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Howard County, MD Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Howard County details |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Register of Wills for Howard County, the office you file with under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. |
| Probate court | Orphans' Court for Howard County, Maryland's probate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101. Judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County sit as this court, alternately and in rotation, under Md. Const. art. IV, § 20(b). |
| Courthouse address | Circuit Courthouse, 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, Maryland 21043. |
| Mailing address | 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The mailing address is the same as the counter address. |
| Phone | 410-313-2133. Toll free: 888-848-0136. The Maryland Judiciary directory prints the same number for the Orphans' Court. |
| Fax | 410-313-3409. The Maryland Judiciary directory prints the same fax for the Orphans' Court. |
| [email protected], for questions. The office states that it cannot accept filings through email. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed weekends and state holidays. |
| Before you visit | The office asks visitors to call and speak with a staff member first, so staff can explain the procedures and the documents needed. |
| Notary and legal advice | The office may assist with preparation of required forms, but it is prohibited from providing legal advice and notary services. |
| Getting there | Free parking in the courthouse garage; all visitors pass through security scanners; Route 403 of the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland serves the courthouse. |
| Probate fee | Maryland uses one statewide probate fee schedule under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2), for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022, and Howard County adds no local surcharge. It is assessed when the first administration account is filed, not paid at opening. The fee schedule is separate from the Maryland estate tax under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. |
| Local forms | No Howard County petition forms or local cover sheet; use the statewide Register of Wills forms. The Orphans' Court for Howard County publishes two motion forms through the Register's page. |
| Electronic filing | Estate filings are paper filings with the Register. 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 and choose Howard from the county selector. |
| Orphans' Court sitting | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Howard County sits every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. until completed. Confirm with the Register before travelling. |
| Remote appearance | Maryland Rules Title 21 do not extend to the Orphans' Court under Maryland Rule 1-101(u). The Orphans' Court for Howard County publishes a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely; filing it is a request, and the decision belongs to the court. |
| Website | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/howard.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you drive to Ellicott City, 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 you choose a route rather than starting an estate settlement and discovering later that the packet should have been different.
Two Howard County facts make that homework useful. The office cannot accept filings through email, so a corrected paper packet means another trip to Suite 1100 or another envelope. Maryland also gives families a way to look before opening an estate: Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148 can request a Limited Order to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Probate in Howard County runs through two offices. You file with the Register of Wills for Howard County, an elected office under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41 that opens the estate, appoints the personal representative in administrative probate and issues letters of administration (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-301 and § 5-302). The Orphans' Court for Howard County is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101); it approves administration accounts, approves personal representative commissions and attorney's fees under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-601, and hears contested matters. Most families deal only with the Register.
The Register, the Orphans' Court and the Circuit Court are all at 9250 Judicial Way in Ellicott City. Howard County has no incorporated towns or cities, so estates for decedents domiciled in Ellicott City, Columbia, Elkridge, Savage, Jessup, Clarksville and other Howard County communities go to the same Register of Wills counter.
A Maryland estate is opened in the county where the decedent was domiciled at the time of 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 (ET § 5-103(a)).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm Howard County is the right jurisdiction. A Maryland estate is opened where the decedent was domiciled at the time of death, and only one county may maintain the proceeding (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103).
- Call the Register of Wills for Howard County before you go. The office asks visitors to call 410-313-2133, or toll free 888-848-0136, so staff can explain the procedures and the documents to bring.
- File the original will with the Register of Wills for Howard County. Anyone holding the original will must deliver it to the Register for the county where administration should be had, promptly after death, even if no estate is opened (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-203(b)(1)). The office cannot accept filings through email.
- Identify the assets before choosing forms. If assets or a will may be in a safe deposit box or in an account nobody can identify, ask the Register about a Limited Order. Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148 can request authority to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box.
- Download the statewide packet and complete it with software on your device rather than in a browser tab, as the Registers instruct. The Registers publish a Small Estate Packet for an estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and a Regular Estate Packet. Howard County adds no petition form and no local cover sheet.
- Get anything that must be sworn notarized before you arrive. The Register of Wills for Howard County states that it is prohibited from providing legal advice or notary services.
- Bring or mail the petition and supporting forms to the Register of Wills for Howard County at 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed weekends and state holidays. Visitors pass through security scanners, parking in the courthouse garage is free, and Route 403 of the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland serves the courthouse.
- If the personal representative lives outside Maryland, file Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent, signed by a Maryland resident who agrees to act as agent.
- If a firearm may be part of the estate, expect Form 1153, the affidavit of attempt to comply with federal, state and local firearms law, which is part of the standard Small Estate Packet under ET § 5-601.
- The Register opens the estate. In administrative probate, the Register may admit the will to probate and shall appoint one or more personal representatives, then issues letters of administration, with no judge involved in the ordinary case (ET § 5-301 and § 5-302).
- Give notice as the packet directs. 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 ET § 5-601. The List of Interested Persons is Form 1104 and is due within 20 days of appointment.
- Meet the statewide deadlines. File the inventory and the Information Report within 3 months of appointment (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201). File the first administration account within 9 months of appointment, then further accounts every 6 months until the final account (ET § 7-305). A claim against the estate is forever barred unless presented within the earlier of 6 months after the date of the decedent's death or 2 months after the personal representative mails the required notice (ET § 8-103(a)).
- Pay the probate fee when it is assessed, not at the counter. The Register assesses and collects the fee when the first administration account is filed (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(5)(i)), or when the final report is filed under modified administration (ET § 2-206(b)(4) and § 5-702). If the estate cannot pay by reason of poverty and the statutory real-property conditions are met, ask about Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees (ET § 2-206(a)(4)).
- Expect to deal with the Register rather than a judge unless a matter becomes contested or needs a court order. If a Howard County matter is set for a hearing, the Orphans' Court for Howard County sits on Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. until completed, as of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, and the judges hearing it are judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County sitting as the Orphans' Court (Md. Const. art. IV, § 20(b); ET § 2-101). Confirm the date with the Register before travelling. The court publishes a Motion for Continuance or Postponement and a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely through the Register's page.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Howard County
Howard County does not publish its own petition forms or a local cover sheet, so a Howard County estate is opened on Maryland's numbered, revision-dated statewide Register of Wills form set. The Orphans' Court for Howard County does publish two of its own motion forms, a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely and a Motion for Continuance or Postponement, both available through the Register's page. The Orphans' Court is the court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, but the opening packet is filed with the Register.
| Form or packet | How it is used in Howard County |
|---|---|
| Small Estate Packet | Statewide packet for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. It includes Form 1103, Schedule B on Form 1137, Form 1104, Form 1109, Form 1106, Form 1124, Form 1117 and Form 1153. |
| Regular Estate Packet | Statewide packet for opening a regular estate, including Form 1112, Schedule A on Form 1136, Form 1104, bond forms, Form 1118, Form 1114, Form 1106 and Form 1101. |
| Form 1106 | Appointment of Resident Agent, used when an out-of-state personal representative serves with a Maryland resident agent. |
| Form 1147 and Form 1148 | Petition for Limited Orders and Schedule C. These can request a Limited Order to search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box. |
| Form 1153 | Affidavit of Attempt to Comply with Federal, State, and Local Laws Related to Firearms, Ammunition, and Destructive Devices. It is part of the standard Small Estate Packet under ET § 5-601. |
| Form 1220 | Request for Waiver of Fees, tied to the fee-waiver rule in Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4). |
| Howard motion forms | The Orphans' Court for Howard County publishes a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely and a Motion for Continuance or Postponement. Filing a motion asks the court for relief; it does not guarantee the result. |
The Registers instruct users to download forms, open them with software on a device, and print them. Do not complete the forms in a browser tab.
Local nuance
Howard County-specific considerations
| Howard County point | What it means for estate settlement |
|---|---|
| Circuit court judges sit as the Orphans' Court | Howard County does not elect Orphans' Court judges. Under Md. Const. art. IV, § 20(b), judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County sit as the Orphans' Court for Howard County, alternately and in rotation. The Orphans' Court is still the court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, and the Register of Wills is still the filing office. |
| Howard is the newest of the three counties | The change came from Chapter 539, Acts of 2022 (House Bill 868), ratified November 8, 2022. The other two counties are Harford County and Montgomery County. |
| Local approval mattered | Chapter 539 stated that the constitutional amendment affected only one county and that local approval under Md. Const. art. XIV, § 1 applied. The change was sent to voters at the November 2022 general election. |
| Published Thursday sitting | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, Howard's Orphans' Court sits every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. until completed. Confirm with the Register before travelling. |
| No de novo circuit court appeal | Because Chapter 539 removed Howard County from Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502(a), an appeal from the Orphans' Court for Howard County goes to the Appellate Court of Maryland under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-501. The notice of appeal is filed with the Register within 30 days. |
| Two local motion forms | The Orphans' Court for Howard County publishes a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely and a Motion for Continuance or Postponement through the Register's page. These are motion forms for a scheduled proceeding, not opening forms for an estate. |
| One building and one suite | The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court share Suite 1100 at 9250 Judicial Way, and the Judiciary directory prints the same phone and fax for the court that the Register publishes for the office. |
| No email filings and no notary services | The Howard office publishes an email address for questions, but says it cannot accept filings through email. It also says it cannot provide notary services, so have sworn papers notarized before you arrive. |
| No incorporated towns or cities | Howard County has no incorporated towns or cities, so communities across the county use the same Ellicott City filing counter when venue belongs in Howard County under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed for Howard County filers |
|---|---|
| Chapter 539, Acts of 2022 (House Bill 868) | Howard County no longer elects Orphans' Court judges. Judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County sit as the Orphans' Court under Md. Const. art. IV, § 20(b), and Howard County no longer has a de novo circuit court appeal under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502(a). |
| Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 | The directory is the source for the Howard Orphans' Court address, shared phone and fax, rotating circuit court judges, and Thursday sitting at 1:00 p.m. until completed. |
| Probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 | The current statewide probate fee schedule applies in Howard County under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2). It is separate from the Maryland estate tax under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. |
| Statewide form revisions | The Small Estate Packet and Regular Estate Packet carry 2025 revisions. Forms 1109 and 1114 carry 2025/10 revision dates, and Forms 1103, 1112, 1104 and 1147 carry 2024/07 revision dates. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Howard County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start with title to the Ellicott City, Columbia or Elkridge home, because property that passes by operation of law is not part of the probate estate. If an estate is opened, small-estate value under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 measures fair market value less debts of record secured by the property. If the statutory conditions are met, the Register must waive probate fees under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4), and the form is Form 1220. | Sunset helps assemble the account and property picture, then prepares the packet for the Ellicott City counter or mailing address. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | An out-of-state personal representative may serve if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106. Howard County cannot take the filing by email, so plan on mail to 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043, or one trip after calling the office. Anything sworn should be notarized before the trip because the office cannot notarize. | Sunset builds the estate settlement packet remotely and identifies what has to be signed, notarized and mailed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale can lengthen administration. The Maryland Judiciary says most estates wrap up within nine to eighteen months of death unless there is litigation or real estate needs to be sold. Expect the Orphans' Court for Howard County, the court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, to approve administration accounts. Keep the first administration account deadline within 9 months of appointment under ET § 7-305, and remember that the claims clock runs from the date of death under ET § 8-103(a). | Sunset helps find liens, mortgages and account balances needed for the inventory under ET § 7-201 and the administration accounts. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills for Howard County | The office you file with under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. It may answer general questions and assist with preparation of required forms, but it cannot provide legal advice or notary services and cannot accept filings through email. | 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043; 410-313-2133; toll free 888-848-0136; [email protected]; https://registers.maryland.gov/main/howard.html |
| Registers of Wills statewide pages | Statewide forms and packets, FAQ, deadlines, the fee schedule under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206, small-estate information under ET § 5-601 and the publication set linked from the Howard office page. | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/forms.html |
| Maryland Estate Search | The Registers' statewide estate case lookup. Choose Howard from the county selector. Basic estate information and dockets are free; PDFs are $0.50 per page. | https://registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx |
| Maryland Judiciary Orphans' Court and Wills and Estates pages | Judiciary information on the Orphans' Court as Maryland's probate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, the Harford, Howard and Montgomery circuit-judge arrangement, and video materials on opening an estate. | https://www.mdcourts.gov/orphanscourt |
| Circuit Court for Howard County Law Library and Legal Resource Center | A public law library on the first floor of the same courthouse, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed on court holidays. Its page says the law librarian cannot interpret legal material, give legal advice or recommend document language. | 9250 Judicial Way, Ellicott City, MD 21043; 410-313-2135; https://www.mdcourts.gov/circuit/howard/lawlibrary |
| Howard County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | The association describes its referral service as a lawyer referral service and consultation with a reduced fee initial consultation. The Register's Howard page also links the bar association. | 443-574-5018; https://www.howardcountybar.org/ |
| People's Law Library of Maryland | A Judiciary-linked consumer legal library with estate administration and probate materials. It provides information rather than representation. | https://www.peoples-law.org/ |
| Maryland Legal Aid, Anne Arundel and Howard 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. | 2024 West Street, Suite 204, Annapolis, MD 21401; 410-972-2700; statewide intake 1-888-465-2468, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. |
| Maryland Court Help Centers | Free limited civil legal help for people without a lawyer, but the Help Center's own page states that it cannot help relatives, agents, third parties, businesses or personal representatives. Estates are not listed among its case types. | 410-260-1392, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; https://www.mdcourts.gov/helpcenter |
When to hire an attorney
A Maryland probate attorney makes sense when the will is disputed, a home must be sold, beneficiaries disagree, a creditor issue arises, a caveat is filed, an appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-501 is in play, or the Maryland estate tax return belongs with the Comptroller under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. The Register of Wills for Howard County may assist with required forms, but the office cannot provide legal advice or notary services. Sunset connects families to a vetted Maryland probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for bank accounts, investment accounts, life insurance, retirement accounts and other assets so you can understand the estate before filing in Howard County. Better asset information makes the estate settlement packet more accurate from the start.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into the Maryland Register of Wills forms used to open and administer the estate, including the Howard County filing address and the local reminders that filings are on paper and anything sworn should be notarized before you arrive.
Find a local probate attorney. When a dispute, sale of real estate, tax question or Orphans' Court hearing calls for legal help, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Maryland probate attorney who understands Howard County practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate, prepare forms and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Howard County, Maryland?
File with the Register of Wills for Howard County at the Circuit Courthouse, 9250 Judicial Way, Suite 1100, Ellicott City, MD 21043. The Register is the filing office under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. Venue belongs in Howard County when the decedent was domiciled in Howard County at death (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103).
Does Howard County have an Orphans' Court, and who are the judges?
Yes. The Orphans' Court for Howard County is the court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101. Howard County does not elect Orphans' Court judges. Under Md. Const. art. IV, § 20(b), judges of the Circuit Court for Howard County sit as the Orphans' Court, alternately and in rotation.
When does the Orphans' Court for Howard County sit, and will I have to go?
As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Howard County sits every Thursday at 1:00 p.m. until completed. Confirm with the Register before travelling. Many estates are handled administratively by the Register, with no judge involved, under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-301 and § 5-302.
Can I open an estate online or by email in Howard County?
No online estate-opening route is published for Howard County. 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. The Howard office also states that it cannot accept filings through email.
What does it cost to open an estate in Howard County?
Howard County does not add a local probate fee. Maryland's statewide probate fee schedule applies under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2), for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022, and the Register assesses it when the first administration account is filed, not at opening. No fees are due on small estates under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. The probate fee schedule is separate from the Maryland estate tax under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309.
Can I appear by phone or video in the Orphans' Court for Howard County?
Maryland Rules Title 21 do not extend to the Orphans' Court under Maryland Rule 1-101(u). Howard County publishes a Motion for Remote Proceeding or to Appear Remotely through the Register's page. Filing it is a request, and the decision belongs to the court.
How do I look up an estate filed in Howard County?
Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov and choose Howard from the county selector. Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers matters originating in the circuit courts and the District Court, while a Howard estate is opened with the Register. How far back Estate Search results run varies by county.
Does Howard County have its own probate forms?
Howard County does not publish its own petition forms or a local cover sheet. Use the statewide Register of Wills forms and packets, including Form 1103 for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and Form 1112 for a regular estate. The Orphans' Court for Howard County does publish two local motion forms for scheduled proceedings.
I live out of state. Can I be the personal representative of a Howard County estate?
Yes, if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106. Plan ahead because the Howard office cannot accept filings by email, and it cannot provide notary services for sworn paperwork.
Can the Register of Wills for Howard County help me fill out the forms or notarize them?
The Register of Wills may answer general questions about estate administration and wills and may assist with preparation of required forms. The Howard office cannot provide legal advice or notary services, so have anything sworn notarized before you arrive.
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.