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Huntingdon County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon County the Register of Wills is part of the combined Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office |
| Administration supervised by | The Huntingdon County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (20th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same combined office; it handles the inventory, accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Combined office | One elected Register and Recorder runs the Register of Wills, the Recorder of Deeds, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at the same courthouse office; call (814) 643-2740, option 2, for the Register and Recorder |
| Courthouse | Huntingdon County Courthouse, 223 Penn Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 223 Penn Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652 |
| Phone | (814) 643-2740 (the combined office; option 2 for the Register and Recorder). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | (814) 643-6849 |
| [email protected] (the Register and Recorder office); the county fee schedule also lists [email protected] for Orphans' Court matters | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or separate filing cutoff is published; confirm the counter and any cutoff before making a trip to Huntingdon |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Huntingdon County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the county schedule updated November 17, 2025 (42 P.S. § 21022.1), plus a $41.25 JCS/ATJ surcharge and a $10.00 automation fee on the estate filing. 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; Huntingdon County has no separate numbered county form set. The petition to settle a small estate uses a county form obtained from the office |
| E-filing | The grant of letters is handled on paper, in person with the Register of Wills; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for Huntingdon County, and by practice the personal representative appears before the Register. Confirm the current options with the office |
| Online records | Huntingdon County Register of Wills records are viewable online through Infocon (infoconcountyaccess.com), a records-viewing system rather than an e-filing portal |
| 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 | Not published for Huntingdon County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.huntingdoncountypa.gov/departments/register-and-recorder |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Huntingdon 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. § 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, because the grant of letters generally requires appearing before the Register in Huntingdon.
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 go to the courthouse. In a rural county like Huntingdon it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, a camp, or lake or timber land near Raystown Lake or in the surrounding valleys, and how that 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. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Huntingdon County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both part of the combined office at the Huntingdon County Courthouse in the borough of Huntingdon, serve all of Huntingdon County. That includes Huntingdon, the county seat, along with Mount Union, Petersburg, Alexandria, Mapleton, Orbisonia, Three Springs, Saxton, Broad Top City, Shirleysburg, and the surrounding townships across the Juniata River valley and the Raystown Lake region. Every Huntingdon County estate is filed at 223 Penn Street in Huntingdon. Huntingdon County is the entire 20th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judge who hears estate matters is a Court of Common Pleas judge of this single-county district; you file with the county's own Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
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 Huntingdon County, file with the Huntingdon County Register of Wills. 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, and the Huntingdon County Register of Wills also requires an Estate Information Sheet (a statewide form linked from the county's Register and Recorder page) at intake. There is no separate numbered Huntingdon County form set; the petition to settle a small estate uses a county form obtained from the office.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the combined office at 223 Penn Street, Huntingdon. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; call (814) 643-2740, option 2, first to confirm what the Register needs and whether an appointment is preferred.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Huntingdon County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the schedule updated November 17, 2025, plus a $41.25 JCS/ATJ surcharge and a $10.00 automation fee on the estate filing. Payment is by cash, check, or money order. 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. Request several short certificates (certified proof of the letters), which is what banks and transfer agents rely on; Huntingdon County charges $5.00 per short certificate under the schedule updated November 17, 2025.
- 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 (the statewide legal-notice search at palegalads.org can help locate the current journal), 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. 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; ask the Clerk which filing and audit dates apply to your matter. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Huntingdon County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Huntingdon County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Huntingdon 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; the Huntingdon County Register of Wills also requires an Estate Information Sheet, a statewide form linked directly from the county's Register and Recorder page, at intake. 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 petition to settle a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form rather than a numbered statewide RW form; obtain it from the Register of Wills.
In Huntingdon County these forms are filed on paper, in person, with the Register of Wills at 223 Penn Street, Huntingdon; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for the county, though filed Register of Wills records are viewable online through Infocon. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (814) 643-2740, option 2, during business hours.
| 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 |
| Huntingdon County Register and Recorder (huntingdoncountycourt.net) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the current fee schedule, the Orphans' Court forms link, and contact information |
| 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 Huntingdon County publishes its own combined Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court schedule of fees, updated November 17, 2025. 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 Petition for Grant of Letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($35.00 over $1,000 to $5,000, $45.00 over $5,000 to $10,000, $55.00 over $10,000 to $20,000, $65.00 over $20,000 to $30,000, $75.00 over $30,000 to $40,000, $85.00 over $40,000 to $50,000, $95.00 over $50,000 to $75,000, and $110.00 over $75,000 to $100,000), then $40.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. On top of that base, the schedule adds a JCS/ATJ surcharge of $41.25 (the statewide JCS, ATJ, CJEA, JCPS, and OAG court fees, listed on the county schedule per Act 45 of 2025) and a $10.00 automation fee on the estate filing. Payment is by cash, check, or money order.
| Huntingdon County filing | Fee (schedule updated November 17, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Petition for Grant of Letters (graduated by estate value) | From $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 to $110.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $40.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| JCS/ATJ surcharge on the estate filing | $41.25 (statewide JCS, ATJ, CJEA, JCPS, and OAG court fees, per Act 45 of 2025) |
| Automation fee on the estate filing | $10.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $5.00 each |
| Certified copy of will | $15.00 |
| Inventory (Form RW-09) | $10.00 |
| Inheritance tax return filed with probate (REV-1500) | $15.00 |
| Petition to settle a small estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $35.00 |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| November 17, 2025 | Huntingdon County updated its combined Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court schedule of fees, replacing the January 8, 2024 schedule; the JCS/ATJ surcharge on the estate filing rose from $40.25 to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, while the graduated Petition for Grant of Letters fees were unchanged |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Huntingdon County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Huntingdon-area home was owned jointly with right of survivorship, or by the spouses as tenants by the entirety, 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 presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Huntingdon 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 with 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 the grant of letters generally requires appearing before the Register in Huntingdon and the county files on paper, an out-of-state child should call (814) 643-2740, option 2, ahead of time to arrange the appointment or confirm what can be handled by mail. | 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 plan a single trip to Huntingdon. |
| 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 Huntingdon 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 |
|---|---|
| Huntingdon County Register and Recorder, (814) 643-2740 (huntingdoncountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: hours, directions, the mailing address, and contact information |
| Huntingdon County Court, Register and Recorder (huntingdoncountycourt.net/register-and-recorder) | The court administration page with the current combined fee schedule and links to the Orphans' Court forms |
| Infocon county records (infoconcountyaccess.com) | Online viewing of Huntingdon County Register of Wills records; a records-viewing system, not an e-filing portal |
| 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 Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon County Register of Wills |
| MidPenn Legal Services, 1-800-326-9177 (midpenn.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Huntingdon County and 17 other central Pennsylvania counties |
| PALawHELP (palawhelp.org) | Plain-language legal information and statewide routing to legal aid and lawyer referral services |
| Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (pabar.org) | Referrals to Pennsylvania probate attorneys statewide, including those serving the Huntingdon County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Huntingdon County estates are uncontested and can be handled without an attorney, 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, farm, 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 Huntingdon 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, Huntingdon County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Pennsylvania estate settlement path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Pennsylvania probate forms for your path, including the Petition for Grant of Letters and the inventory, ready to present to the Huntingdon County Register of Wills.
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 Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon County?
With the Huntingdon County Register of Wills, part of the combined Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the Huntingdon County Courthouse, 223 Penn Street, Huntingdon, PA 16652. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, in the same office, supervises the administration that follows.
Do I have to travel to Huntingdon to settle an estate in Huntingdon County?
For the grant of letters, usually yes. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register of Wills to be sworn, and Huntingdon County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to the courthouse. Call (814) 643-2740, option 2, first to confirm what the Register needs and whether an appointment is preferred.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Huntingdon County but I live out of state?
You still file in Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon County Register of Wills regardless of where you live. Because the grant of letters generally requires appearing before the Register, an out-of-state personal representative should call the office ahead of time to plan a single trip.
Can I file probate electronically in Huntingdon County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for Huntingdon County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper, in person. Filed Register of Wills records are viewable online through Infocon, but that is a records-viewing system, not an estate e-filing portal. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this county.
How much does it cost to file probate in Huntingdon County?
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is set by Huntingdon County and graduated by the value of the estate, starting at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rising with the estate's value under the schedule updated November 17, 2025, plus a $41.25 JCS/ATJ surcharge and a $10.00 automation fee on the estate filing. A short certificate is $5.00 each. Payment is by cash, check, or money order. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Huntingdon 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, and the Huntingdon County Register of Wills also requires an Estate Information Sheet at intake; the Inventory is Form RW-09. There is no separate numbered Huntingdon County form set, and the petition to settle 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 Huntingdon County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon County probate record online?
Huntingdon County Register of Wills records are viewable online through Infocon at infoconcountyaccess.com. The statewide UJS Portal case search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch also covers Pennsylvania courts, though its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county. To confirm a specific estate filing you can also call the office at (814) 643-2740, option 2.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Huntingdon County?
The combined office is reached at (814) 643-2740, option 2 for the Register and Recorder, with a fax at (814) 643-6849 and email [email protected]. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or separate filing cutoff is published; confirm the counter and any cutoff before making a trip to Huntingdon.
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.