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Worcester County, MA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Worcester Probate and Family Court, a division of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court Department; there is no separate surrogate or register of wills court |
| Filing office | Registry of Probate, Worcester County, run by the elected Register of Probate (Stephanie K. Fattman) |
| Courthouse | 225 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608 |
| Mailing address | Worcester Probate and Family Court, 225 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608 (no separate P.O. Box; mail goes to the street address) |
| Phone | (508) 831-2200 (Register's Office and Probation Department) |
| Fax | (508) 752-6138 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM; closed weekends and court holidays |
| Filing fee | Informal or formal probate $390 ($375 plus a $15 surcharge); voluntary administration $115 ($100 plus a $15 surcharge). Uniform statewide, Probate and Family Court filing-fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026 |
| Probate forms | Statewide Massachusetts Probate and Family Court (MPC) forms, used in every division; MPC 150 (informal), MPC 160 (formal), MPC 170 (voluntary administration) |
| E-filing | Available through eFileMA (Odyssey File and Serve), 24/7, not required; filers may still file by mail or at the Registry counter |
| Case search | MassCourts public portal (masscourts.org) covers Probate and Family Court dockets; some records are restricted |
| Remote appearance | Informal probate is decided by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing; for formal matters, hearing formats and any remote-appearance options are set case by case, so confirm with the Registry of Probate. The division also runs a Virtual Registry, a Zoom counter for registry help, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 1 PM and 2 to 4 PM |
| Website | https://www.mass.gov/locations/worcester-probate-and-family-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Worcester County, know exactly what is in the estate. The path you take depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets. Massachusetts offers voluntary administration for a small estate of personal property, informal probate for the ordinary uncontested case, and formal probate when there is a dispute or a defective will. These paths and their dollar thresholds are statewide and are explained on the Massachusetts state page; identify the estate first so you file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, business interest, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the Registry. In Worcester County this matters for real estate in particular, because conveying a decedent's home can require a license to sell if the will grants no power of sale, and it requires clearing the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the correct Worcester County Registry of Deeds district. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Worcester Probate and Family Court serves all of Worcester County from a single courthouse at 225 Main Street in the city of Worcester, the county seat. Worcester is the largest county in Massachusetts by land area and the second most populous, and the division covers the county's 60 cities and towns, including Worcester, Fitchburg, Leominster, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Milford, Gardner, Southbridge, Auburn, Clinton, Webster, Grafton, Northbridge, and Holden. Estates from every one of these communities are filed at the Worcester Registry of Probate; unlike Middlesex or Bristol, the county has no second courthouse or satellite probate session.
Venue for a decedent's estate is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (MGL c. 190B, § 3-201). If the decedent lived anywhere in Worcester County, file in Worcester. If the decedent was not domiciled in Massachusetts but owned property in the county, venue is also proper here. A proceeding may be transferred to another county for cause or convenience (MGL c. 190B, § 1-303). Uncontested informal probate is decided by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing; formal and contested matters go before a judge of the division. Filings can be made in person at the Worcester counter, through eFileMA, or by mail.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the heirs and devisees, and a list of the assets and debts with values. A personal representative named in a will was historically called an executor and one appointed without a will an administrator; Massachusetts now uses personal representative for both.
- Choose the path and the form. Massachusetts uses one statewide set of MPC forms in every division. File the Petition for Informal Probate (MPC 150) for the ordinary uncontested case, the Petition for Formal Adjudication (MPC 160) when there is a dispute or a defective will, or the Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170) for a qualifying small estate of personal property. The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Massachusetts state page.
- File with the Registry of Probate in Worcester. File at the counter at 225 Main St., by mail to the same address (there is no separate P.O. Box), or through eFileMA (Odyssey File and Serve), which is available 24/7 and lets a filer file without traveling to the courthouse. eFiling is available but not required.
- Pay the filing fee. The fee is uniform statewide: $390 for informal or formal probate ($375 plus a $15 surcharge) and $115 for voluntary administration ($100 plus a $15 surcharge), per the Probate and Family Court fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026. Newspaper publication and deputy-sheriff service, where required, are separate costs paid outside the court. Tyler charges its own convenience fee for eFileMA filings.
- Give notice. Informal probate requires notice to interested persons and, where applicable, publication; formal probate proceeds by citation and order of notice issued by the court. The MPC forms include the notice and surviving-spouse and heirs companion forms.
- Attend the hearing only if one is set. Informal probate and informal appointment are allowed administratively by a MUPC Magistrate with no hearing; the Magistrate may act as early as seven days after death. Formal probate is heard by a judge; hearing formats and any remote-appearance options are set case by case, so confirm arrangements with the Registry. For procedural questions along the way, the division's Virtual Registry offers registry help over Zoom.
- Receive the Letters of Authority. On appointment the court issues Letters of Authority, the proof of the personal representative's authority to act. A certified copy from the Registry of Probate is what banks, transfer agents, and the Registry of Deeds rely on. Request enough certified copies for the institutions involved; additional Letters cost $25 each (mass.gov fee schedule, verified July 2026).
- Administer and close. Inventory and appraise the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, and account to the estate. A creditor's claim against the estate must generally be brought within one year after the date of death (MGL c. 190B, § 3-803). If the estate includes Worcester County real estate that must be sold, obtain a license to sell (MGL c. 202) where the will grants no power of sale, and clear the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the correct Worcester County Registry of Deeds district before conveying.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Worcester County
Massachusetts has a statewide mandatory set of Massachusetts Probate and Family Court (MPC) forms, and the Worcester Probate and Family Court uses the same forms as every other division; there is no separate Worcester County form set. The load-bearing forms are the Petition for Informal Probate of a Will and/or Appointment of a Personal Representative (MPC 150), the Petition for Formal Adjudication (MPC 160), and the Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), with common companions including the bond (MPC 801), the surviving-spouse, children, and heirs-at-law form (MPC 162), and the devisees form (MPC 163). The forms are published statewide on mass.gov and on the Trial Court forms portal.
In Worcester County these forms are filed with the Registry of Probate at the Main Street courthouse, by mail to the same address, or through eFileMA. For questions about local intake or what the Registry needs, call the Registry of Probate at (508) 831-2200.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Probate and Family Court forms for wills, estates, and trusts (mass.gov) | The statewide MPC form set, including MPC 150, MPC 160, and MPC 170 with instructions |
| eFiling in the Probate and Family Court (mass.gov) | How to file MPC 150, 160, and 170 online through eFileMA, available but not required |
| Worcester Probate and Family Court | Local intake questions, hours, directions, and Registry contact information |
Local nuance
Worcester County-specific considerations
One courthouse for the whole county. Worcester is the largest Massachusetts county by area and the second most populous, but its probate work runs through a single courthouse at 225 Main Street in the city of Worcester. Estates from all 60 cities and towns, from Fitchburg and Leominster in the north to Milford and Southbridge in the south, are filed at the same Registry of Probate; there is no second courthouse or satellite probate session.
Free help at the Worcester Court Service Center. A Court Service Center operates inside the courthouse at 225 Main Street, 1st Floor, and helps self-represented filers with forms and court procedure, including Probate and Family Court matters, at no cost. In-person hours are Monday to Thursday, 8:30 AM to 1 PM and 2 to 4:30 PM, and Friday, 8:30 AM to 1 PM; remote help is also available through the statewide Virtual Court Service Center. Staff give procedural help, not legal advice.
A Virtual Registry for remote counter help. The Worcester Probate and Family Court operates a Virtual Registry, a Zoom session where you can get face-to-face help from Registry staff without coming to the courthouse, with a call-in option for filers without video. It runs Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 1 PM and 2 to 4 PM. It is a counter service for questions and filings, not a hearing; for questions about accessing it, call the Registry at (508) 831-2200 or email [email protected].
Two Registry of Deeds districts for real estate. Worcester County is unusual in having two Registry of Deeds districts, and the Registry of Deeds is a separate county office from the Registry of Probate. The Worcester District (South), in Worcester, records deeds for most of the county; the Worcester Northern District, in Fitchburg, records deeds for Ashburnham, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lunenburg, and Westminster. When you sell a decedent's home and clear the Massachusetts estate tax lien, record the release or affidavit at the district that covers the property, not automatically at the Worcester office.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Worcester County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Worcester, Shrewsbury, or Leominster home held in joint tenancy or as tenants by the entirety passes to the surviving spouse outside probate; the survivor records a death certificate and the supporting documents at the Worcester County Registry of Deeds district that covers the property to clear title. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need informal probate (MPC 150), filed with the Registry of Probate in Worcester, after which the spouse receives Letters of Authority. | Asset discovery to separate jointly held property from sole-name assets. Packet generation for the MPC 150 filing. Guidance on recording the survivorship documents at the correct Registry of Deeds district. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | For a qualifying small estate of personal property with no real estate, the child can file the Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), which is decided without a hearing. For a larger estate, the child files informal probate (MPC 150). Either can be filed through eFileMA or by mail to the Worcester courthouse, so an out-of-state filer can proceed without traveling to Worcester County. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies. Packet generation for MPC 170 or MPC 150, prepared so an out-of-state filer can proceed through eFileMA or by mail. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The parent files informal or formal probate with the Registry of Probate in Worcester and, once issued Letters of Authority, can act for the estate. Because the home must be sold, the personal representative obtains a license to sell (MGL c. 202) where the will grants no power of sale, and clears the Massachusetts estate tax lien at the Worcester County Registry of Deeds district covering the property before conveying. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the probate filing and the license-to-sell paperwork. Attorney referral if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Worcester Probate and Family Court, (508) 831-2200 (mass.gov/locations/worcester-probate-and-family-court) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, hours, directions, forms links, Virtual Registry access, and Registry contact information |
| Worcester Court Service Center, 225 Main St., 1st Floor (mass.gov/locations/worcester-court-service-center) | Free help with forms and court procedure for self-represented filers, in the same building; in-person Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings, plus remote help through the Virtual Court Service Center; procedural help, not legal advice |
| Probate and Family Court forms and self-help hub (mass.gov/orgs/probate-and-family-court) | The statewide MPC forms, the MUPC estate administration procedural guides, and step-by-step instructions for informal, formal, and voluntary administration |
| MassLegalHelp (masslegalhelp.org) | Plain-language self-help on wills, estates, and probate for the public |
| Community Legal Aid, 855-CLA-LEGAL, (855) 252-5342 (communitylegal.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Worcester County and the central and western Massachusetts counties; apply online or by phone. Offices at 370 Main Street in Worcester and 625 Main Street in Fitchburg |
When to hire an attorney
Many Worcester County estates are uncontested and can be handled without an attorney: a qualifying small estate of personal property moves by voluntary administration (MPC 170) without a hearing, and an ordinary case moves by informal probate (MPC 150) before a MUPC Magistrate, with the Worcester Court Service Center available for procedural help. Consider counsel when the estate holds real estate that must be sold and the will grants no power of sale, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or a formal accounting is demanded, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. An attorney can also manage a formal probate before a judge and any remote appearances. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Massachusetts probate attorney serving Worcester County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Worcester County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Massachusetts estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the MPC petition for your path (informal probate, formal probate, or voluntary administration) and the supporting paperwork, ready to file with the Registry of Probate in Worcester through eFileMA, by mail, or at the counter.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Massachusetts probate attorney serving Worcester County.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Worcester County?
With the Registry of Probate at the Worcester Probate and Family Court, 225 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608. Worcester County is a single division of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court and covers all 60 of the county's cities and towns from this one courthouse; there is no second location. You may also file through eFileMA or by mail to the same address.
Which courthouse handles Worcester County probate?
There is only one: the Worcester Probate and Family Court at 225 Main Street in the city of Worcester. Unlike Middlesex or Bristol, Worcester County has no second courthouse or satellite probate session, so estates from Fitchburg, Leominster, Milford, Southbridge, Gardner, and every other community in the county are all filed at the Worcester Registry of Probate.
Is there e-filing for probate in Worcester County?
Yes. eFileMA (Odyssey File and Serve) is available in the Worcester Probate and Family Court 24/7 for informal probate (MPC 150), formal probate (MPC 160), and the voluntary administration statement (MPC 170). E-filing is available but not required; you may still file by mail or at the Registry counter. Tyler charges a convenience fee on top of the statutory filing fee.
What forms do I need for probate in Worcester County?
Massachusetts uses one statewide set of MPC forms in every division, including Worcester. The core forms are the Petition for Informal Probate (MPC 150), the Petition for Formal Adjudication (MPC 160), and the Voluntary Administration Statement (MPC 170), with companions such as the bond (MPC 801), the surviving-spouse and heirs form (MPC 162), and the devisees form (MPC 163). There is no separate Worcester County form set.
How much does it cost to file probate in Worcester County?
The filing fee is uniform statewide. Informal or formal probate is $390 ($375 plus a $15 surcharge) and voluntary administration is $115 ($100 plus a $15 surcharge), per the Probate and Family Court fee schedule on mass.gov, verified July 2026. Newspaper publication and deputy-sheriff service, where required, are separate costs, and eFileMA adds a convenience fee.
Can I look up a Worcester County probate case online?
Yes, through the MassCourts public portal at masscourts.org, the Trial Court's eServices site, which covers Probate and Family Court dockets including Worcester County. Some records, such as impounded family matters, are restricted. For questions about a specific filing, call the Registry of Probate at (508) 831-2200.
Who decides an uncontested probate in Worcester County?
A MUPC Magistrate of the Probate and Family Court, not a judge, decides uncontested informal probate and informal appointment, and does so with no hearing. The Magistrate may act as early as seven days after death. Formal probate and any contested matter go before a judge of the division.
Is there free help with probate in Worcester County?
Yes. The Worcester Court Service Center, inside the courthouse at 225 Main Street, 1st Floor, helps self-represented filers with forms and court procedure at no cost, in person Monday to Thursday and Friday mornings, and remotely through the Virtual Court Service Center. It gives procedural help, not legal advice. MassLegalHelp (masslegalhelp.org) offers plain-language self-help online.
Do I have to travel to the Worcester courthouse to file?
Not necessarily. The Worcester Probate and Family Court accepts filings through eFileMA, available 24/7, and by mail to 225 Main St., Worcester, MA 01608, and its Virtual Registry offers face-to-face registry help over Zoom, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 1 PM and 2 to 4 PM. Filing in person at the Main Street counter is also an option, and the Worcester Court Service Center in the same building can help with forms.
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.