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Anne Arundel County, MD Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Anne Arundel County information |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County, 2011 E Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401. The mailing address is the same. |
| Court | Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County, 2011-E Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401. The Orphans' Court is the court for estates under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101. |
| Register phone | 410-222-1430. Toll-free: 800-679-6665. |
| Register fax | 410-222-1467. |
| Office email | [email protected]. The office also publishes [email protected] for draft accounts. The office states that it cannot accept filings through email. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-ins are accepted until 3:30 p.m. The office is closed weekends, state holidays and sometimes for inclement weather. |
| Before visiting | The office asks visitors to call and speak with a staff member before coming in. Visitors pass through security scanners, and cameras or other audio or visual recording devices are not allowed in the Register's office. |
| Parking | The office publishes that parking in the lot attached to the office is free. |
| Court schedule | The Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 lists the Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County as sitting Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Court line: 410-222-1418. Court fax: 410-222-1393. |
| Probate fee | Statewide statutory sliding scale under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2), for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022: $0 under $50,000, rising to $10,000 plus 0.02% of the excess over $10,000,000. No fee is due on a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. The fee is assessed and collected when the first administration account is filed under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(5)(i), not at the counter. |
| Local forms | No Anne Arundel County probate form or local cover sheet is published. The office uses the Registers of Wills statewide numbered forms and estate packets. |
| E-filing | No estate e-filing. Maryland Electronic Courts, MDEC, does not cover the Orphans' Court under Maryland Rule 20-101(w), and the Register of Wills is not a court. |
| Case lookup | Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx. Estate Search is the Registers of Wills lookup system. |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Anne Arundel County. Maryland Rules Title 21 do not extend to the Orphans' Court under Maryland Rule 1-101(u). Ask the Register's office before assuming video appearance is available. |
| Website | Registers of Wills Anne Arundel County page on registers.maryland.gov. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file, make a practical list of what the decedent owned and owed. In Maryland, the route, the paperwork and the fee turn on the value of property the decedent held alone or as a tenant in common, including the rule for small estates under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. Anne Arundel's Register asks visitors to call before coming in, and walk-ins are accepted only until 3:30 p.m.
If the family does not know where the accounts are, a Maryland limited order can help. Form 1147 with Form 1148 can request an order to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box; the Registers of Wills published fee schedule lists a $2.00 charge for limited orders. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help you build the asset picture before estate settlement turns into forms, notices and accountings.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Anne Arundel County estate settlement is filed at the Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County in Annapolis. One county office serves communities such as Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Severna Park, Pasadena, Odenton, Crofton, Arnold, Edgewater, Millersville and Severn.
Venue belongs in the Maryland county where the decedent was domiciled at death, and probate proceedings for one decedent may not be maintained in more than one county (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103). If the decedent was not domiciled in Maryland but owned Maryland property, venue is the county where the petitioner believes the largest part in value of the Maryland property was located.
The jurisdiction process
- Deliver the original will and any codicils to the Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County promptly after death, even if no estate will be opened (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-203(b)(1)). This office states that filings are not accepted through email.
- Identify the estate route and the asset list before filing. For a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, use Form 1103 and the small-estate packet; for a regular estate, use Form 1112 and the regular-estate packet. If the will or assets need to be located first, consider Form 1147 and Form 1148 for a limited order.
- Call the Register's office at 410-222-1430 before visiting. The office asks visitors to speak with staff first so they know which documents to bring.
- Complete the statewide Register of Wills forms. Anne Arundel County publishes no local probate form or cover sheet, and the Registers' forms page instructs users to download forms and complete them on a device rather than in a browser.
- File on paper with the Register of Wills at 2011 E Commerce Park Drive in Annapolis, or mail the papers to the same address. Walk-ins are accepted until 3:30 p.m., parking in the attached lot is free, and visitors pass through security scanners.
- The Register acts in administrative probate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-301 and § 5-302. In the ordinary case, the Register may admit the will, appoint the personal representative and issue letters of administration under § 5-302 without a judge hearing.
- Give notice and track claims. A claim against the estate is barred unless presented within the earlier of six months after death or two months after mailed or delivered notice (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 8-103).
- Use the Orphans' Court only when a court issue arises. The Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County is the estate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, and the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 lists sitting hours of Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Administer the estate and account. The personal representative files the inventory under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201 and administration accounts under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-305. The probate fee under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206 is assessed and collected when the first administration account is filed under § 2-206(b)(5)(i).
- Close the estate after required distributions, taxes and approvals. The Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 approves administration accounts, personal representative commissions under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-601 and attorney's fees where required.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County does not publish a county probate form, local cover sheet or local estate packet. The Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County uses the statewide numbered Register of Wills forms and assembled packets.
| Need | Forms to know |
|---|---|
| Open a regular estate | Form 1112, Petition for Administration of Regular Estate, with Form 1136 Schedule A, Form 1104 List of Interested Persons, Form 1114 notice form and the appropriate bond papers. |
| Open a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 | Form 1103, Petition for Administration of a Small Estate, with Form 1137 Schedule B, Form 1104, Form 1118, Form 1109, Form 1124 and Form 1153. |
| Serve from outside Maryland | Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. An out-of-state personal representative may serve if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent on Form 1106. |
| Search for assets or a will before opening | Form 1147, Petition for Limited Orders, with Form 1148 Schedule C. The Registers of Wills published fee schedule lists a $2.00 limited-order charge. |
| Request a fee waiver | The Register must waive the fees for administering an estate where the decedent's Maryland real property is to be transferred to an heir who lives on it, or is encumbered by a lien and subject to tax sale, and the estate is unable to pay by reason of poverty. The request goes to the Register on Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees, under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4). |
| Report non-probate property for inheritance tax | Form 1124 Information Report and, where needed, Form 1125 Application to Fix Inheritance Tax on Non-Probate Assets. Maryland inheritance tax is governed by Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204 and assessed through the Register. |
Local nuance
Anne Arundel County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Commerce Park Drive, not Church Circle | The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 are both at 2011 E Commerce Park Drive in Annapolis. The Maryland Manual records that the Orphans' Court moved from 8 Church Circle to Commerce Park Drive in July 2022. |
| Walk-in cutoff | The Register's office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but walk-ins are accepted only until 3:30 p.m. The office asks visitors to call 410-222-1430 before coming in. |
| No filing by email | The office publishes two office email addresses, including one for draft accounts, but also states that filings are not accepted through email. File estate papers with the Register of Wills on paper under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. |
| Published court sitting hours | The Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 lists the Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 as sitting Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The directory does not publish a filing-to-hearing wait. |
| Separate phone lines | The Register's main line is 410-222-1430. The Judiciary directory lists the Orphans' Court line as 410-222-1418. Use the Register for filing and ordinary estate administration questions. |
| Three-judge panel | Anne Arundel County elects three Orphans' Court judges. The Maryland Judiciary explains that, outside the jurisdictions where a single lawyer-judge may preside, three elected judges sit together as a panel. Anne Arundel County is in the panel category. |
| Two taxes, two offices | The Maryland estate tax return, Form MET 1, is filed directly with the Comptroller of Maryland within nine months of the date of death under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309, while the Maryland inheritance tax is assessed and collected by the Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204. |
| Local probate help | The Anne Arundel County Public Law Library runs Ask a Lawyer in the Library on Wednesdays, and its published topic list includes wills, estate planning and probate. That is separate from the Maryland Court Help Centers, which exclude personal representatives. |
Recent updates
| Date | Local update |
|---|---|
| July 2022 | The Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County moved from the courthouse at 8 Church Circle in Annapolis to 2011-E Commerce Park Drive, the same building used by the Register of Wills. |
| June 4, 2026 | The Maryland Judiciary revised its Orphans' Court judges and registers directory. The Anne Arundel entry lists the court at 2011-E Commerce Park Drive, with court line 410-222-1418 and sitting hours of Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Anne Arundel County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | A home held with survivorship rights is usually outside the probate estate. If the remaining probate property qualifies as a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, the spouse files Form 1103 with the Register at 2011 E Commerce Park Drive or by mail. No fee is due on a small estate under § 5-601. If Maryland real property is to pass to an heir who lives on it and the estate is unable to pay by reason of poverty, the Register shall waive qualifying fees on Form 1220 under § 2-206(a)(4). | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title clues before the spouse chooses the packet, and Sunset assembles the estate settlement paperwork for the Register. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | An out-of-state personal representative may serve if a Maryland resident signs Form 1106 as resident agent. The original will and petition still have to reach Anne Arundel's Register on paper because the office does not accept filings by email. The statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov can be checked from anywhere. | Sunset organizes the forms, tracks what must be mailed to Annapolis, and flags the resident agent requirement before the packet is sent. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A solely owned home usually points to a regular estate, with Form 1112, Form 1136, Form 1104, bond papers and the notice form. The Maryland Judiciary states that estates involving real estate sales can take longer than simpler matters. The fee under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206 is assessed on the probate estate value and collected when the first administration account is filed under § 2-206(b)(5)(i), not at the counter. If a dispute arises, the Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 sits in the same building on the Judiciary's published Tuesday and Thursday schedule. | Sunset helps find accounts, generate the packet, keep the sale-related estate settlement tasks organized and connect the family with a local probate attorney when the real estate or a dispute needs counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County | The Register of Wills under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41 is the filing office and may help with required forms and general estate administration questions, but not legal advice. | 2011 E Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401. 410-222-1430. Toll-free 800-679-6665. [email protected]. |
| Anne Arundel County Public Law Library | Provides legal information resources, public computers and a do-it-yourself collection. Librarians help locate materials but do not interpret them. | Suite 301, 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401. 410-222-1387. |
| Ask a Lawyer in the Library | Free limited civil legal advice for up to 20 minutes. The program's published topic list includes wills, estate planning and probate. It is currently held remotely with registration through the law library. | Wednesdays, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., except the last two weeks in December. Register through the law library at 410-222-1387. |
| Anne Arundel Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service | Refers callers to lawyers in practice areas that include wills, estates and trusts. | 410-222-6859. The Bar Association publishes hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday. |
| Maryland Legal Aid, Anne Arundel and Howard office | Statewide civil legal aid for financially eligible households. Its published wills and estates service is brief advice on drafting wills and advance directives, not representation of personal representatives in estate administration. | 2024 West St., Suite 204, Annapolis, MD 21401. Local phone 410-972-2700. Statewide intake 1-888-465-2468. |
| People's Law Library of Maryland | Judiciary-linked consumer legal library with Maryland estate administration and probate articles. It is an information library, not a legal advice provider. | https://peoples-law.org |
| Maryland Court Help Centers | Free civil legal help for individuals without lawyers, but the Help Centers state that they cannot help personal representatives. Do not rely on them for estate administration help. | 410-260-1392. |
| Registers of Wills statewide pages | Statewide FAQ, forms, fees, legal notices, Estate Search and Claim Search for Register of Wills cases. | https://registers.maryland.gov |
When to hire an attorney
Talk with a lawyer if the estate involves a caveat, a contested appointment, an elective share, a creditor claim the personal representative wants to disallow, unclear title, or a real estate sale that may create disputes. The Register of Wills can assist with required forms, but it cannot give legal advice, and the Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 has limited estate jurisdiction. Anne Arundel's Ask a Lawyer in the Library program and the Anne Arundel Bar Association referral line are local starting points, and Sunset connects the reader to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts, policies and other assets so the family can understand what belongs in the estate settlement before filing with the Register of Wills.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into the Maryland Register of Wills forms, including the packet used for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 or a regular estate.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a dispute, real property sale, tax issue or court hearing, Sunset can connect the family with counsel familiar with Anne Arundel County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset helps families move from uncertainty to an organized estate settlement without charging families to use the service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Anne Arundel County, Maryland?
File with the Register of Wills for Anne Arundel County at 2011 E Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401. The Register of Wills is the elected filing office under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103.
Do I file with the Register of Wills or with the Orphans' Court in Anne Arundel County?
You file with the Register of Wills. The Orphans' Court is the estate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, but the Register opens the estate and, in administrative probate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-301 and § 5-302, may admit the will and appoint the personal representative.
Is the Anne Arundel County Register of Wills at the courthouse on Church Circle?
No. The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 are at 2011 E Commerce Park Drive in Annapolis. The Maryland Manual records that the Orphans' Court moved from Church Circle to Commerce Park Drive in July 2022.
Can I file an Anne Arundel County estate online or by email?
No estate e-filing is published for Anne Arundel County. The office states that it cannot accept filings through email. Maryland Electronic Courts, MDEC, does not cover the Orphans' Court under Maryland Rule 20-101(w), and the Register of Wills is not a court.
Does Anne Arundel County have its own probate forms?
No local probate form or cover sheet is published. Use the statewide Register of Wills forms, including Form 1112 for a regular estate and Form 1103 for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601.
What does it cost to open an estate in Anne Arundel County, and when do I pay?
The probate fee is the statewide fee under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2), for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022: $0 under $50,000, then higher tiers up to $10,000 plus 0.02% of the excess over $10,000,000. No fee is due on a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. For a regular estate, the fee is assessed and collected when the first administration account is filed under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(5)(i).
When does the Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County sit?
The Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 lists the Orphans' Court for Anne Arundel County, under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, as sitting Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. That is a sitting schedule, not a promised hearing date.
How do I look up an Anne Arundel County estate?
Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx. Estate Search shows Register of Wills cases across Maryland, including county of filing, estate type and status. Historical depth varies by county.
Do I have to travel to Annapolis to settle the estate?
Not always. The Register accepts paper filings by mail at the same Commerce Park Drive address, and the toll-free line is 800-679-6665. Original wills still must reach the Register under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-203, and the office does not accept filings by email.
Can I register a domestic partnership with the Anne Arundel County Register of Wills?
Yes, if both people are domiciled in Anne Arundel County, they file a Declaration of Domestic Partnership with the Register of Wills under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-214. The Registers of Wills published fee schedule lists a $25.00 declaration fee and $2.00 per additional certificate. A surviving registered domestic partner may have inheritance tax consequences under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-203.
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.