry Circuit Court.
Local nuance
Perry County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| One trial court | Perry County has no superior court. Estate filings go to Perry Circuit Court through the Clerk of the Circuit Court (IC 33-33-62-1). |
| Central time | The clerk posts Monday through Friday hours as 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central time. Perry County is one of the Indiana counties placed in the Central time zone by 49 CFR 71.5(b). |
| Two phone lines | Use the clerk's line, (812) 547-3741, for filing and records questions. Use the court's line, (812) 547-7048, for hearing and court-date questions. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Perry County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by separating the co-owned home and beneficiary assets from probate assets. If a court appointment is still needed, file through the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Tell City. | Sunset helps identify accounts, insurance and jointly held assets so the spouse does not open a court estate for property that already passes another way. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate qualifies under IC 29-1-8, including the $100,000 limit for deaths after June 30, 2022, the child may be able to use the small estate affidavit with the asset holder instead of filing in Perry Circuit Court. If appointment is needed, a nonresident personal representative must address Indiana's resident-agent and bond rules (IC 29-1-10-1(d)). | Sunset organizes balances and institution contacts, then helps decide whether the family needs a Perry County court filing or can use the affidavit route. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the Perry County home is a probate asset and must be sold, talk with counsel early. Indiana has a five-month petition and seven-month letters timing rule for certain real-property sales to pay non-lien debts or administration costs (IC 29-1-7-15.1(b)). | Sunset helps gather mortgage, tax, deed and account information and can connect the parent with a Perry County probate attorney for the sale and estate settlement plan. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Judicial Branch, Perry County page | Local court page with Perry County court links, local rules link, case search and e-filing links. | https://www.in.gov/courts/local/perry-county/ |
| Perry County Clerk of the Circuit Court | Filing counter for estate cases, copies and clerk records. | 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. Phone: (812) 547-3741. |
| Perry Circuit Court | Hearing and court-date questions. | Phone: (812) 547-7048. |
| Indiana Legal Help, Estate | Estate information, probate FAQ, small estate FAQ and the CCA-EM-0722-5000 small estate affidavit. | https://indianalegalhelp.org/legal-topic-category/estate-2/ |
| MyCase | Statewide public case search for Perry County estate cases by name. | https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/ |
| Indiana e-filing | Indiana E-Filing System information and provider list. | https://www.in.gov/courts/efiling/ |
| Indiana Free Legal Answers | Free confidential answers from volunteer Indiana attorneys for eligible users. | https://indiana.freelegalanswers.org/ |
| Indiana Legal Services, Evansville office | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Hoosiers in Perry County. Intake decides whether help is available for a specific issue. | 915 Main Street, Suite 201, Evansville, IN 47708. Phone: (812) 426-1295. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is especially useful in Perry County if the estate includes real estate, creditor disputes, an insolvent estate, a nonresident personal representative, a will contest risk, a supervised administration or a family disagreement over who should serve. Counsel can also help you avoid missing Indiana notice, claims and real-property-sale deadlines. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families locate accounts, insurance and other assets that may belong in the estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized set of documents and next steps for a Perry County filing, including the details a personal representative usually needs before asking for letters.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Indiana probate attorney who understands Perry County filings and Indiana estate administration.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, locate assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Perry County?
File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at 2219 Payne Street, Tell City, IN 47586. Perry County has no superior court, so estates are filed in Perry Circuit Court (IC 33-33-62-1).
What are the Perry County clerk's hours?
The clerk posts hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Central time. Perry County is in the Central time zone under 49 CFR 71.5(b).
Can I e-file a Perry County estate case?
Yes. Attorneys must use the Indiana E-Filing System unless exempted. Unrepresented litigants are encouraged, but not required, to e-file (Ind. Trial Rule 87).
What happens to the original will if I e-file in Perry County?
Indiana Trial Rule 87(E) requires an e-filer to file a copy of the will and an affidavit about the original. Unless the original has been deposited with the clerk, the filer keeps the original until the estate is closed and the personal representative is released from liability, or until the will-contest period has expired, whichever is later.
Can I look up a Perry County estate case online?
Yes. Search the decedent's name on MyCase at mycase.in.gov. Perry County estate cases appear under Indiana estate case types such as EU, ES and EM.
Does Perry County have its own probate forms?
Call the clerk at (812) 547-3741 before filing to ask whether the court wants a local cover sheet or estate information sheet. Indiana does not have a statewide court-approved probate packet for ordinary estate administration.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Perry County?
A petition for letters carries $177 in court costs, current through the 2026 legislative session, under IC 33-37. If sheriff service is requested, add $28 under IC 33-37-5-15.
Can a Perry County probate hearing be remote?
Ask the court at (812) 547-7048. Indiana Administrative Rule 14 allows a court to conduct non-testimonial hearings remotely at the court's discretion. Hearings with testimony are in person unless there is good cause or the parties agree.
Do I have to travel to Tell City if I live out of state?
Not always. Some steps can be handled by e-filing, mail, phone or through a lawyer, but the court decides hearing appearance requirements. If you are asking to serve as a nonresident personal representative, Indiana also requires a written acceptance, appointment of an Indiana resident agent and bond unless the court has authority to adjust or waive it in an unsupervised estate (IC 29-1-10-1(d)).
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.