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Hennepin County, MN Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Hennepin County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Hennepin County District Court, Fourth Judicial District, with probate handled through the 4th District Probate / Mental Health Court |
| Facility | Hennepin County Government Center, Minneapolis |
| Probate address | 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Probate courtrooms are on floors C4 and C5. |
| Mailing | Use the same published probate address: 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487. |
| Phone, email and fax | Court Contact Center: (612) 348-6000. Probate email: [email protected]. Probate fax: (612) 843-9313. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed on court holidays. |
| First paper fee | $322, made up of the $310 filing fee set by Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Hennepin County's $12 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, as published in August 2026. |
| Local forms | Yes. Hennepin publishes local probate materials, including a Waiver of Legal Advice for self-represented informal applicants, a Petition for Copy of Will for Safekeeping and a Guide to Informal Probate in Hennepin County revised April 2026. |
| E-filing | Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem must use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may choose eFile and eServe or may file on paper by mail or in person. The original will must be delivered on paper and cannot be filed electronically (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). |
| Case search | Minnesota Court Records Online, also called MCRO, searches Hennepin County estate cases. Public probate documents filed on or after July 1, 2015 are downloadable at no charge, subject to confidentiality limits. |
| Remote appearance | Probate hearings default to remote statewide under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. Hennepin's informal registrar hearing is a telephone conference. |
| Website | https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin and the Hennepin Probate / Mental Health Court section on that site. |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Start by identifying the assets, debts and title documents before choosing a court route. Minnesota requires the application to show approximate probate assets by category, non-probate assets and approximate indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)), and Hennepin's registrars review that information before accepting an informal file. This is the point in the estate settlement where missing accounts, a mortgage balance placed in the wrong category or an incomplete real estate picture can derail the first filing.
Hennepin also asks self-represented informal applicants for local items that are easy to miss: a copy of photo identification, the county's Waiver of Legal Advice, the death certificate, the original will on paper if there is one and a Minnesota Court Records Online search for demands for notice before filing. Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions, so the estate settlement packet can be built from a complete asset picture rather than after the registrar flags a gap.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Hennepin County estate with the Hennepin County District Court through the 4th District Probate / Mental Health Court at the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487. The Government Center is the Hennepin location that lists probate; the suburban service centers in Brooklyn Center and Minnetonka list criminal and traffic matters.
Hennepin County is the Fourth Judicial District and stands alone. Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 1 assigns the Fourth Judicial District to Hennepin County, and Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 3 requires the chief judge of the Fourth Judicial District to keep at least two judges assigned to probate duties. The usual multi-county traveling judge explanation does not apply here.
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Minnesota, any county where the decedent's property was located at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)). That means a person who lived in Minneapolis, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Plymouth, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, St. Louis Park, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Center, Richfield, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Wayzata or another Hennepin County community is filed downtown in Minneapolis. A non-Minnesota resident who owned Hennepin County property may also have a proceeding here under the property venue rule.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm Hennepin County is the correct venue. The first proceeding belongs in the county of the decedent's domicile at death, or, for a non-Minnesota decedent, any county where the decedent owned property at death (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-201(a)).
- Check timing before you file. Hennepin's guide states that probate can be filed after 120 hours, meaning five days, have passed since death, and no later than three years from the date of death for the ordinary informal or formal appointment routes. Minn. Stat. § 524.3-302 is the 120-hour informal statement rule.
- Build the asset and debt picture. Minnesota requires the application to include approximate probate assets, non-probate assets and indebtedness (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 408(a)). Hennepin's guide explains that real estate is listed at the estimated market value from the latest property tax statement without subtracting the mortgage, and that the indebtedness figure means unsecured debt only.
- Choose the route. Informal probate is an application to the probate registrar for an administrative determination without prior notice and without a hearing before a judge. Formal probate is a petition for a judicial determination with notice to interested persons (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 402(a), (b); Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307). In Hennepin, read the court's informal refusal list before assuming the registrar route will fit.
- Search MCRO for demands for notice. Hennepin requires an applicant to search the decedent's name on Minnesota Court Records Online before filing an informal application. The court tells applicants to check spelling variations and all Minnesota counties. If a demand is found at filing and has not been handled, the parties have 30 days to resolve it or the informal case is denied.
- Assemble the opening papers. For an informal case, Hennepin lists PRO802 with a will or PRO702 without a will, PRO902 Acceptance of Appointment and Oath, a copy of photo identification, the Hennepin Waiver of Legal Advice for a self-represented applicant, the death certificate, the original will or codicil if there is one, the non-refundable fee and, where needed, PRO901 nominations, renunciations and bond. For a formal case, the statewide petitions are PRO1202 with a will and PRO1102 without a will.
- Deposit the original will on paper. Minnesota allows a copy of the will to be filed electronically, but the original will cannot be filed electronically and must be promptly deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). Hennepin asks that the original testamentary documents be hand delivered or sent by U.S. mail to the probate office.
- File with the Court Administrator's office at the Probate / Mental Health Court, Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem use eFile and eServe. A self-represented personal representative may choose eFile and eServe or may file on paper by mail or in person (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(5)(i)). Once a self-represented filer uses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic.
- Pay the first paper fee. In Hennepin County, the first paper in an estate costs $322, made up of the $310 filing fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Hennepin County's $12 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, as published in August 2026. The fee is the same for an informal application and a formal petition, and it is charged once on the first paper. Fees are paid in advance under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 3.
- If the case is informal, attend the registrar's telephone conference. Hennepin's registrar reviews the filed documents and emails the applicant to set a date and time. The court says the telephone conference typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. The registrar reviews the application, original will and supporting documents, may place a self-represented applicant under oath and then accepts or denies the application. The registrar cannot give legal advice or help prepare forms (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307).
- If the case is formal, follow the published hearing schedule. Hennepin schedules commencing formal estate petitions on Mondays and subsequent formal estate matters on Wednesday mornings. The court states that hearings are typically scheduled within 45 to 60 days of receiving a petition. Include a cover letter or filing-envelope comment with dates that will not work, or the court says it will assume any date is available. The hearing notice controls how to appear.
- Complete notice and publication. On the informal track, Hennepin says the registrar prepares a template Notice of Informal Appointment of Personal Representative and Notice to Creditors, and the applicant is responsible for mailing and for publication once a week for two consecutive weeks in a Hennepin County legal newspaper. The newspaper charges its own publication cost. Interested persons receive notice by first class mail, with proof on PRO703 or PRO803.
- Receive letters. Appointment produces letters testamentary if there is a will or letters of general administration if there is not. On the informal track, the registrar issues the letters after publication and affidavits of mailing are complete and emails a copy to the parties. On the formal track, Hennepin states that all formal estate letters are issued by the presiding judge or a referee. Certified copies are available from the District Court Records Center and cost $14 per document under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026.
- Use extra care with real estate and closing. After an informal appointment, thirty days must pass from issuance of letters before a certified copy of unrestricted letters goes to a purchaser or distributee of real property (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). Hennepin also advises checking with another Minnesota county before relying on letters issued by the registrar to transfer real estate there. Informal closing uses PRO914 with the inventory, account, service affidavit and receipts. Formal settlement uses PRO1302 and discharge uses PRO1304.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hennepin County
Hennepin County publishes local probate materials in addition to Minnesota's statewide PRO forms. That is unusual for Minnesota and it changes the first filing checklist for a self-represented person.
| Form or packet | How it is used in Hennepin County |
|---|---|
| Waiver of Legal Advice | Hennepin lists this local Fourth District form among the documents a self-represented informal applicant must file. |
| Guide to Informal Probate in Hennepin County | A 28 page Hennepin publication revised April 2026, covering the opening filing, MCRO demand-for-notice search, registrar telephone conference, notice, publication and common reasons an informal application is declined. |
| Petition for Copy of Will for Safekeeping | Hennepin's local route for an interested party seeking a copy of a will deposited with the court for safekeeping. |
| Court document copy request form | Hennepin's local form for requesting copies from district court records. |
| Informal opening forms | Use the statewide packets built around PRO802 with a will or PRO702 without a will, plus PRO902 Acceptance of Appointment and Oath, and any needed PRO901 nomination, renunciation or bond. |
| Formal opening forms | Use the statewide packets built around PRO1202 with a will or PRO1102 without a will, with the formal service affidavit. |
| Closing forms | Informal closing uses PRO914 with related inventory, account, service and receipt forms. Formal settlement uses PRO1302, and discharge uses PRO1304. |
| Remote or in-person request | Use OTH1002 if the hearing notice sets an appearance method that needs to be changed. |
The Judicial Branch states that it publishes some statewide probate forms, but not every probate form. Do not treat the statewide index or Hennepin's local list as a complete answer for a contested, supervised or unusual estate.
Fees
Hennepin is one of the few Minnesota counties that publishes a probate-specific local fee list beyond the statewide court fee table. The first paper amount still belongs in the at-a-glance table: $322 in Hennepin County, made up of the $310 filing fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus the $12 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, as published in August 2026.
| Hennepin probate charge | Amount and source date |
|---|---|
| Certified sale papers | $42 under Hennepin's schedule effective July 1, 2025. The court describes the set as the will, order and letters. Additional documents are $14 each under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026. |
| Certified sale papers for successor | $56 under Hennepin's schedule effective July 1, 2025. The set includes the will, order, successor order and successor letters. Additional documents are $14 each under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026. |
| Deposit of a will for safekeeping | $27 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(11), as published in August 2026. |
| Trust account | $55 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(10), as published in August 2026. |
| Certified copy of a filed court document | $14 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026. |
| Fax filing | $25 per group of 50 pages or part of 50 pages under Hennepin's schedule effective July 1, 2025. |
| Court forms and instruction packets | No charge for 0 to 10 pages, and $5 for 11 or more pages under Hennepin's schedule effective July 1, 2025. |
| Plain copies | No charge under Hennepin's probate FAQ as read in August 2026. |
| Newspaper publication | The court's August 2026 FAQ describes a publication cost of around $100, paid to the newspaper rather than to the court. |
Hennepin's fee page says checks are payable to the District Court Administrator. The court also publishes that use of eFile and eServe requires a $5 processing fee; treat that as Hennepin's published charge and not as a statement about other Minnesota counties.
Timeline
- Informal filings start with the registrar's review. Hennepin says cases filed accurately and with complete information have their registrar hearing scheduled first.
- The informal hearing is a telephone conference. The court says there is only one telephone conference with the registrar and that it typically takes 45 to 60 minutes.
- Commencing formal estate petitions are scheduled on Mondays.
- Subsequent formal estate matters are scheduled on Wednesday mornings.
- Trust matters are scheduled on Wednesday afternoons, and guardianship and conservatorship matters are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Those rows are on the same Hennepin schedule, but the estate rows are the Monday and Wednesday morning entries.
- For formal petitions, Hennepin asks the filing party to include a cover letter or a filing-envelope comment listing dates that will not work. If no conflicts are listed, the court says it will assume the matter may be scheduled on any date.
- The court states that hearings are typically scheduled within 45 to 60 days of receiving a petition. Treat that as the court's published scheduling statement, not a guarantee for any one estate.
- The statewide default appearance type for probate is remote under Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025, but the hearing notice controls. Use OTH1002 to ask for a different appearance type.
Local nuance
Hennepin County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| A real probate division | Hennepin and Ramsey are the only Minnesota counties where the former probate functions were made named divisions of the district courts. Hennepin's division is the 4th District Probate / Mental Health Court at C-400, with courtrooms on C4 and C5 (Minn. Stat. § 2.722, subd. 3). |
| Published hearing days | Formal estate petitions start on Mondays, and later formal estate matters are heard on Wednesday mornings. The court also publishes the 45 to 60 day scheduling statement for petitions. |
| Registrar telephone conference | Hennepin registrars hold a single telephone conference for informal files, typically 45 to 60 minutes, after reviewing the application and original will. |
| Informal refusal list | The court publishes twelve conditions that stop an informal application, including insolvency, missing heirs or devisees, a lost will, disagreement, certain minor or special needs trust distributions, incomplete nominations or renunciations and a non-family-member attorney serving as personal representative. This is Hennepin court policy, not Minnesota law, and a formal proceeding may still be available. |
| Local forms and guide | Hennepin publishes its own Waiver of Legal Advice, Petition for Copy of Will for Safekeeping and a Guide to Informal Probate in Hennepin County revised April 2026. |
| Required MCRO search | Hennepin tells informal applicants to search MCRO for demands for notice before filing. If an unhandled demand appears at filing, the parties have 30 days to resolve it or the informal file is denied. |
| Government Center navigation | The court publishes that the building has a C-Tower for courts and an A-Tower for county administration, with security checkpoints on the second floor skyway level. It says the C-Tower checkpoint is often very busy and visitors may screen in the A-Tower and cross back on a bridge floor. |
| Staffed Self-Help Center | Hennepin is the Minnesota exception to the courthouse workstation rule. It has a staffed Self-Help Center on Floor A-20 of the Government Center, with in-person, phone, email and appointment options. |
| Law library in the same building | The $12 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10 helps fund the Hennepin County Law Library at 300 South 6th Street in the C-tower. It is open to the public weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Guide to Informal Probate revised April 2026 | Hennepin County District Court published a revised 28 page Guide to Informal Probate in Hennepin County covering the local opening checklist, MCRO demand-for-notice search, registrar telephone conference, publication steps and informal refusal conditions. |
| Hennepin fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 | The county fee page carries a change date of July 1, 2025 and lists Hennepin probate items such as the $322 first paper amount under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), with Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, certified sale paper sets and copy charges. |
| Self-Help Center consolidation | The Fourth Judicial District announced that the Family Justice Center is closing and that the two Self-Help Centers combined into one Self-Help Center on A-20 in the Government Center. This is a Family Court and self-help change, not a probate relocation. |
| Digital exhibits mandatory statewide January 1, 2025 | Hennepin publishes the statewide requirement for digital exhibits. This affects hearing exhibits in a contested matter; it is not the system for filing probate documents. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Open at the Probate / Mental Health Court, 300 South 6th Street, C-400, if Hennepin County is the venue. If the paperwork fits the informal route, the registrar decides the application as an administrative determination and holds a telephone conference that the court says typically runs 45 to 60 minutes. Hennepin asks a self-represented applicant for its Waiver of Legal Advice, photo identification, death certificate and the original will on paper. The first paper costs $322, made up of the $310 filing fee and Hennepin County's $12 law library fee (Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1); §§ 134A.09, 134A.10), as published in August 2026. If real estate must be transferred after an informal appointment, thirty days must pass after letters issue before a certified copy of unrestricted letters goes to a purchaser or distributee (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 410(a)(1), (b)(2)(i)). | Sunset traces accounts, titles and debts first, so the spouse knows what belongs in the estate settlement and what passed outside the estate before the asset schedule is filed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe from outside Minnesota or mail the paperwork to C-400, and the registrar's informal hearing is by telephone. The original will still has to reach the court on paper because it cannot be filed electronically (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)). The case can be followed on MCRO, and Hennepin requires an MCRO demand-for-notice search before an informal application is filed. | Sunset builds the asset list and the probate packet remotely, so an out-of-state child is not traveling to Minneapolis just to discover a missing account or county-specific form. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | The buyer or title company will usually want certified letters and related sale papers after appointment. Hennepin's fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 prices certified sale papers at $42 for the will, order and letters, with additional documents at $14 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026. If the appointment was informal, wait thirty days after letters issue before using unrestricted letters for a purchaser or distributee of real property. If a formal petition is needed, Hennepin schedules commencing formal estate matters on Mondays and states that hearings are typically scheduled within 45 to 60 days of receiving a petition. | Sunset finds debts, liens and accounts before the sale is priced, helping the parent avoid learning about estate settlement problems at the closing table. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Government Center Self-Help Center | Hennepin's staffed court self-help center helps self-represented people with court procedures, completed-form review, written instructions, referrals and language access. Staff provide legal information, not legal advice. | Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South 6th Street, Floor A-20, Minneapolis, MN 55487-0421. Phone 651-478-8757. Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed court holidays. |
| Legal Access Point Clinic for civil matters | Volunteer lawyers provide brief, free legal advice for eligible low-income clients on civil legal issues. The court publishes it as a civil clinic, not as a probate-only clinic. | At the Self-Help Center on A-20. Weekday morning sessions are first come first served. Call (612) 752-6677 to ask whether an attorney will be present. |
| Statewide Self-Help Center | Provides legal information and resources by phone and email for people representing themselves. | (651) 435-6535, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed court holidays. |
| Hennepin County Law Library | Open to the public for do-it-yourself legal materials and legal research help. It is in the same building as the Probate / Mental Health Court. | 300 South 6th Street, C-tower, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Phone 612-348-3022. Open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Central Minnesota Legal Services | The civil legal aid organisation serving Hennepin County. Its published case types do not include settling a decedent's estate, but it is the right first call to ask whether free help is available. | (612) 332-8151 for the Minneapolis office, or 1-877-696-6529. |
| District Court Records Center | Provides certified and plain copies and courthouse public access computers, which show more complete public case information than internet access. | Room A250, Skyway Level, Administration tower, Hennepin County Government Center. Phone (612) 348-6000. |
| Minnesota Court Records Online | Search Hennepin County estate cases, registers of actions, hearings and public documents available online. | https://publicaccess.courts.state.mn.us/ |
| Judicial Branch probate help and forms | Statewide probate information and statewide PRO form packets. | https://mncourts.gov/help-topics/probate-wills-and-estates and https://mncourts.gov/getforms/probate |
When to hire an attorney
Hennepin County publishes an unusually clear list of situations that are not suited to its informal registrar track: insolvency, missing heirs or devisees, a lost will, disagreement among heirs or devisees, will markings that require construction, certain minor or special needs trust distributions, incomplete nominations or renunciations and a non-family-member attorney serving as personal representative. The court also states that only an heir can be appointed through the informal process, so a nominee who is not an heir must proceed formally (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-203(e)). A lawyer serving as personal representative can trigger supervised administration (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 414). The registrar cannot resolve conflicts or give legal advice (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307; Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 415(a)(4)), so those are the cases where a lawyer can save time and protect the estate settlement. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps the family identify accounts, insurance, debts and real estate before the Hennepin application's asset schedule is filed.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps assemble the statewide PRO forms and the Hennepin-specific items the court asks for, including the self-represented Waiver of Legal Advice and the documents needed for C-400 or eFile and eServe.
Find a local probate attorney. When Hennepin's informal refusal list points toward a formal petition, a dispute, a lost will, a minor distribution or a real estate problem, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted attorney who handles Fourth Judicial District probate work.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is a free estate settlement platform for families. Families can organize the accounts, understand the next filing step and decide whether to use the registrar process, the formal track or attorney help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Hennepin County?
File with the Court Administrator's office at the 4th District Probate / Mental Health Court, in the Hennepin County Government Center at 300 South 6th Street, C-400, Minneapolis, MN 55487. Probate courtrooms are on floors C4 and C5. Hennepin routes probate questions through the Court Contact Center at (612) 348-6000, and the court publishes [email protected] and fax (612) 843-9313 for probate. Hennepin County is the Fourth Judicial District by itself, so estate filings go downtown rather than to the suburban service centers that list criminal and traffic matters.
How much does it cost to file probate in Hennepin County?
The first paper in an estate costs $322 in Hennepin County, made up of the $310 filing fee under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(1), plus Hennepin County's $12 law library fee under Minn. Stat. §§ 134A.09, 134A.10, as published in August 2026. The amount is the same for an informal application and a formal petition, and it is charged once on the first paper. Certified copies cost $14 per document under Minn. Stat. § 357.021, subd. 2(2), as published in August 2026. The court's August 2026 FAQ also describes the newspaper publication charge as around $100, paid to the newspaper rather than to the court.
What days does Hennepin County hear probate matters?
Hennepin publishes that commencing formal estate petitions are scheduled on Mondays and subsequent formal estate matters on Wednesday mornings. The court also states that hearings are typically scheduled within 45 to 60 days of receiving a petition. When filing, include a cover letter or filing-envelope comment listing dates that will not work; without one, the court says it will assume the matter may be scheduled on any date. The hearing notice controls how to appear.
Can I e-file a Hennepin County probate case?
Yes, if you are a self-represented filer and choose to use eFile and eServe. Attorneys, government agencies and guardians ad litem must use eFile and eServe in all Minnesota counties, while a self-represented personal representative may choose electronic filing or file on paper by mail or in person (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01). Once a self-represented filer uses eFile and eServe in a case, later filings in that case must also be electronic. The original will cannot be filed electronically. A copy may be filed electronically, but the original paper will must be deposited with the court (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 14.01(b)(2), 403(e)).
Does Hennepin County have its own probate forms?
Yes. Hennepin publishes local probate materials in addition to the statewide PRO forms. Local materials include the Waiver of Legal Advice for self-represented informal applicants, a Petition for Copy of Will for Safekeeping, a local court document copy request form and a Guide to Informal Probate in Hennepin County revised April 2026. The statewide forms remain the backbone, including PRO802 with a will, PRO702 without a will, PRO902 for the acceptance and oath, PRO1202 or PRO1102 for formal petitions and PRO914 for informal closing.
What happens at the informal registrar hearing in Hennepin County?
Hennepin's probate registrars process informal cases and hold a telephone conference after reviewing the filed documents. The court says the conference typically takes 45 to 60 minutes. The registrar reviews the application, original will and supporting documents, may place a self-represented applicant under oath and then accepts or denies the application for compliance with statutes, court rules and court policies. The registrar cannot give legal advice or help complete forms (Minn. Stat. § 524.1-307).
Why would Hennepin County refuse an informal probate application?
The court publishes a twelve-item list. An informal application will not be accepted if the estate is insolvent, if heirs or devisees are missing, if the will is lost, if the original will has date problems or markings that require construction, if heirs or devisees disagree, if there is a distribution to a special needs trust, if there are outright distributions to a minor, if there is a minor child with a surviving spouse and homestead in intestacy, if there is a minor bequest to an unnamed custodian, if nominations or renunciations are incomplete or if a non-family-member attorney is to serve as personal representative. That is Hennepin court policy, not Minnesota law, and the court states that refusal of the informal route does not prevent appointment in a formal proceeding.
Will my Hennepin County probate hearing be remote or in person?
Minnesota's statewide Remote and In-person Hearings Policy sets probate hearings as remote by default, with remote hearings held by Zoom or telephone (Minnesota Judicial Council Policy 525, effective February 3, 2025). That is a default, not a guarantee. A judicial officer can set a different appearance type case by case, and your hearing notice controls. Use OTH1002 to ask for a different appearance type. Hennepin's informal registrar hearing has a published format: it is a telephone conference.
How do I look up a Hennepin County probate case?
Use Minnesota Court Records Online, or MCRO, to search by party name, business name, attorney or case number and see the register of actions. Public documents in probate, guardianship, conservatorship and trust cases filed on or after July 1, 2015 are downloadable at no charge. Older filings are limited, confidential and sealed material is not shown, and courthouse public access computers give the most complete public access. In Hennepin, those computers are available through the District Court Records Center in Room A250 on the Skyway Level of the Administration tower.
Do I have to travel to Minneapolis to serve as personal representative?
Not always. A nonresident may serve as personal representative (Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 407(b)). A self-represented filer may choose eFile and eServe or mail the paperwork, the informal registrar hearing is by telephone and probate hearings default to remote statewide, subject to the hearing notice. The original will still has to reach the court on paper. Hennepin also publishes that only an heir can be appointed through the informal process, so a nominee who is not an heir must use the formal route.
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.