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Kent County, MD Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Kent County details |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Register of Wills for Kent County (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41). This is the office you file with. |
| Probate court | Orphans' Court for Kent County, Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). |
| Courthouse address | Courthouse, 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland 21620. |
| Mailing address | 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620. The mailing address is the same as the courthouse address. |
| Register phone | 410-778-7466; toll free 888-778-0179. |
| Fax | Register of Wills fax: 410-778-2466. Orphans' Court fax: 410-778-7465. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed weekends and state holidays. |
| Appointments | Kent County offers appointments for in-person service and recommends calling before arriving. |
| 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)); Kent County adds no local surcharge. Under $50,000: $0; $50,000 to under $100,000: $100; $100,000 to under $500,000: $200; $500,000 to under $1,000,000: $1,000; $1,000,000 to under $2,500,000: $2,000; $2,500,000 to under $5,000,000: $5,000; $5,000,000 to under $7,500,000: $7,500; $7,500,000 to under $10,000,000: $10,000; $10,000,000 and above: $10,000 plus .02% of the excess over $10,000,000. These are probate fee figures, not the Maryland estate tax under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. No fees are due on small estates under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, including an estate valued between $50,000 and $100,000 with a spouse as sole heir or legatee. The fee is assessed later, not paid when you open the estate. |
| Local forms | No Kent County probate form set or local cover sheet. Use the statewide Register of Wills forms. |
| Electronic filing | Estate filings are paper filings with the Register. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note), and the Register of Wills is not a court. |
| Email filings | The Register of Wills for Kent County states that it cannot accept filings through email. |
| Case lookup | Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov and choose Kent from the county selector. |
| Orphans' Court sitting | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Kent County sits every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Confirm with the Register before travelling. |
| Remote appearance | Maryland Rules Title 21 do not extend to the Orphans' Court. Ask the Register before assuming a Kent County matter can be heard remotely (Maryland Rule 1-101(u)). |
| Website | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/kent.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you drive to Chestertown, work out what the estate actually contains. Sunset searches for assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions, so you can see the accounts, policies and debts before you choose a route rather than filing first and discovering later that the estate settlement should have gone a different way.
Two Kent County facts make that homework useful. The office cannot take filings by email, so a corrected paper packet means a second trip or a second mailing to 103 North Cross Street. Maryland also gives you a way to look before you file: the Registers of Wills price a Petition for Limited Orders at $2.00, and Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148 can authorize a search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kent County has one Register of Wills office and one Orphans' Court, both in the courthouse at 103 North Cross Street in Chestertown. Estates from Chestertown, Rock Hall, Galena, Betterton, Millington, Worton, Kennedyville, Still Pond, Massey and the rest of Kent County file in Chestertown.
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 the Maryland property.
Probate in Kent County runs through two offices. You file with the Register of Wills for Kent County, an elected office that opens the estate, appoints the personal representative in administrative probate and issues letters of administration (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41; Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 5-301 and 5-302). The Orphans' Court for Kent County is Maryland's probate court (ET § 2-101); it approves administration accounts, approves personal representative commissions and attorney's fees, and hears contested matters. Most families deal only with the Register.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Kent County is the right jurisdiction. The 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). If the decedent lived in Chestertown, Rock Hall, Galena, Betterton, Millington or anywhere else in Kent County, file with the Register of Wills for Kent County at 103 North Cross Street in Chestertown (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41).
- File the original will with the Register of Wills for Kent 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 (ET § 4-203(b)(1)). Kent accepts filings at the counter or by mail, not by email.
- Work out what is in the estate before you choose a route. 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. The Registers of Wills price a Limited Order at $2.00, and Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148 can authorize a search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box.
- Download the right statewide packet and fill it in on your device. The Registers publish a Small Estate Packet for estates under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and a Regular Estate Packet, both revised 2025/10. Kent County adds no local form and no local cover sheet.
- Bring or mail the petition and supporting forms to the Register of Wills for Kent County. In person, use the counter at 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office takes appointments for in-person service and recommends calling first. By mail, use the same address. There is no online filing route for a Maryland estate, and Kent states that it cannot accept filings through email.
- 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.
- Meet the filing deadlines the Registers publish statewide. File the inventory and Information Report within 3 months of appointment (ET § 7-201), and file the first administration account within 9 months of appointment (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. It is not collected at the counter when you open the estate. The Register assesses and collects it when the first administration account is filed (ET § 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 Maryland real property is going to an heir who lives on it, or is under a lien and subject to tax sale, ask the Register about Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees (ET § 2-206(a)(4)).
- Expect to deal with the Register, not a judge, unless a matter becomes contested or needs court action. The Orphans' Court for Kent County sits every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon as of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026 (ET § 2-101). Most families have no direct contact with the judges. If a Kent matter is heard, all three elected Orphans' Court judges sit together as a panel.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Kent County
Kent County does not publish its own probate forms or a local cover sheet. Maryland's Registers of Wills publish one numbered, revision-dated statewide form set, and the Register of Wills for Kent County works from it.
The Registers instruct users to download the forms and complete them with software on their own device, not in a browser.
| Form or packet | Use in Kent County |
|---|---|
| Small Estate Packet, revised 2025/10 | Used for a small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601. The packet includes Form 1103, Schedule B on Form 1137, Form 1104, Form 1118, Form 1109, Form 1106, Form 1124, Form 1117 and Form 1153. |
| Regular Estate Packet, revised 2025/10 | Used for a regular estate. The packet includes 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. Use it when an out-of-state personal representative will serve and a Maryland resident agrees to act as agent. |
| Forms 1147 and 1148 | Petition for Limited Orders and Schedule C. The Registers of Wills price a Limited Order at $2.00, and it can authorize a 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, revised 2023/07. |
| Form 1220 | Request for Waiver of Fees. Ask the Register about this form when the mandatory fee-waiver conditions in ET § 2-206(a)(4) may apply. |
Local nuance
Kent County-specific considerations
| Kent County point | What it means |
|---|---|
| No email filings | Estate filings are paper filings made with the Register of Wills for Kent County, by counter service or mail. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not reach the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note), and the Register of Wills is not a court. |
| One courthouse, shared phone, two faxes | The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court for Kent County are both at 103 North Cross Street in Chestertown. They publish the same phone number, 410-778-7466. The Register's fax is 410-778-2466, while the Orphans' Court fax is 410-778-7465. |
| Tuesday court sitting | The Orphans' Court for Kent County is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101). As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, it sits every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Confirm with the Register before travelling. |
| Three-judge panel | Kent County elects three Orphans' Court judges under Md. Const. art. IV, § 40. Kent is not Harford, Howard or Montgomery, where circuit court judges sit as the Orphans' Court. In Kent, the three judges sit together as a panel when a matter is heard. |
| Appeal fork | Because Kent is not one of the three counties excluded by Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502(a)(2), a party who loses in the Orphans' Court may choose between a direct appeal to the Appellate Court of Maryland (CJ § 12-501) and a de novo appeal to the Circuit Court for Kent County (CJ § 12-502). The notice of appeal is filed with the Register of Wills within 30 days. |
| Appointments and mail | The Kent office offers appointments for in-person service, recommends calling before arriving, publishes a main line and a toll-free line, and uses the same 103 North Cross Street address for mail and counter service. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed or matters locally |
|---|---|
| Orphans' Court directory revised June 4, 2026 | The Maryland Judiciary directory is the source for the Kent Orphans' Court sitting window, shared phone line and court fax. |
| Probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 | The current statewide probate fee schedule applies in Kent County under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2). The older schedule printed on the Registers' fee page applies only to estates opened before that date. |
| Statewide packet revisions | The Small Estate Packet under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 and the Regular Estate Packet both carry revision dates of 2025/10. Forms 1103 and 1112 carry revision dates of 2024/07. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Kent County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with how the Chestertown, Rock Hall or other Kent County home is titled, because property that passes by operation of law is not part of the probate estate. If an estate is opened, the small-estate route under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 measures value by fair market value less debts of record secured by the property. The Register of Wills for Kent County must waive fees when the conditions in ET § 2-206(a)(4) are met, including when Maryland real property will be transferred to an heir who resides on the property and the estate cannot pay by reason of poverty. | Sunset helps assemble the account and property picture, then prepares the packet for the Kent counter or mailing address. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | An out-of-state personal representative may serve if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106. Kent cannot take the filing by email, so plan on mail to 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland 21620 or one trip with an appointment. Call the toll-free line, 888-778-0179, before travelling. | Sunset helps build the estate settlement packet remotely and identify what must be signed in Maryland. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale can make the administration longer. 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 to approve administration accounts, and keep the first administration account deadline within 9 months of appointment under ET § 7-305. The claims clock runs from the date of death under ET § 8-103(a). | Sunset helps find the liens, mortgages and account balances the inventory under ET § 7-201 and the accounts will need. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills for Kent County | The office you file with (Md. Const. art. IV, § 41). It may answer general questions about estate administration and wills, may assist with preparation of required forms, assesses and collects the Maryland inheritance tax (Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204), and cannot give legal advice. | 103 North Cross Street, Chestertown, MD 21620; 410-778-7466; toll free 888-778-0179; https://registers.maryland.gov/main/kent.html |
| Registers of Wills statewide pages | Statewide forms and packets, FAQ, deadlines, fee schedule under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206, small-estate information under ET § 5-601 and publications used by the Kent office. | https://registers.maryland.gov/main/forms.html; https://registers.maryland.gov/main/faq.html; https://registers.maryland.gov/main/fees.html |
| Maryland Estate Search | The Registers' statewide estate case lookup. Choose Kent 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 | The Judiciary explains that the Orphans' Court is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101) and that the Register of Wills serves as clerk to the court. It also publishes estate video resources. | https://www.mdcourts.gov/orphanscourt; https://www.mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/willsestates; https://www.mdcourts.gov/reference/openanestatevideolibrary |
| People's Law Library of Maryland | A Judiciary-linked consumer legal library with estate administration and probate materials, including first steps after death, determining the personal representative and opening a Maryland estate. It is a library, not a legal aid provider. | https://www.peoples-law.org/cat/wills-estates-probate/estate-administration-probate |
| Maryland Legal Aid, Upper Eastern Shore Office | Maryland Legal Aid serves Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot Counties from its Upper Eastern Shore office. Its published wills and estates service is brief advice for clients who need help drafting wills or advance directives. | 106 N. Washington St., Suite 101, Easton, MD 21601; 410-763-9676; 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 self-represented individuals, but the Help Center states that it cannot help relatives, agents, third parties or personal representatives. | 410-260-1392, 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; https://www.mdcourts.gov/helpcenter |
| Other numbers the Kent office publishes | The Kent Register's page lists the Comptroller of Maryland Estate Tax Division for Maryland estate tax questions under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309, death certificates, the Maryland State Bar Association and Volunteer Lawyers Service. | Comptroller Estate Tax Division 410-260-7850; death certificates 877-463-3464; Maryland State Bar Association 800-492-1964; Volunteer Lawyers Service 800-510-0050. |
When to hire an attorney
A Kent County estate settlement can usually start with the Register of Wills, especially when the family agrees, the paperwork is complete and no hearing is needed. A Maryland probate attorney makes sense when the will is disputed, a home must be sold, beneficiaries disagree, a creditor issue arises, a de novo appeal under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502 is possible, or the estate tax return belongs with the Comptroller under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309. Sunset connects families to a vetted Maryland probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate bank accounts, investment accounts, life insurance, retirement accounts, debts and property information before the Kent County filing is made.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you provide into a Maryland probate packet using the statewide Register of Wills forms, so the filing is ready for the Kent counter or mail.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate is contested, real estate must be sold or the family needs legal advice, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Maryland probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a guided estate settlement path without charging them to use the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Kent County, Maryland?
File with the Register of Wills for Kent County at 103 North Cross Street in Chestertown. Maryland venue is based on where the decedent was domiciled at death, and only one county may maintain the proceeding (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103).
Can I open an estate online or by email in Kent County?
No online estate-opening route exists for a Maryland estate. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note), and the Register of Wills is not a court. The Register of Wills for Kent County states that it cannot accept filings through email, so file at the counter or by mail.
What does it cost to open an estate in Kent County?
Kent County adds no local surcharge to Maryland's statewide probate fee schedule. The schedule applies to estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2), and the fee is assessed when the first administration account is filed or, for modified administration under ET § 5-702, when the final report is filed under ET § 2-206(b)(4). No fees are due on small estates under ET § 5-601.
When does the Orphans' Court for Kent County sit, and will I have to go?
As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Kent County sits every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The Orphans' Court is Maryland's probate court (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101), but most smooth estates are handled through the Register and the family may never appear before the judges. Confirm the schedule with the Register before travelling.
Can I appear remotely in the Orphans' Court for Kent County?
Maryland Rules Title 21 apply to the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland, the circuit courts and the District Court, not the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 1-101(u)). Ask the Register of Wills for Kent County before assuming a hearing can be handled by video.
How do I look up an estate filed in Kent County?
Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov and choose Kent from the county selector. Do not use Maryland Judiciary Case Search for an estate filed with the Register, because Case Search covers records originating in the circuit courts and the District Court.
Does Kent County have its own probate forms?
Kent County does not publish its own probate forms or local cover sheet. Use the statewide Register of Wills forms. If you need to search for assets or for a will in a safe deposit box before opening the estate, ask the Register about a Limited Order. The Registers of Wills price a Limited Order at $2.00, and Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148 can authorize that search.
I live out of state. Can I be the personal representative of a Kent County estate?
Yes, if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. Because Kent County cannot accept filings by email, plan on mailing the packet to 103 North Cross Street or calling ahead for an appointment before travelling.
Can the Register of Wills for Kent County help me fill out the forms?
The Register of Wills for Kent County may answer general questions about estate administration and wills and may assist with preparing required forms. The office cannot give legal advice or decide contested matters, so questions about disputes, legal strategy or rights against another person should go to a Maryland attorney.
Does the Register of Wills for Kent County handle domestic partnership filings?
Yes. Maryland's Registers of Wills, including the Register of Wills for Kent County, accept declarations of domestic partnership from partners domiciled in the county under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-214. Ask the Kent office for current filing instructions.
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.