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Centre County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Centre County Register of Wills, which admits the will to probate, grants letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without one), and receives the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (REV-1500). In Centre County one elected official serves as both the Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Administration supervised by | The Centre County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (49th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same office; it handles the inventory, accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Courthouse office | Willowbank Office Building, 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, Bellefonte, PA 16823 |
| Mailing address | Same as the office address: 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, Bellefonte, PA 16823 |
| Phone | (814) 355-6724 (the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | (814) 355-8685 |
| [email protected] (the office mailbox) | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All probates, whether in person or virtual, are by appointment only; call (814) 355-6724 to schedule. Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Bellefonte |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Centre County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $50.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the county schedule effective January 1, 2026, plus a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and a $15.00 Automation Fund fee on the first filing in a case (42 P.S. § 21022.1). See the fees section below, and confirm the current schedule with the Register of Wills |
| Local probate forms | Pennsylvania uses a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us and used in every county. The settlement of a small estate uses a county form obtained from the Centre County Register of Wills |
| E-filing | Probate is handled by appointment with the Register of Wills, in person or by video conference; no Register of Wills e-filing for the grant of letters was found for Centre County. Confirm any electronic option for a specific Orphans' Court matter with the office |
| Online case search | The statewide UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch); its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county |
| Remote appearance | The office offers virtual probate by video conference by appointment. For Orphans' Court hearings, ask whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.centrecountypa.gov/393/Register-of-Wills-Clerk-of-Orphans-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Centre County, know exactly what is in the estate. Which Pennsylvania path fits depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets: a full grant of letters testamentary or of administration through the Register of Wills, a petition to settle a small estate of $50,000 or less through the Orphans' Court (20 Pa.C.S. section 3102), or the release of certain assets without any letters at all. Those paths and their dollar thresholds are statewide and are explained on the Pennsylvania state page. Identify the estate first so you present the right petition once, and because Centre County handles probate by appointment, call the office to schedule before you plan a visit or a video conference.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you contact the office. How real property is titled matters, because a jointly owned home with right of survivorship or a beneficiary-designated account passes outside probate while real property in the decedent's sole name does not, so the estate that actually goes through probate can be smaller than the family expects. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Centre County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, one combined office at the Willowbank Office Building in Bellefonte, serve all of Centre County. That includes Bellefonte, the county seat, and State College, the county's largest community and the home of Penn State University's University Park campus, along with Philipsburg, Milesburg, Pleasant Gap, Centre Hall, Millheim, Howard, Port Matilda, Snow Shoe, and the surrounding townships across the Nittany Valley and the wider county. Every Centre County estate is filed at 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, in Bellefonte. Centre County is its own single-county district, the 49th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judges are Court of Common Pleas judges of that district.
Venue for a decedent's estate is the county where the decedent had a last family or principal residence, under Title 20 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (20 Pa.C.S. § 3151). If the decedent lived in Centre County, file with the Centre County Register of Wills. A Penn State student or employee who kept a permanent home in another Pennsylvania county or another state is settled where that permanent home was, not automatically in Centre County, so confirm the decedent's domicile before you file. If the decedent was not domiciled in Pennsylvania but left property in the county, the register of the county where the property is located may grant letters (20 Pa.C.S. § 3151), which is the basis for an ancillary administration. The office keeps the county's original wills and estate records.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if there is one), a certified copy of the death certificate, the names and addresses of the heirs and beneficiaries, the proposed personal representative's information and identification, and a list of the assets and debts with values. A person named in a will to settle the estate is an executor; a person appointed where there is no will is an administrator. Pennsylvania's umbrella term for either is personal representative.
- Prepare the petition and forms. Pennsylvania uses a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us. The core filing is the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), presented with the original will and the certified death certificate. There is no separate numbered Centre County form set, though the settlement of a small estate uses a county form obtained from the Register of Wills.
- Schedule an appointment with the Register of Wills. Centre County handles all probates by appointment only, whether in person at 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, in Bellefonte or by video conference. Call the office at (814) 355-6724 to schedule and to confirm what to bring. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to be sworn before the Register, which the video-conference option can accommodate.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee for a grant of letters is set by Centre County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $50.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the schedule effective January 1, 2026, plus a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and a $15.00 Automation Fund fee on the first filing in the case. See the fees section below.
- Receive the letters. On a valid will, the Register grants letters testamentary to the executor; with no will, letters of administration to the administrator, in the priority order set by 20 Pa.C.S. § 3155. One short certificate (certified proof of the letters) is issued at no extra charge when letters are granted, and additional short certificates are $6.00 each; short certificates are what banks and transfer agents rely on, so request several.
- Advertise the grant of letters. Immediately after letters are granted, advertise the grant once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation near the decedent's residence and in the county's designated legal periodical, so that creditors can present claims (20 Pa.C.S. § 3162). A creditor's practical deadline runs one year from the first complete advertisement (20 Pa.C.S. § 3532).
- File the inventory and handle inheritance tax. File a verified inventory of the estate's real and personal property with the Register of Wills (Form RW-09, 20 Pa.C.S. § 3301), and file the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (REV-1500) with the Register of Wills, which acts as the collection agent. The inheritance tax becomes delinquent nine months after the date of death, and a 5% discount is allowed on tax paid within three months of death.
- Administer and close through the Orphans' Court. Pay valid debts and taxes, then distribute what remains. When a formal account is required, it is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, advertised, and confirmed; a personal representative who distributes is protected from a claim not made known within one year after the first complete advertisement of the grant of letters (20 Pa.C.S. § 3532). Many estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Centre County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Centre County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Centre County form set. The load-bearing form to open an estate is the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), filed with the original will and a certified death certificate. Other statewide forms in common use include the Renunciation (Form RW-06), the estate notice and certification under Rule 10.5 (Forms RW-07 and RW-08), and the Inventory (Form RW-09), along with the Orphans' Court OC-series account and administration forms. The settlement of a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form rather than a numbered statewide RW form; obtain it from the Centre County Register of Wills.
In Centre County these forms are presented by appointment, in person or by video conference, to the Register of Wills at 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, in Bellefonte; no Register of Wills e-filing for the grant of letters was found for the county. The office also posts local forms on its page, including an information request form and a waiver of fiduciary bond. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (814) 355-6724 to schedule the appointment.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Register of Wills and Orphans' Court forms (pacourts.us) | The statewide form set used in every county, including the Petition for Grant of Letters (RW-02), the Renunciation (RW-06), the Inventory (RW-09), and the Orphans' Court OC-series forms |
| Centre County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court (centrecountypa.gov) | The county office page, with the current fee schedule, local forms, hours, and the appointment phone line |
| UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us) | The statewide court case search; its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county |
Fees
Pennsylvania sets probate filing fees county by county, not statewide, and Centre County publishes its own Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026. The figures below were read from the county's published schedule in July 2026; confirm the current amounts with the office, because a county can revise its schedule.
The Register of Wills fee for a grant of letters, whether letters testamentary on a will or letters of administration without one, is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $50.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($60.00 over $1,000 to $5,000, $70.00 over $5,000 to $10,000, $80.00 over $10,000 to $20,000, $90.00 over $20,000 to $30,000, $100.00 over $30,000 to $40,000, $110.00 over $40,000 to $50,000, $120.00 over $50,000 to $75,000, and $130.00 over $75,000 to $100,000), plus $40.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. On the first filing in a case the schedule adds $41.25 for the Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and $15.00 for the Automation Fund, so a grant of letters for a modest estate typically totals about $106.25 to $186.25 before copies and certificates.
| Centre County filing | Fee (effective January 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters (letters testamentary or of administration), graduated by estate value | From $50.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $130.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $40.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee, first filing in a case | $41.25 |
| Automation Fund fee, first filing in a case | $15.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $6.00 each; one issued at no extra charge when letters are granted |
| Probate of will only | $50.00 first page, $5.00 each additional page |
| Renunciation (Form RW-06) | $6.00 each form |
| Inventory and appraisement (Form RW-09) | $25.00 |
| Inheritance tax return filing (original or supplemental) | $35.00 |
| Settlement of a small estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $60.00, plus the JCS and Automation Fund fees on a first filing |
| Account (filing and recording) | $60.00 first page, $10.00 each additional page |
| Photocopies | $0.50 per page |
Local nuance
Centre County-specific considerations
One elected official holds both offices. In Centre County the same elected official serves as the Register of Wills and as the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, and both functions run from one counter at the Willowbank Office Building, 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, in Bellefonte. The Register of Wills side admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court side receives the inventory, accounts, and other administration filings. This page refers to the offices rather than the officeholder, because the position is elected and can change.
Probate is by appointment only, in person or by video conference. Centre County handles all probates by appointment, whether you come to the office or appear by video conference. Call (814) 355-6724 to schedule and to confirm what to bring. The video-conference option lets an out-of-town personal representative be sworn without traveling to Bellefonte, but you still need an appointment; there is no walk-in probate and no online self-service grant of letters.
The fee schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Centre County's current Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedule is dated effective January 1, 2026. The grant-of-letters fee is graduated by estate value, and the county adds a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and a $15.00 Automation Fund fee on the first filing in a case, so budget for those on top of the base fee and confirm the current amounts before you file.
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Centre County's Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedule took effect, with the grant-of-letters fee graduated by estate value plus a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and a $15.00 Automation Fund fee on the first filing in a case (source: Centre County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedule, effective January 1, 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Centre County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Centre County home was owned by the spouses as tenants by the entirety or jointly with right of survivorship, it passes to the surviving spouse outside probate on proof of death, so no estate proceeding is needed for the house itself. If other assets stood in the decedent's sole name and there is a will, the spouse schedules an appointment and presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Centre County Register of Wills and, once the will is admitted, receives letters testamentary as executor; with no will, the spouse is granted letters of administration. | Asset discovery to confirm how the home and accounts are titled and what must go through the Register of Wills. Packet generation for the RW-02 filing. A vetted attorney referral if a dispute arises. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | A smaller estate may qualify for the petition to settle a small estate of $50,000 or less, filed through the Orphans' Court (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102), or certain assets may be released without letters. Otherwise the child opens a full estate with the Register of Wills. Because Centre County offers probate by video-conference appointment, an out-of-state child can often be sworn without traveling to Bellefonte, but must call (814) 355-6724 to schedule. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and to locate accounts from out of state. Packet generation for the small estate petition or the grant of letters, organized so an out-of-state filer can complete the appointment in one session. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds real property that must be sold, it proceeds through a full grant of letters rather than a small estate petition: with no will, the parent is granted letters of administration by the Register of Wills; with a will, the parent probates it under Form RW-02. Once the letters issue, the personal representative can sell the Centre County home and, when a formal account is required, file it with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the grant of letters and the inventory. Attorney referral, and help if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Centre County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court, (814) 355-6724 (centrecountypa.gov) | The county office page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the current fee schedule, local forms, and the appointment line for in-person or video-conference probate |
| Pennsylvania courts, orphans' court forms (pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public/orphans-court-forms) | The statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set used in Centre County, including the Petition for Grant of Letters and the Inventory |
| Pennsylvania courts, representing yourself (pacourts.us/learn) | Plain-language statewide guidance on the courts, self-representation, and estate procedure |
| UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch) | The statewide court case search; Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate-record coverage varies by county |
| Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, inheritance tax (pa.gov/agencies/revenue) | The Pennsylvania inheritance tax rules and the REV-1500 return, which is filed with the Centre County Register of Wills |
| MidPenn Legal Services, State College office, (814) 238-4958, intake (800) 326-9177 (midpenn.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Centre County and 17 other central Pennsylvania counties |
| Centre County Bar Association Low Fee Attorney Referral Program, (814) 548-0052 (centrecountybar.org) | Referral to a Centre County attorney, including a wills, estates, and guardianships list, with a free initial consultation of up to 30 minutes |
| PALawHELP (palawhelp.org) | Plain-language legal information and statewide routing to legal aid and lawyer referral services |
When to hire an attorney
Pennsylvania does not require an attorney to open a probate estate, and many Centre County estates are uncontested and can be handled with the statewide forms and the Register of Wills, especially a small estate that qualifies for the 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 petition or an ordinary grant of letters where the will is clear. Consider counsel when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or a dispute among heirs is likely, when a formal Orphans' Court account will be required, when the estate is insolvent or creditors are pressing, when inheritance tax planning is involved, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. The Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court can explain procedure but cannot give legal advice. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Pennsylvania probate attorney serving Centre 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, Centre County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Pennsylvania path fits for estate settlement before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Pennsylvania probate forms for your path, including the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) and the inventory (Form RW-09), ready to present to the Centre County Register of Wills at your appointment.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Pennsylvania probate attorney serving Centre 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 Centre County?
With the Centre County Register of Wills at the Willowbank Office Building, 414 Holmes Street, Suite 2, Bellefonte, PA 16823. The same elected official is both the Register of Wills, who admits the will and grants letters, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, who supervises the administration that follows. Probate is by appointment only, so call (814) 355-6724 to schedule.
Do I have to travel to Bellefonte to settle an estate in Centre County?
Not necessarily. Centre County handles probate by appointment, in person at the office in Bellefonte or by video conference, so an out-of-town personal representative can often be sworn without traveling. You still need an appointment either way; call (814) 355-6724 to schedule and to confirm what the Register needs. There is no walk-in probate.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Centre County but I live out of state?
You still file in Centre County, because Pennsylvania venue is the county where the decedent had a last family or principal residence (20 Pa.C.S. § 3151). File with the Centre County Register of Wills regardless of where you live. Because the county offers probate by video-conference appointment, you may be able to complete the grant of letters without traveling to Bellefonte; call (814) 355-6724 to arrange it.
Can I file probate electronically in Centre County?
No Register of Wills e-filing for the grant of letters was found for Centre County; probate is handled by appointment, in person or by video conference. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this office. Confirm any electronic option for a specific Orphans' Court matter directly with the office.
How much does it cost to file probate in Centre County?
The Register of Wills fee for a grant of letters is set by Centre County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $50.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the schedule effective January 1, 2026. On the first filing the county adds a $41.25 Judicial Computer Project (JCS) fee and a $15.00 Automation Fund fee, so a grant of letters for a modest estate typically totals about $106.25 to $186.25. A short certificate is $6.00 each, with one included when letters are granted. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Centre County?
The statewide Pennsylvania forms, the same ones used in every county. The core form is the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), filed with the original will and a certified death certificate; the Inventory is Form RW-09. There is no separate numbered Centre County form set, and the settlement of a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form obtained from the Register of Wills.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Centre County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Centre County Register of Wills, which acts as the collection agent. Pennsylvania has no state estate tax, but it does have an inheritance tax whose rate depends on the beneficiary's relationship to the decedent. The tax becomes delinquent nine months after the date of death, and a 5% discount is allowed on tax paid within three months of death; the rates and details are on the Pennsylvania state page and the Department of Revenue site.
How do I look up a Centre County probate case online?
Use the statewide UJS Portal case search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch. Its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county, so to confirm a specific estate filing you can also call the office at (814) 355-6724.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Centre County?
The office is reached at (814) 355-6724, with a fax at (814) 355-8685 and email [email protected]. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All probates, in person or virtual, are by appointment only, so call ahead to schedule and to confirm any filing cutoff before making a trip to Bellefonte.
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.