Back to Maryland
Wicomico County, MD Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Wicomico County information |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Register of Wills for Wicomico County, Room 102, Wicomico County Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. The Register of Wills is an elected office under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41. |
| Mailing address | Register of Wills, Wicomico County, PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787. The mailing ZIP code is different from the street ZIP code. |
| Probate court | Orphans' Court for Wicomico County, Room 102, Wicomico County Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Salisbury. The Orphans' Court is Maryland's probate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101. |
| Phone | 410-543-6635. The Register and the Orphans' Court publish the same phone line. |
| Toll-free phone | 888-786-0018. |
| Fax | 410-334-3440. The Register and the Orphans' Court publish the same fax line. |
| The Register of Wills for Wicomico County does not publish an email address and states that it cannot accept filings through email. Call the office before visiting. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed weekends and state holidays. |
| Before you visit | The office asks you to call first so staff can discuss your situation and determine what you need. |
| Probate fee | Maryland uses one statewide value-based probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)). Wicomico County adds no local probate fee. The fee is assessed when the first administration account is filed, not when the estate is opened (ET § 2-206(b)(5)(i)). |
| Local forms | No Wicomico County probate forms, local cover sheet or local intake sheet are published. Use the Maryland Registers of Wills statewide forms. |
| E-filing | Estate filings are paper filings with the Register, in person or by mail. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover Orphans' Court filings, and the Register of Wills is not a court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note). |
| Case lookup | Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx and choose Wicomico. Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers circuit court and District Court records, not estates opened with the Register. |
| Orphans' Court sittings | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County sits every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and continues until its list is completed. Confirm with the Register before travelling. |
| Remote appearance | Maryland Rules Title 21 do not extend to the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 1-101(u)). Ask the Register whether a Wicomico matter will be heard remotely before assuming video appearance is possible. |
| Website | registers.maryland.gov/main/wicomico.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you drive to the courthouse on North Division Street, 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 been handled differently.
That homework matters in Wicomico County because the office cannot accept filings through email and does not publish an email address. If assets or a will may be in a safe deposit box or in an account nobody can name, ask the Register about a Petition for Limited Orders, Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148. The Registers list the Limited Order at $2.00 and describe it as an order permitting a search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will located in a safe deposit box.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Wicomico County estates are filed with the Register of Wills for Wicomico County in Salisbury. The same Room 102 courthouse location also appears for the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County, Maryland's probate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, but the filing counter is the Register of Wills, an elected office under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41.
The office serves Salisbury, Delmar, Fruitland, Hebron, Mardela Springs, Pittsville, Sharptown, Willards and the rest of Wicomico County from the Wicomico County Courthouse. Wicomico County borders Delaware, so a Delmar family should check which side of the line the decedent was domiciled on before filing.
A Maryland estate is opened in the county where the decedent was domiciled at the time of 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 lived outside Maryland but owned Maryland property, venue is the county holding the largest part in value of the Maryland property (ET § 5-103(a)).
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm that Wicomico County is the right filing jurisdiction. Maryland venue depends on where the decedent was domiciled at death, and only one county may maintain the estate proceeding (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-103).
- Call the Register of Wills for Wicomico County before you go. The office asks you to call so staff can discuss your situation and determine what you need; the main line is 410-543-6635 and the toll-free line is 888-786-0018.
- File the original will with the Register if there is one. The custodian of the will must deliver it to the Register for the county where administration should occur, promptly after death, even if no estate is opened (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 4-203(b)(1)). Wicomico accepts paper filings at the counter or by mail, not by email.
- If you need authority to look for assets or a will before opening the estate, ask about a Petition for Limited Orders, Form 1147 with Schedule C on Form 1148. The Registers list the Limited Order at $2.00 and describe it as an order permitting a search for assets in the decedent's name alone or for a will in a safe deposit box.
- Download the statewide Maryland packet and complete it on your device before printing. A small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 uses Form 1103, and a regular estate uses Form 1112. Wicomico County does not publish a separate local cover sheet.
- Bring or mail the paper packet to the Register of Wills for Wicomico County. The counter is Room 102, Wicomico County Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. Mail goes to Register of Wills, Wicomico County, PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787.
- If the proposed personal representative lives outside Maryland, include 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, review Form 1153, the affidavit concerning attempts to comply with federal, state and local firearms law, which appears in the statewide 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 (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 5-301 and 5-302).
- Give notice using the statewide forms. 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 ET § 5-601; the List of Interested Persons is Form 1104.
- Calendar the statewide deadlines. The inventory is due within 3 months after appointment (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-201), the first administration account is due within 9 months after appointment (ET § 7-305), and a claim against the estate is forever barred unless presented within the earlier of six months after death or two months after mailed notice (ET § 8-103(a)).
- Pay the Maryland probate fee when the Register assesses it. The statewide probate fee schedule applies to estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)), and the fee is collected when the first administration account is filed, or when the final report is filed under modified administration (ET §§ 2-206(b)(4), 2-206(b)(5)(i), and 5-702).
- If the statutory conditions are met, ask the Register about Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees. A register of wills must waive fees where the decedent's Maryland real property is to be transferred to an heir who resides on it, or is encumbered by a lien and subject to tax sale, and the estate is unable to pay by reason of poverty (ET § 2-206(a)(4)).
- Expect to work mainly with the Register, not the judges. The Orphans' Court for Wicomico County sits every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. until its list is completed, as of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026. The court approves administration accounts under ET § 7-305 and approves personal representative commissions under ET § 7-601 when required.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Wicomico County
Wicomico County does not publish its own probate forms, cover sheet or intake sheet. The Register of Wills for Wicomico County uses the statewide Maryland Registers of Wills forms, which are numbered and revision-dated.
| Need | Statewide form or packet |
|---|---|
| Open a small estate | Small Estate Packet under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, including Form 1103, Petition for Administration of a Small Estate, rev. 2024/07; Form 1137, Small Estate Schedule B; Form 1104, List of Interested Persons; Form 1109, Small Estate Notice; and Form 1153 for firearms-related compliance. |
| Open a regular estate | Regular Estate Packet, revised 2025/10, including Form 1112, Petition for Administration of Regular Estate, rev. 2024/07; Form 1136, Schedule A; Form 1104; bond forms; consent forms; and Form 1114, Notice of Appointment, rev. 2025/10. |
| Out-of-state personal representative | Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. |
| Search for assets or a will before opening | Form 1147, Petition for Limited Orders, with Form 1148, Schedule C. The Registers list the Limited Order at $2.00. |
| Modified administration | Modified Administration Packet, revised 2016/02, including Forms 1141 and 1142. Modified administration is a statewide procedure under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-702. |
| Request fee waiver | Form 1220, Request for Waiver of Fees, for the mandatory waiver described in Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(a)(4). |
The Registers instruct users to download the forms, open them with software on their own device, fill them out, and print them. Do not rely on completing the forms inside a browser.
Local nuance
Wicomico County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Wicomico County filing |
|---|---|
| No email filing | The Register of Wills for Wicomico County states that it cannot accept filings through email and does not publish an email address. File on paper at Room 102 or by mail to PO Box 787. |
| Call before visiting | The office asks you to call before you come in so staff can discuss your situation and determine what you need. This is especially useful for families coming from Delmar, Sharptown, Willards or out of state. |
| Two addresses | The counter is at 101 North Division Street, Room 102, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. Mail goes to PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787. The ZIP codes are different. |
| Shared phone and fax | The Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County publish the same phone number, 410-543-6635, and the same fax number, 410-334-3440. |
| Tuesday Orphans' Court sitting | As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County sits every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and continues until its list is completed. Confirm the sitting before travelling. |
| Three-judge panel | Wicomico County elects three Orphans' Court judges under Md. Const. art. IV, § 40. Wicomico is not Harford, Howard or Montgomery, where circuit court judges sit in rotation. When a Wicomico matter is heard, the three elected judges sit together as a panel. |
| Appeal route | A party who loses in the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County may appeal directly to the Appellate Court of Maryland (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-501) or take a de novo appeal to the Circuit Court for Wicomico County (CJ § 12-502). The notice of appeal is filed with the Register of Wills within 30 days. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed or matters locally |
|---|---|
| Orphans' Court directory revised June 4, 2026 | The Maryland Judiciary directory is the source for Wicomico County's Tuesday 10:00 a.m. until-completed sitting and for the shared court phone and fax. |
| Probate fee schedule for estates opened on or after October 1, 2022 | The current statewide probate fee schedule applies in Wicomico County under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2) and Chapter 716, Acts of 2022 (House Bill 187). The older schedule still appears on the Registers' fee page but does not apply to a new filing. |
| Statewide form revisions | Forms 1109 and 1114 and the Small Estate Packet and Regular Estate Packet carry 2025/10 revision dates. Forms 1103 and 1112 carry 2024/07 revision dates. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start with title to the Salisbury, Fruitland or Delmar home, because property that passes by operation of law may not be part of the probate estate. If an estate is opened, Maryland's small estate valuation rule is addressed under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, and the spouse should ask the Register about Form 1220 if the real property will transfer to an heir who lives there and the estate cannot pay fees under ET § 2-206(a)(4). | Sunset helps assemble the account and property picture and prepare a paper packet for Room 102 or the PO Box. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | An out-of-state resident may serve as personal representative if a Maryland resident signs Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. Wicomico County cannot take filings by email, so plan on mailing the packet to PO Box 787 or making one trip to Salisbury. Call 888-786-0018 before travelling. | Sunset builds the estate settlement packet remotely and helps identify what must be signed in Maryland. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale can make the administration longer and more document-heavy. Expect the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County to review administration accounts under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-305 and personal representative commissions under ET § 7-601 when required. Keep the inventory deadline under ET § 7-201 and the claims deadline under ET § 8-103(a) on the calendar. | Sunset helps find mortgages, liens, accounts and balances needed for the inventory, accounts and sale planning. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills for Wicomico County | The filing office for Wicomico County estates. The Register may answer general questions and assist with preparation of required forms, but cannot give legal advice. | Room 102, 101 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. Mail: PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787. Phone 410-543-6635. Toll free 888-786-0018. Website: registers.maryland.gov/main/wicomico.html. |
| Maryland Registers of Wills statewide pages | Statewide forms, packets, fee schedule, deadlines, small estate guidance under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601, regular estate guidance, modified administration under ET § 5-702 and inheritance tax information under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204. | registers.maryland.gov/main/forms.html, /fees.html, /deadlines.html, /faq.html and related pages. |
| Maryland Estate Search | The statewide estate lookup for Register of Wills cases. Choose Wicomico from the county selector. Basic estate information and dockets are free; PDF records are listed at $0.50 per page on the Registers' statewide FAQ. | registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx. |
| Maryland Judiciary Wills and Estates and Orphans' Court pages | Judiciary explanations of the Register of Wills as clerk to the Orphans' Court, the Orphans' Court's role under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101, and video resources for preparing to open an estate. | mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/willsestates and mdcourts.gov/orphanscourt. |
| People's Law Library of Maryland | A Judiciary-linked public legal library with estate administration and probate articles. It is a library, not a legal aid provider. | peoples-law.org/cat/wills-estates-probate/estate-administration-probate. |
| Maryland Legal Aid, Lower Eastern Shore Office | Statewide civil legal aid for financially eligible households. Its published wills and estates service is brief advice for clients who need help drafting wills and advance directives. | 113 Broad St., Salisbury, MD 21801. Local 410-546-5511. Main intake 888-465-2468. Published walk-in intake Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Maryland Court Help Centers | Free limited civil legal help for self-represented individuals. The Help Center states that it cannot help personal representatives, relatives, agents, businesses, third parties or sole proprietorships, so it is not the probate form-help resource for a personal representative. | 410-260-1392. mdcourts.gov/helpcenter. |
| Other numbers published by the Wicomico Register | The Wicomico office publishes the Comptroller of Maryland Estate Tax Division number for estate tax questions under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-309, the Vital Statistics number for death certificates, the Maryland State Bar Association number and a Volunteer Lawyers Service number. | Comptroller estate tax line 410-260-7850. Vital Statistics 877-463-3464. Maryland State Bar Association 800-492-1964. Volunteer Lawyers Service 800-510-0050. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Maryland probate attorney if the Wicomico County estate involves a home sale, a will dispute, unknown heirs, a contested appointment, taxable inheritance questions under Md. Code, Tax-Gen. § 7-204, a Maryland estate tax filing under TG § 7-309, or a de novo appeal under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 12-502. The Register of Wills can assist with required forms but cannot give legal advice, and Sunset connects families to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance policies, retirement accounts and debts before the Wicomico County packet is filed. Better asset information makes estate settlement cleaner and reduces the chance of having to correct a paper filing later.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Maryland's statewide Register of Wills forms and helps prepare the packet for the Salisbury counter or the Wicomico PO Box. The Register of Wills for Wicomico County still reviews and accepts the filing under Md. Const. art. IV, § 41.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal advice, a house sale, a dispute strategy, tax coordination or an appeal, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Maryland probate attorney familiar with the Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next filing step and decide when attorney help makes sense.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Wicomico County, Maryland?
File with the Register of Wills for Wicomico County, Room 102, Wicomico County Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland 21801. Mail goes to Register of Wills, Wicomico County, PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787. Maryland venue is the county 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 Wicomico County?
No online estate-opening route is published for Wicomico County. Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) does not cover Orphans' Court filings, and the Register of Wills is not a court (Maryland Rule 20-101(w), Committee note). The Wicomico office also states that it cannot accept filings through email, so file on paper in person or by mail.
Do I have to travel to Salisbury, and can the Register of Wills for Wicomico County help me with the forms?
You may file at the Room 102 counter or mail the packet to the PO Box. The Register asks you to call before visiting so staff can discuss your situation and determine what you need. The Register may answer general questions about estate administration and assist with preparation of required forms, but cannot give legal advice.
What does it cost to open an estate in Wicomico County?
Wicomico County does not add a local probate fee. 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 fee is not collected when you open the estate; the Register assesses and collects it when the first administration account is filed, or when the final report is filed under modified administration (ET §§ 2-206(b)(4), 2-206(b)(5)(i), and 5-702).
When does the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County sit, and will I have to go?
As of the Maryland Judiciary directory revised June 4, 2026, the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County sits every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. and continues until its list is completed. Confirm with the Register before travelling. Most smooth estates have no direct contact with the judges; the Orphans' Court is Maryland's probate court under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-101 and signs or approves matters that require court action.
Can I appear remotely in the Orphans' Court for Wicomico County?
Maryland Rules Title 21 apply to the Supreme Court of Maryland, the Appellate Court of Maryland, the circuit courts and the District Court, but do not extend to the Orphans' Court (Maryland Rule 1-101(u)). Ask the Register of Wills for Wicomico County before assuming a matter can be handled by video.
How do I look up an estate filed in Wicomico County?
Use the Registers of Wills statewide Estate Search at registers.maryland.gov/RowNetWeb/Estates/frmEstateSearch2.aspx and choose Wicomico from the county selector. Maryland Judiciary Case Search covers records originating in circuit courts and the District Court, not estates opened with the Register. Historical depth varies by county.
Does Wicomico County have its own probate forms?
No Wicomico County local probate forms, cover sheet or intake sheet are published. Use the statewide Maryland Registers of Wills forms. A small estate under Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 uses Form 1103, and a regular estate uses Form 1112.
I live out of state. Can I be the personal representative of a Wicomico County estate?
Yes, if a Maryland resident agrees to act as resident agent and signs Form 1106, Appointment of Resident Agent. Because Wicomico cannot accept filings through email, plan on mailing the paper packet to PO Box 787 or arranging one trip to Room 102 in Salisbury.
Does the Register of Wills for Wicomico County handle domestic partnership filings?
Yes. Maryland's domestic partnership registry is handled by the Registers of Wills. Two individuals may register a domestic partnership by filing a declaration with the register of wills in the county where the partners are domiciled (Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-214(a)(1)). Wicomico County partners use the same Register of Wills office in Room 102.
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.