Back to New Jersey
Warren County, NJ Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Warren County Surrogate's Court (uncontested probate and administration) |
| Current Surrogate | Michael J. Doherty, an elected constitutional officer, in office since December 1, 2022 |
| Office address | Warren County Surrogate's Court, 323 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ 07823 |
| Mailing address | Warren County Surrogate's Court, 413 Second Street, Belvidere, NJ 07823 |
| Phone | (908) 475-6223; after-hours line (908) 319-2218 |
| Fax | (908) 475-4219 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the office suggests calling for an appointment |
| Filing fee | $100 to probate a will of two pages or less, plus $5 per additional page; $125 base for intestate administration (N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30, verified July 2026) |
| Payment methods | Cash or check only; the office does not accept credit or debit cards |
| Local forms | Yes. The Surrogate publishes its own fact sheets and worksheets (PDF and Word); New Jersey has no statewide probate form set |
| E-filing | Not available for Surrogate probate; qualifying is done in person by appointment (JEDS handles Superior Court matters, not estate cases) |
| Case search | No public online Surrogate case portal; record copies are obtained through the Surrogate Records Search Request Form |
| Contested matters | Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part, Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage |
| Website | https://www.warrencountynj.gov/government/warren-county-surrogate-s-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you contact the Warren County Surrogate, know exactly what is in the estate. The path (probate of a will, general administration when there is no will, administration with the will annexed, or one of New Jersey's intestate affidavit-in-lieu paths) depends entirely on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets, and the office asks you to complete and submit the matching fact sheet before it schedules you to qualify. Arriving with a complete asset and debt picture and the right fact sheet keeps the process to a single signing appointment.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of Warren County real property, along with every debt, before you qualify. New Jersey also taxes transfers by the beneficiary's relationship class, so note who inherits and how they are related. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Warren County Surrogate's Court serves the entire county from one office at 323 Front Street in Belvidere, the county seat, covering Phillipsburg, Hackettstown, Washington, Belvidere, Blairstown, Lopatcong, Greenwich, Mansfield, Independence, and the county's remaining rural municipalities. Uncontested probate and administration are filed here when the decedent was domiciled in Warren County at death (R. 4:80-1(c)); if the decedent had no New Jersey domicile, venue lies in any county where New Jersey property is located.
The Surrogate is an elected constitutional officer (N.J.S.A. 2B:14-1) who serves as both Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court and, per the New Jersey Judiciary, as Deputy Clerk of the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part. The Surrogate handles only uncontested matters. If a caveat is filed or a matter otherwise becomes contested (a will contest, a fiduciary removal, a formal accounting), the case moves to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part in the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage, where counsel is effectively required.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm the matter is uncontested and that venue is Warren County (the decedent was domiciled here at death, R. 4:80-1(c)). Gather the original signed will (if any), the original death certificate with a raised seal, the executor's or administrator's photo ID, the names and addresses of the next of kin and beneficiaries, and a list of assets and debts.
- Complete the applicable Warren fact sheet: the Probate Fact Sheet (decedent left a will), the Administration Fact Sheet (no will), the Probate Successor Fact Sheet (no named executor can serve), or the Spousal Affidavit or Next of Kin Affidavit fact sheet for an intestate small estate. These are downloadable PDF and Word documents on the Surrogate's Forms page.
- Submit the completed fact sheet to the Surrogate by delivery, fax, email, or mail. The office reviews it, contacts you if anything is missing, and arranges an appointment to sign the qualifying papers. Calling (908) 475-6223 first is recommended.
- For a will, no probate is admitted until 10 days after death; the Surrogate can admit the will on the 11th day (N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22). You may prepare and submit papers before then.
- Sign and qualify at your appointment: sign the complaint and oath and pay the fee by cash or check (no credit or debit cards). Probate of a will (first two pages) is $100 and general administration is $125 (N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30). Administration requires a fiduciary bond unless a statutory exception applies (N.J.S.A. 3B:15-1).
- Receive short certificates, New Jersey's certified proof of the executor's or administrator's authority, at $5 each. Buy enough for each bank and institution; banks and title companies typically want one dated within 60 days, which is institutional practice, not a legal rule.
- Mail the Notice of Probate to beneficiaries and heirs within 60 days and file the Proof of Mailing within 10 days of that mailing; if a charity is a beneficiary, also send notice and a copy of the will to the New Jersey Attorney General (R. 4:80-6).
- Administer the estate: creditors have nine months from the date of death to present claims (N.J.S.A. 3B:22-4), paid in statutory priority; take a Refunding Bond and Release from each beneficiary on distribution and file it with the Surrogate (N.J.S.A. 3B:23-24). Record any L-9 or O-1 inheritance-tax real-property waiver with the Warren County Clerk before conveying local real estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Warren County
New Jersey has no statewide probate form set. Instead the Warren County Surrogate publishes its own fact sheets and worksheets as PDF and Microsoft Word documents on its Forms page, which double as the intake checklist. Complete the fact sheet that matches your path and submit it to the office before you are scheduled to sign. Qualifying at the Warren Surrogate requires the original signed will (for probate), the original death certificate with a raised seal, the applicant's photo ID, the names and addresses of the next of kin and beneficiaries, and the fee by cash or check; short certificates are issued at the signing appointment.
| Form | When it applies |
|---|---|
| Probate Fact Sheet | Decedent left a will; the named executor qualifies to probate it |
| Administration Fact Sheet | Decedent left no will; the next of kin applies to administer the estate |
| Probate Successor Fact Sheet | There is a will but no named executor can serve, or a successor must be appointed to complete administration |
| Spousal Affidavit Fact Sheet | Intestate small estate claimed by a surviving spouse or partner in lieu of administration |
| Next of Kin Affidavit Fact Sheet | Intestate small estate claimed by an heir when there is no surviving spouse |
| Renunciation - Executor | A person named as executor declines to serve |
| Renunciation - Administration (No Will) | An heir entitled to administer declines or consents to another heir serving |
| Testamentary Trustee Fact Sheet | A trustee named in a will qualifies to accept the trust |
| Refunding Bond & Release | Signed by each beneficiary on distribution and filed with the Surrogate (N.J.S.A. 3B:23-24) |
| Withdrawal of Caveat | Releases a caveat so an otherwise uncontested probate can proceed |
| Surrogate Records Search Request Form | Requesting a search or copies of estate records |
The Surrogate also publishes a Guardianship Fact Sheet for minor and incapacitated-person matters. The full set is on the Forms page, and the office notes the forms do not fit every situation; call (908) 475-6223 for guidance.
Local nuance
Warren County-specific considerations
Submit the fact sheet first, then sign by appointment. Warren uses a submit-first intake: send the completed fact sheet to the Surrogate by delivery, fax, email, or mail, and the office reviews it, asks for anything missing, and arranges an appointment for you to sign the qualifying papers and take the oath. Bring the original will, the original death certificate with a raised seal, and the fee to that signing appointment.
Cash or check only. The Warren County Surrogate does not accept credit or debit cards. Bring cash or a check for the filing fee and any short certificates.
Call for an appointment, and note the after-hours line. The office suggests calling (908) 475-6223 for an appointment so it can serve you efficiently; an after-hours line, (908) 319-2218, is also published. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The county's own fact sheets are the forms. New Jersey publishes no statewide probate form set. Warren posts its Probate, Administration, Probate Successor, small-estate affidavit, trustee, and guardianship fact sheets, plus renunciation and Refunding Bond and Release forms, as PDF and Word documents; complete the right one before you submit.
One office, and contested matters leave the county. A single Surrogate's office in Belvidere serves the whole county. A caveat or other contested matter routes to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part in the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 2022 | Michael J. Doherty took office as Warren County Surrogate for a five-year term. | warrencountynj.gov (About the Surrogate's Court); New Jersey Globe |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Warren County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If a Phillipsburg or Hackettstown home was held as tenants by the entirety or with right of survivorship, it passes to the surviving spouse outside probate by recording the death certificate with the Warren County Clerk. As a Class A beneficiary, the spouse uses the L-8 self-executing waiver to release bank accounts and files an L-9 for real property. If the home was in the decedent's sole name and there is a will, the spouse submits the Probate Fact Sheet and qualifies as executor by appointment at the Warren Surrogate. | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. Guidance on recording the survivorship deed and the L-8 and L-9 waivers. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | For an intestate estate small enough for New Jersey's affidavit-in-lieu path (statewide thresholds apply; see the New Jersey state page), the child submits the Warren Next of Kin Affidavit Fact Sheet, with the other heirs' written consent, and then holds administrator powers without full administration. The fact sheet asks for detailed asset information, including account and vehicle identifiers. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation for the affidavit, prepared and notarized in advance so the trip to Belvidere is a single signing appointment. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | General administration (no will) at the Warren Surrogate. The parent submits the Administration Fact Sheet, posts a fiduciary bond unless waived (N.J.S.A. 3B:15-1), signs to qualify, and receives short certificates to sell the home. A parent inheriting from a child is a Class A beneficiary and owes no New Jersey inheritance tax, but the real estate still needs a tax waiver before the deed transfers: Form L-9 when no return is required, recorded with the Warren County Clerk, or a Division-issued O-1 when L-9 does not apply. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration filing. Attorney referral if a sale or heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Warren County Surrogate's Court (warrencountynj.gov) | The office's own fact sheets, fee schedule, the What to Do First primer, a glossary of probate terms, and death-certificate guidance |
| New Jersey Courts self-help (njcourts.gov/self-help) | The Judiciary's plain-language probate guidance and the county surrogate glossary |
| New Jersey Surrogates roster (njcourts.gov) | Contact directory for all 21 county surrogates, including Warren |
| Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage (njcourts.gov/courts/vicinages/somerset-hunterdon-warren) | Superior Court and Chancery Division, Probate Part information for contested matters |
| Warren County Bar Association (warrencountybar.org) | Attorney referrals by email ([email protected]) to Warren-area attorneys who handle probate and estate matters |
| Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Warren County - 91 Front Street, Belvidere, (908) 475-2010, lsnwj.org | Free civil legal help, including probate and estate matters, for income-eligible Warren County residents |
| NJ Division of Taxation, Inheritance & Estate Tax (nj.gov/treasury/taxation) | Inheritance-tax rates, the IT-R return, and the L-8, L-9, and O-1 waiver forms |
When to hire an attorney
Most Warren County estates are uncontested and are completed by submitting the fact sheet and qualifying at a single signing appointment, without an attorney. Consider counsel when a caveat is filed or the matter otherwise becomes contested and moves to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part in the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage; when a will contest or heir dispute is likely; when Class C or Class D beneficiaries owe inheritance tax and a return with valuations is needed; when the estate is insolvent or a formal accounting is demanded; or when the estate holds a business interest or out-of-state real property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted New Jersey probate attorney serving Warren County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Warren County real estate, and unclaimed property, so the Surrogate's fact sheet is complete before you submit it.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Warren County Surrogate's fact sheet, the Notice of Probate and Proof of Mailing, the Refunding Bond and Release, and the supporting paperwork for your estate settlement, ready to submit and sign.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted New Jersey probate attorney serving Warren County.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Warren County?
At the Warren County Surrogate's Court, 323 Front Street, Belvidere, NJ 07823 (mail to 413 Second Street, Belvidere, NJ 07823). Submit the applicable fact sheet first, and the office arranges an appointment to sign. Call (908) 475-6223 to start.
How does intake work at the Warren County Surrogate?
You complete the fact sheet that matches your path and submit it by delivery, fax, email, or mail. The office reviews it, contacts you for anything missing, and schedules an appointment for you to sign the qualifying papers in person. Bring the original will, the original death certificate with a raised seal, and the fee to that appointment.
Can I e-file probate documents in Warren County?
No. The Warren County Surrogate has no e-filing; you submit the fact sheet and then qualify in person by appointment. New Jersey's Superior Court e-filing system (JEDS) does not handle estate cases.
Can I look up a Warren County probate case online?
No. There is no public online case portal for the Surrogate. Copies of estate records are obtained through the Surrogate Records Search Request Form on the office's Forms page.
What forms do I need for probate in Warren County?
The Warren County Surrogate publishes its own fact sheets: the Probate Fact Sheet (with a will), the Administration Fact Sheet (no will), the Probate Successor fact sheet, the Spousal Affidavit and Next of Kin Affidavit fact sheets for intestate small estates, and renunciation, trustee, and Refunding Bond and Release forms. New Jersey has no statewide probate form set. Complete the one that matches your path before you submit.
How much does it cost to probate a will in Warren County?
Probate of a will of not more than two pages is $100, with $5 for each additional page, and general administration is $125 (N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30, verified July 2026). Short certificates are $5 each. Pay by cash or check; the office does not accept credit or debit cards.
When can a will be admitted to probate in Warren County?
Not until 10 days after death; the Surrogate can admit the will on the 11th day (N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22). You may prepare and submit the papers before then.
Where do contested Warren County probate matters go?
To the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part in the Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage. A caveat filed at the Surrogate's office routes the matter there, and counsel is effectively required.
Do I have to travel to Belvidere to settle an estate there?
You submit the fact sheet remotely (by delivery, fax, email, or mail), but you will generally sign the qualifying papers in person at an appointment. New Jersey's intestate small-estate affidavit paths avoid full administration, and Sunset can prepare the packet and arrange online notarization to reduce trips.
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.