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Renville County, ND Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Renville County details |
|---|---|
| Court | The district court in Renville County (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06) |
| Courthouse address | Renville County Courthouse, 205 Main St E, Mohall, ND 58761 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 68, Mohall, ND 58761 |
| Phone | (701) 756-6398, clerk of district court in Renville County (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46) |
| Hours | 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday |
| Filing fee | $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate or another Title 30.1 testamentary case (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; North Dakota Court Fee Schedule) |
| Local forms | No Renville County probate forms are listed. Use the statewide North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. |
| E-filing | Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey. A self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier, or may use Odyssey if they choose (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5). |
| Case search | North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/. Select Renville County and the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records category. Information is current through the end of the previous business day. |
| Remote appearance | A court may allow reliable electronic means for a proceeding on its own motion or on a party's written motion. It is not automatic (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52). |
| Court website | https://www.ndcourts.gov/court-locations/renville-county |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Mohall, make a practical inventory of the person's accounts, debts, real estate, vehicles, mineral interests, insurance, and digital assets. The right estate settlement path depends on what exists, who is entitled to act, whether there is a will, and whether a formal court proceeding is needed.
Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they choose the probate packet, filing method, and next step at the Renville County Courthouse.
Which court handles jurisdiction
North Dakota has no separate court for decedents' estates and no separate probate forum of any kind: estate settlement is a case class of the state's single district court, which sits in all 53 counties, and the papers are filed with the clerk of district court at the Renville County Courthouse (N.D. Const. art. VI, §§ 1, 8; N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). The separate county-level forum that once heard these cases was abolished on January 1, 1995, and its files became district court files (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-00.1).
Probate for Renville County is filed with the clerk of district court at the county courthouse in Mohall. Renville County is one of the 11 counties in the Northeast Judicial District, with Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Rolette, Towner and Walsh, which is how judges and district administration are organised; the case itself is filed at this county's own courthouse (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6; N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13).
Venue is tied to the decedent's domicile and the venue facts required in the application, so confirm that Renville County is the right filing county before submitting papers (N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-13; N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct packet. Informal probate uses an application under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14; a formal case uses a petition under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15. Use the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials for the informal packet and check whether the statewide forms fit your situation.
- Prepare the local filing set for Renville County. Include the application or petition, the death certificate information required by the packet, the original will if there is one, and any required consents or waivers. Original wills, codicils, and other documents of independent legal significance may be filed as paper documents (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
- File with the clerk of district court in Renville County at the Renville County Courthouse, 205 Main St E, Mohall, ND 58761, or mail the paper filing to P.O. Box 68, Mohall, ND 58761. The clerk of district court takes charge of filed papers and records under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46.
- Pay the filing fee. The filing fee is $160, effective July 1, 2025, for a Title 30.1 probate or testamentary case (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; North Dakota Court Fee Schedule). If you cannot afford the filing cost, review the fee waiver materials at ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver.
- Use Odyssey if required. Represented parties file electronically through Odyssey. A self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier, or may use Odyssey if they choose (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
- Complete notice steps that apply to your case. After appointment, a personal representative may publish notice to creditors once a week for three successive weeks and mail notice to known and reasonably ascertainable creditors; that choice affects the claims period under N.D.C.C. §§ 30.1-19-01 and 30.1-19-03.
- Track hearing needs. Informal probate can proceed without a court appearance or without a court hearing when the requirements are met (N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14). Formal probate requires court involvement under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15, so ask the Renville County clerk how the court will set any required hearing.
- Request remote participation only by the rule. For a hearing, a party may ask for reliable electronic means by written motion, after contacting the other parties, served at least seven days before the proceeding; any response is served at least four days before (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52).
- Wait for authority from the court. In an informal appointment, the court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration within ten working days after all requirements for informal proceedings have been met (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07).
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, addresses claims under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-19, prepares the inventory and appraisement within six months after appointment or nine months after death, whichever is later, under N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-06, distributes property, and uses the appropriate closing procedure under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-21.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Renville County
There are no Renville County probate forms and no local cover sheet listed for the Mohall courthouse. A Renville County filer uses the statewide materials from the North Dakota Legal Self Help Center at ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help, including the informal administration Guidebook and forms at ndcourts.gov.
The Center warns that its forms are not official court forms and that acceptance is not guaranteed. It also says forms are not available for every informal situation. For a formal case, the Center says a filer creates the legal documents or retains a lawyer to create them.
| Form source | How it applies in Renville County |
|---|---|
| North Dakota Legal Self Help Center | Use the statewide informal probate materials for Renville County filings when the informal route fits (N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14; ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help). |
| Guidebook and informal forms | The statewide Guidebook includes informal administration materials, including Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration forms used after the court acts (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07; ndcourts.gov). |
| Printed form set | A printed set of probate forms from the clerk costs $5, effective July 1, 2025, under the North Dakota Court Fee Schedule and N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03. |
Local nuance
Renville County-specific considerations
Renville County filings go to the courthouse in Mohall, even though Renville County is part of the Northeast Judicial District (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6). The Northeast Judicial District's judges are chambered in Bottineau, Cavalier, Langdon, Grafton, Rugby and Devils Lake; none of those chambers is in Mohall.
The supreme court's stated intent is that residents of counties within a judicial district receive judicial services in their own county without the need to travel to the chamber cities, under the schedule and direction of the presiding judge (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6). Treat that as an intent statement, not a guarantee for every hearing, and ask the clerk how a Renville County hearing will be handled in your case.
The Mohall listing provides the courthouse address, mailing address, hours, and phone number. It does not list a fax number, email address, separate filing counter instruction, parking direction, courtroom floor, or security-screening note for probate filings.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Renville County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether an appointment is needed. If a probate filing is needed, file the application or petition with the clerk of district court in Mohall, and expect the $160 filing fee, effective July 1, 2025 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46). | Sunset helps organize the asset list, identify title issues, and generate the estate settlement packet for review. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the estate may fit a small estate path under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-23, compare the assets with the state requirements before opening a case. If a filing is needed, a self-represented filer may mail paper documents to P.O. Box 68, Mohall, ND 58761, or may use Odyssey if they choose (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5). | Sunset helps locate accounts, sort property by transfer method, and prepare questions for the clerk or an attorney before travel is planned. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires an appointed personal representative with letters testamentary or letters of administration. File in Mohall; after all informal requirements are met, the court issues letters within ten working days (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07). | Sunset helps collect financial information, prepare the probate packet, and connect the family with a North Dakota attorney when real estate must be sold. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How to use it |
|---|---|
| North Dakota Legal Self Help Center | Use ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help for statewide informal probate materials, the personal-property affidavit page, the formal case overview, and the fee waiver request materials. |
| Informal probate page | Use ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/informal-probate for the informal probate overview and Guidebook. Informal probate materials relate to N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14. |
| Fee waiver request | Use ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help/fee-waiver if the $160 filing fee, effective July 1, 2025, is unaffordable (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03). |
| North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry | Use https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/ for case search. Select Renville County and the Civil, Family & Probate Case Records category; information is current through the end of the previous business day. |
| Legal Services of North Dakota | Use https://lsnd.org/ or call 1-800-634-5263 if under age 60, or 1-866-621-9886 if age 60 or over, to ask whether your civil legal issue fits their intake. |
| State Bar Association of North Dakota and attorney search | Use the lawyer resources linked through ndcourts.gov if you need to look for North Dakota counsel. |
When to hire an attorney
An attorney is not required for informal probate or appointment procedure under N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-01.1, but counsel makes sense when the will is disputed, a formal probate petition is needed under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-15, real estate must be sold, creditors are difficult to evaluate under N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-19, heirs disagree, or the family is handling the case from outside North Dakota. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, investments, and other property before the family chooses an estate settlement path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Renville County filing and helps generate a probate packet that can be reviewed before it is filed with the clerk of district court.
Find a local probate attorney. When a formal case, real estate sale, creditor issue, or family dispute calls for legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted North Dakota probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Renville County?
File with the clerk of district court in Renville County at the Renville County Courthouse, 205 Main St E, Mohall, ND 58761, or mail papers to P.O. Box 68, Mohall, ND 58761 (N.D.C.C. § 27-05-06; N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 46).
What are the clerk's hours in Mohall?
The Renville County courthouse hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (701) 756-6398 before making a special trip.
Do I have to e-file in Renville County if I am handling this myself?
No. A self-represented filer is exempt from the electronic filing requirement and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier. A self-represented filer may use Odyssey if they choose (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
Can I mail the original will to the Renville County courthouse?
Yes. Original wills, codicils, and other documents of independent legal significance may be filed as paper documents, so the original will can be delivered to the Mohall courthouse on paper (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5).
How much does it cost to file probate in Renville County?
The filing fee is $160, effective July 1, 2025, for filing probate or another Title 30.1 testamentary case (N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03; North Dakota Court Fee Schedule).
Are there Renville County probate forms?
No local Renville County probate forms are listed. Use the statewide North Dakota Legal Self Help Center materials at ndcourts.gov/legal-self-help. The Center warns that its forms are not official court forms and that acceptance is not guaranteed.
Can I look up a Renville County probate case online?
Use the North Dakota Courts Records Inquiry at https://publicsearch.ndcourts.gov/ and select Renville County. The search category includes Civil, Family & Probate Case Records, and information is current through the end of the previous business day.
Will I have to travel to another city for a Renville County hearing?
Not necessarily, but do not assume the hearing location. Under N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 6, the supreme court's stated intent is that residents receive judicial services in their own county without the need to travel to the chamber cities, under the schedule and direction of the presiding judge.
Can I appear by video or phone for a Renville County probate hearing?
A party may ask for reliable electronic means by written motion, after first contacting the other parties, and the court decides whether to allow it. The motion must be served at least seven days before the proceeding, and any response must be served at least four days before (N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. 52).
How soon are letters issued in an informal Renville County probate?
In an informal appointment, the court issues letters testamentary or letters of administration within ten working days after all requirements for informal proceedings have been met (N.D.C.C. § 30.1-14-07).
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.