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Calvert County, MD Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Calvert County details |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Register of Wills for Calvert County, Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678 (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41) |
| Probate court | Orphans' Court for Calvert County, Calvert County Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. The Orphans' Court is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Mailing address | 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, MD 20678. The mailing address is the same as the street address. |
| Register phone | Main: 410-535-1600, extension 2256. Alternate: 410-535-0121. DC line: 301-855-1243. Toll free: 888-374-0015. |
| Orphans' Court phone | 410-535-0121, the number printed for the Orphans' Court and also listed by the Register as an alternate number (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Fax | 410-414-3952. The Register publishes this fax, and the Judiciary directory prints the same fax for the Orphans' Court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Email and filing route | No estate-filing email route is published for Calvert. The office states that filings cannot be accepted through email. File on paper with the Register in person, by mail or through the office drop box. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed weekends and state holidays. |
| Appointments and security | Appointments are offered for in-person services, and the office asks you to call before arriving. All persons entering the courthouse are subject to a search by courthouse security officers. |
| Drop box | Black drop box labelled REGISTER OF WILLS at the main entrance sidewalk next to the billboard. Confirm with the office before leaving an original you cannot replace. |
| Orphans' Court sitting | Every Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. to noon, at the Calvert County Courthouse, as of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026. Confirm before travelling (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Probate fee | Maryland uses one statewide probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)). Calvert adds no county surcharge. Fee tiers are $0 under $50,000; $100 from $50,000 to under $100,000; $200 from $100,000 to under $500,000; $1,000 from $500,000 to under $1,000,000; $2,000 from $1,000,000 to under $2,500,000; $5,000 from $2,500,000 to under $5,000,000; $7,500 from $5,000,000 to under $7,500,000; $10,000 from $7,500,000 to under $10,000,000; and $10,000 plus .02% of the excess over $10,000,000 for larger estates. The fee is assessed later, not at opening. |
| Local forms | No Calvert County probate form or cover sheet is published. Use the statewide numbered Register of Wills forms. |
| E-filing | Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover estate filings with the Register of Wills or the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note). Calvert also states that filings cannot be sent by email. |
| Estate lookup | Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov and choose Calvert. Do not use Maryland Judiciary Case Search for an estate opened with the Register. |
| Website | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/calvert.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you drive to Prince Frederick, work out what the estate actually contains. Sunset searches for assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions, so you can see accounts, policies and debts before choosing the right estate settlement path.
That preparation matters in Calvert County because the Register cannot accept filings by email. A corrected paper packet means another trip to 175 Main Street, another mailing or another drop-box delivery. If assets or a will may be in a safe deposit box or in an account nobody can identify, ask the Register about a Petition for Limited Orders, Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148, which lets the office authorize a search for assets or for a will before the estate is opened.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Calvert County estates are filed with the Register of Wills for Calvert County at the Calvert County Courthouse in Prince Frederick. The Orphans' Court for Calvert County is in the same courthouse and is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101), but the filing counter is the Register of Wills (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41).
Venue depends on the decedent's domicile. A Maryland estate is opened in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, and probate proceedings may not be maintained in more than one county (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103). If the decedent lived outside Maryland but owned Maryland property, venue is the county holding the largest part in value of that Maryland property.
The Prince Frederick counter serves all of Calvert County, including Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Dunkirk, Owings, Huntingtown, St. Leonard, Port Republic, Lusby, Solomons, Sunderland and the rest of the county. Calvert County has one Register of Wills filing counter.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Calvert County is the right venue. File in the Maryland county where the decedent was domiciled at death, and only one county may maintain the estate proceeding (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103).
- File the original will with the Register of Wills for Calvert County. A person holding the original will must deliver it to the Register for the county where administration should occur after death, even if no estate is opened (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-203(b)(1)). Calvert accepts paper delivery at the counter, by mail or through its drop box, not by email.
- Identify the assets, debts and possible will location before choosing the packet. If you need authority to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box, ask about Form 1147, Petition for Limited Orders, with Schedule C on Form 1148.
- Download the statewide Register of Wills packet and complete it on your device before printing. Maryland's statewide form set includes Form 1103 for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and Form 1112 for a regular estate. Calvert County does not add a local cover sheet.
- Deliver the signed paper packet to the Register of Wills for Calvert County at 175 Main Street in Prince Frederick. You may use the counter during published office hours, mail the packet to the same address or use the black drop box labelled REGISTER OF WILLS at the main entrance sidewalk next to the billboard. If you go in person, call first because appointments are offered and all courthouse visitors are subject to security screening.
- If the personal representative lives outside Maryland, include Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent, signed by a Maryland resident who agrees to act as resident agent.
- If a firearm may be part of the estate, expect Form 1153, the affidavit about attempts to comply with federal, state and local firearms law. It appears in the statewide small estate packet under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601.
- The Register opens the estate. In administrative probate, the Register admits the will, appoints the personal representative and issues letters of administration, so no judge is involved in the ordinary opening (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 5-301 and 5-302).
- Give notice as the statewide packet directs. The List of Interested Persons is Form 1104. The notice of appointment, notice to creditors and notice to unknown heirs is Form 1114 for a regular estate and Form 1109 for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601.
- Track the statewide deadlines. The inventory and information report are due within 3 months of appointment (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201), and the first administration account is due within 9 months of appointment (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-305). A claim against the estate is forever barred unless presented within the earlier of 6 months after death or 2 months after mailed notice (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 8-103).
- Pay the probate fee when the Register assesses it. For estates opened on or after October 1, 2022, the statewide probate fee is collected when the first administration account is filed, or when the final report is filed in modified administration (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 2-206(b)(4), 2-206(b)(5) and 5-702).
- Use the fee waiver rule when it applies. Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4) requires the Register of Wills to waive the probate fees when the decedent's Maryland real property is going to an heir who lives on it, or is under a lien and subject to tax sale, and the estate cannot pay by reason of poverty. Ask the Register about Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees.
- Expect most administration to run through the Register. The Orphans' Court for Calvert County sits every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon as of the Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, and it hears contested matters, approves accounts, and approves personal representative commissions and attorney's fees (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 2-101, 7-305 and 7-601). In Calvert, three elected judges sit together as a panel.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Calvert County
Calvert County does not publish its own probate forms, cover sheet or intake sheet. The Register of Wills for Calvert County uses Maryland's statewide numbered forms, which are published by the Registers of Wills and linked from the Calvert office page.
| Form or packet | Use in Calvert County |
|---|---|
| Form 1103 and Form 1137 | Petition for Administration of a Small Estate and Small Estate Schedule B, used for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. |
| Form 1112 and Form 1136 | Petition for Administration of Regular Estate and Regular Estate Schedule A. |
| Form 1104 | List of Interested Persons. |
| Form 1106 | Appointment of Resident Agent for an out-of-state personal representative. |
| Form 1109 and Form 1114 | Notice forms for appointment, creditors and unknown heirs. The statewide forms page lists both with revision date 2025/10. |
| Form 1122, Form 1123 and Form 1124 | Inventory and information report forms. The inventory is filed under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201. |
| Form 1141, Form 1142 and Form 1143 | Modified administration election, consent and final report forms under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-702. |
| Form 1147 and Form 1148 | Petition for Limited Orders and Schedule C, used when you need authority to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box. |
| Form 1153 | Affidavit about attempts to comply with federal, state and local firearms law. It is included in the statewide small estate packet under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. |
| Form 1220 | Request for Waiver of Fees, used with the mandatory fee waiver under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4). |
The Registers instruct users to download the forms, complete them with software on their own device and print them, rather than filling them out in a browser.
Local nuance
Calvert County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Calvert County filing |
|---|---|
| No email filing, but a described drop box | The Register states that filings cannot be accepted through email. The office also publishes a black drop box labelled REGISTER OF WILLS at the main entrance sidewalk next to the billboard, so paper filings may be delivered without using the counter. |
| Four labelled voice lines | The office publishes a main number, 410-535-1600 extension 2256; an alternate number, 410-535-0121; a DC line, 301-855-1243; and a toll-free number, 888-374-0015. |
| Same building for both offices | The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court for Calvert County are both at the Calvert County Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101; Md. Const. art. IV, § 41). |
| Tuesday morning court sitting | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Calvert County sits every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Confirm before travelling (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Three-judge panel | Calvert County elects three Orphans' Court judges (Md. Const. art. IV, § 40). Calvert is not Harford, Howard or Montgomery, and the Judiciary explains that in the other elected-judge jurisdictions the three judges sit together as a panel. |
| Security at the courthouse | All persons entering the courthouse are subject to a search by courthouse security officers. Build that into any counter visit. |
| Appeal route | Because Calvert is not excluded by Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502(a)(2), a party may choose a de novo appeal to the Circuit Court for Calvert County under CJ § 12-502 or a direct appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-501. The notice of appeal is filed with the Register of Wills. |
| Local bar number | The Register's page lists the Calvert County Bar Association at 410-286-2600 and the Maryland State Bar Association at 800-492-1964. Use those as starting points when the estate settlement needs local counsel. |
Recent updates
| Update | Why it matters in Calvert County |
|---|---|
| Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 | This is the directory that gives the Calvert Orphans' Court sitting window, phone and fax (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 | The current statewide schedule applies in Calvert County, and the older schedule still printed on the fee page does not apply to a newly opened estate (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2); Chapter 716, Acts of 2022 (House Bill 187)). |
| Statewide notice forms revised 2025/10 | Form 1109 and Form 1114, used for small estate proceedings under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and regular estate proceedings, carry that revision date on the statewide forms page. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Calvert County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how the Prince Frederick, Dunkirk, Chesapeake Beach or other Calvert County home is titled. Property that passes outside probate is not measured the same way as probate property. If an estate must be opened, Maryland's small estate rules are under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, and the fee waiver rule may matter: Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4) requires the Register to waive probate fees when the Maryland real property goes to an heir who lives on it and the estate cannot pay by reason of poverty. | Sunset builds the account and property picture, then assembles the packet for the Prince Frederick counter, mail or drop box. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Maryland allows an out-of-state personal representative if a Maryland resident signs Form 1106 as resident agent. Calvert cannot take the filing by email, so plan to mail the paper packet to 175 Main Street, use the drop box or make one trip after calling the office. Small estate administration is under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. | Sunset helps organize the packet remotely, identifies signatures and helps avoid a second trip caused by missing assets or forms. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale can lengthen the estate settlement. Expect inventory work under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201, administration accounts under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-305 and possible Orphans' Court approval in Calvert County (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). The creditor clock still runs from the date of death under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 8-103. | Sunset helps find liens, mortgages, accounts and balances needed for the inventory, accounts and sale planning. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills for Calvert County | The filing office for estate settlement in Calvert County. The Register may answer general questions and assist with required forms, but cannot give legal advice. | Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678. Main 410-535-1600 extension 2256; alternate 410-535-0121; DC line 301-855-1243; toll free 888-374-0015; fax 410-414-3952. Website: https://registers.maryland.gov/main/calvert.html |
| Registers of Wills statewide pages | Statewide forms, packets, fees, deadlines, small estate information under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, modified administration information under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-702 and inheritance tax information under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204. | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/forms.html, /fees.html, /deadlines.html, /seinfo.html, /mainfo.html and /taxes.html |
| Maryland Estate Search | The Registers of Wills statewide estate lookup. Choose Calvert from the county selector. It is at registers.maryland.gov and is separate from Maryland Judiciary Case Search. | https://registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx |
| Maryland Judiciary Orphans' Court and Wills and Estates pages | Judiciary explanations of the Orphans' Court, the Register's role as clerk to the Orphans' Court and the Wills and Estates process (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). | https://www.mdcourts.gov/orphanscourt and https://www.mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/willsestates |
| People's Law Library of Maryland | A free consumer legal library linked by Maryland court resources, with estate administration and probate topics. It is a library, not a legal advice provider. | https://www.peoples-law.org/cat/wills-estates-probate/estate-administration-probate |
| Maryland Legal Aid, Southern Maryland Office | Free civil legal services for financially eligible households. Its published wills and estates service is brief advice for clients who need help drafting wills or advance directives. | 15045 Burnt Store Rd., 3rd Floor, Hughesville, MD 20637. Local 301-932-6661. Intake 1-888-465-2468, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. |
| Maryland Court Help Centers | Free limited civil help for self-represented individuals, but the Help Center states that it cannot help relatives, agents, third parties or personal representatives. Do not rely on it for estate administration help. | 410-260-1392. https://www.mdcourts.gov/helpcenter |
| Local and statewide attorney referral numbers listed by the Register | The Register's Calvert page lists the Calvert County Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar Association as attorney referral starting points. | Calvert County Bar Association 410-286-2600. Maryland State Bar Association 800-492-1964. |
| Comptroller estate tax number listed by the Register | The Maryland estate tax is separate from the inheritance tax and is tied to Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. The Register's Calvert page lists the Comptroller's Maryland Estate Tax Division number. | 410-260-7850 |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families find bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement assets, debts and other information needed before choosing an estate settlement path in Calvert County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into an organized Maryland probate packet for the Register of Wills for Calvert County, using the statewide forms and the local filing details for Prince Frederick.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, a home sale, a dispute strategy or tax guidance, Sunset helps connect the family with a Maryland probate attorney familiar with local practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a guided way to move from asset discovery to estate settlement without guessing which office, form or next step comes first.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Calvert County, Maryland?
File with the Register of Wills for Calvert County at the Calvert County Courthouse, 175 Main Street, Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678. Maryland estates are filed where the decedent was domiciled at death, and only one county may maintain the proceeding (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103). The Orphans' Court for Calvert County is Maryland's probate court, but the Register is the filing office (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101; Md. Const. art. IV, § 41).
Can I open an estate online or by email in Calvert County, and is there a drop box?
No online opening route is published for a Maryland estate. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover the Orphans' Court or filings with the Register of Wills (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note). Calvert also states that filings cannot be accepted through email. You may file paper documents at the counter, by mail or in the black drop box labelled REGISTER OF WILLS at the main entrance sidewalk next to the billboard.
What does it cost to open an estate in Calvert County, and when is the fee due?
Calvert County adds no local surcharge. Maryland's statewide probate fee schedule applies to estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)). The schedule begins at $0 under $50,000 and rises by estate value, including $7,500 for $5,000,000 to under $7,500,000 and $10,000 plus .02% of the excess over $10,000,000 for larger estates. The fee is not collected when the estate is opened; the Register assesses and collects it when the first administration account is filed, or at the final report for modified administration (ET §§ 2-206(b)(4), 2-206(b)(5) and 5-702).
When does the Orphans' Court for Calvert County sit, and will I have to go?
As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Calvert County sits every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Calvert County Courthouse in Prince Frederick (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). Confirm with the Register before travelling. Most families never appear before the judges because administrative probate runs through the Register, who admits the will, appoints the personal representative and issues letters of administration (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 5-301 and 5-302).
Can I appear remotely in the Orphans' Court for Calvert County?
Ask the Register of Wills before assuming any video option. Maryland's statewide remote-participation rules, Maryland Rules Title 21, apply to the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland, the circuit courts and the District Court, not to the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 1-101(u); Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). In most Calvert County estates, the remote question never arises because the family deals with the Register.
How do I look up an estate filed in Calvert County?
Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov and choose Calvert from the county selector. Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers records originating in the circuit courts and the District Court, so it is not the estate lookup for a Register of Wills filing. The Registers state that historical depth varies by county, so do not assume a start year for Calvert.
Does Calvert County have its own probate forms, and can the Register help me fill them in?
Calvert County does not publish its own probate forms or cover sheet. Use the statewide Register of Wills forms, including Form 1103 for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, Form 1112 for a regular estate, Form 1104 for interested persons and Form 1147 for a limited order. The Register may answer general questions and assist with preparation of required forms, but cannot give legal advice.
I live out of state. Can I be the personal representative of a Calvert County estate?
Yes, Maryland allows an out-of-state resident to serve as personal representative if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. Because Calvert does not accept filings through email, plan for mail, the drop box or an in-person trip after calling the office.
Where do Calvert County residents register a domestic partnership?
Two people domiciled in Calvert County register a domestic partnership with the Register of Wills for Calvert County (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-214). The Registers' current fee page reviewed August 2026 lists $25.00 for a Declaration of Domestic Partnership and $2.00 for each additional certificate.
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.