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Indiana County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (40th 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 official runs the Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the same courthouse counter |
| Courthouse | Indiana County Courthouse, 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701-3973 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701-3973 |
| Phone | (724) 465-3860 (the combined office). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | (724) 465-3863 |
| [email protected] (the contact published on the county's page); estate appointments go through the estate clerk's email, [email protected] as of July 2026 | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, closed on holidays. The office asks you to make an appointment before arriving to probate, so contact it before making a trip to Indiana |
| Estate appointments | The office asks that you make an appointment in advance to probate an estate, and you must send the paperwork ahead: email the estate clerk ([email protected] as of July 2026) copies of the Petition for Grant of Letters, the death certificate, the will, any renunciations, and the number of short certificates you want, so the office can calculate your total cost before you come in. The estate clerk's direct line for questions and cost figures is (724) 465-3865 |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Indiana County and graduated by the value of the estate. Under the county schedule effective April 1, 2026 (42 P.S. § 21022.1), the cost of letters runs from $25 for an estate under $1,000 to $150 for an estate of $75,000 to $99,999, then rises in set steps for larger estates. The Register of Wills schedule does not itemize the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA and automation surcharges, so confirm the all-in total with the Register of Wills when you schedule. See the fees section below |
| Local probate forms | Pennsylvania uses a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us and used in every county; Indiana County posts several of these forms, including the Petition for Grant of Letters and an Estate Information Sheet, on its own page. The petition to settle a small estate is filed with the Orphans' Court and obtained from the office |
| E-filing | No Register of Wills e-filing was found for Indiana County; the grant of letters is handled by appointment, with the paperwork emailed to the estate clerk ahead of time. Orphans' Court e-filing is available through the statewide UJS portal after you obtain an access code from the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. Confirm the current options 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, so also call the office to confirm a specific estate filing |
| Remote appearance | The office offers a Zoom swear-in (a $25 fee is listed on the county schedule); ask the Register of Wills whether your oath or a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.indianacountypa.gov/departments/register-and-recorder |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Indiana 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 Indiana County asks you to make a probate appointment in advance and the office calculates your cost from the documents you send ahead.
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 courthouse. 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. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Indiana County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both part of the combined office at the Indiana County Courthouse in Indiana borough, serve all of Indiana County. That includes Indiana borough, the county seat, along with Blairsville, Homer City, Clymer, Saltsburg, Marion Center, Cherry Tree, Ernest, Creekside, Plumville, Shelocta, Smicksburg, and the surrounding townships. Every Indiana County estate is filed at 825 Philadelphia Street in Indiana. Indiana County is its own single-county judicial district, the 40th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge who sits for Indiana County, and there is no second county to sort out.
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 Indiana County, file with the Indiana 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. Indiana County also posts the petition and an Estate Information Sheet on its own Register and Recorder page.
- Make your appointment and send the documents ahead. Indiana County asks you to make an appointment before arriving to probate, and you must submit a copy of the Petition for Grant of Letters before your appointment. Email the estate clerk ([email protected] as of July 2026) copies of the petition, the death certificate, the will, any renunciations, and the number of short certificates you want; the office uses these to calculate your total cost before your appointment. Call the estate clerk's direct line at (724) 465-3865, or the office at (724) 465-3860, with any questions.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. At your appointment, take the original will and the certified death certificate to the combined office at 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to be sworn before the Register; Indiana County offers a Zoom swear-in as an alternative to appearing in person, so ask whether that fits your matter.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills cost of letters is set by Indiana County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $25 for an estate under $1,000 up through the county schedule effective April 1, 2026 (42 P.S. § 21022.1). Because the Register of Wills schedule does not itemize the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA and automation surcharges, the office gives you the all-in total when it calculates your cost from the documents you sent. 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; the county charges $6 per short certificate under the schedule effective April 1, 2026.
- 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. Indiana County accepts inheritance tax payments by mail and uses the postmark date as the payment date.
- 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; Indiana County publishes a First and Final account calendar for the year, so ask the Clerk which filing date fits your matter. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Indiana County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Indiana County uses the same forms as the rest of the state. 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 petition to settle a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is filed with the Orphans' Court and obtained from the office, rather than using a numbered statewide RW form.
Indiana County posts several of these forms, including the Petition for Grant of Letters and an Estate Information Sheet, on its combined Register and Recorder page. In Indiana County these forms are filed with the Register of Wills at 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, by appointment, with copies emailed to the estate clerk ahead of time; no Register of Wills e-filing was found for the county. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call the estate clerk's direct line at (724) 465-3865 or the office at (724) 465-3860 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 |
| Indiana County Register and Recorder (indianacountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the Petition for Grant of Letters, the Estate Information Sheet, the current fee schedules, hours, and the appointment contact |
| 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 Indiana County publishes its own Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedules, both effective April 1, 2026. The figures below were read from the county's published schedules in July 2026; confirm the current amounts with the office, because a county can revise its schedule.
The Register of Wills cost of letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $25 for an estate under $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($35 for $1,000 to $4,999, $45 for $5,000 to $9,999, $55 for $10,000 to $19,999, $65 for $20,000 to $29,999, $75 for $30,000 to $39,999, $90 for $40,000 to $49,999, $120 for $50,000 to $74,999, $150 for $75,000 to $99,999, $240 for $100,000 to $199,999, and higher in set steps for larger estates). The Register of Wills schedule does not itemize the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA and automation surcharges that many counties list separately, so the office gives you the all-in total when it calculates your cost from the documents you send with your appointment request (42 P.S. § 21022.1). The petition to settle a small estate is filed with the Orphans' Court under its own schedule, which lists a standard fee for each petition and a reduced fee, marked NO JCS, that applies when a file number already exists for the case.
| Indiana County filing | Fee (effective April 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Cost of letters (graduated by estate value) | From $25 for an estate under $1,000 to $150 for an estate of $75,000 to $99,999, then $240 for $100,000 to $199,999 and higher in set steps for larger estates |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $6 each |
| Renunciation | $6 |
| Inventory (Form RW-09) | $15 |
| Inheritance tax return filing | $20 |
| Zoom swear-in | $25 |
| Copy of a will (up to 4 pages) | $20, plus $3.00 for each additional page |
| Petition to settle a small estate under $50,000 (Orphans' Court, 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $120, or $60 if a file number already exists for the estate |
| Petition to settle a small estate under $10,000 (Orphans' Court) | $100, or $50 if a file number already exists for the estate |
| First and Final account filed with petition for adjudication (Orphans' Court) | $175, plus $4 per page over 25 pages |
Local nuance
Indiana County-specific considerations
Make a probate appointment in advance, by email. Indiana County asks that you make an appointment before arriving to probate an estate, and you must submit a copy of the Petition for Grant of Letters before your appointment. Email the estate clerk ([email protected] as of July 2026, the appointment contact published on the county's page) copies of the petition, the death certificate, the will, any renunciations, and the number of short certificates you want; the estate clerk's direct line is (724) 465-3865. The office reviews the documents, calculates your total cost, and schedules you, so the paperwork is largely settled before you arrive at 825 Philadelphia Street.
The office offers a Zoom swear-in. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to be sworn before the Register of Wills. Indiana County lists a Zoom swear-in on its fee schedule (a $25 charge), so an out-of-town executor or administrator may be able to take the oath by video rather than travel to Indiana. Ask the office whether a Zoom swear-in fits your matter when you request your appointment.
One combined office runs three functions. In Indiana County a single elected official runs the Register of Wills, the Recorder of Deeds, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court from one office at the courthouse. The grant of letters and the later Orphans' Court filings are handled at the same counter. Because the office is combined, name the Register of Wills function specifically when you call, and use the estate-appointment email for probate rather than the deed-recording channels.
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| April 1, 2026 | Indiana County put new Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedules into effect, with the cost of letters graduated by estate value from $25 for an estate under $1,000 (source: Indiana County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedules, verified July 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Indiana County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Indiana-area home was owned 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 makes an appointment with the Indiana County Register of Wills, presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), 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, ready to email with your appointment request. 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 Indiana County asks estate filers to make an appointment in advance, an out-of-state child should email the estate clerk the documents ahead of time and ask about the Zoom swear-in so the oath can be handled without a trip. | 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 send the documents ahead and plan at most one trip to Indiana. |
| 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 Indiana 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 |
|---|---|
| Indiana County Register and Recorder, (724) 465-3860 (indianacountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: hours, the estate-appointment process and email, the mailing address, the Petition for Grant of Letters and Estate Information Sheet, and the current fee schedules |
| 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 Indiana 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 Indiana County Register of Wills |
| Summit Legal Aid, 1-800-846-0871 (summitlegal.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Indiana County and nine other southwestern and 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 Indiana County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Indiana 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 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 Indiana 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, Indiana County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which 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 email with your Indiana County appointment request or present at the courthouse in Indiana.
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 Indiana 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 Indiana County?
With the Indiana County Register of Wills, part of the combined Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the Indiana County Courthouse, 825 Philadelphia Street, Indiana, PA 15701-3973. 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. The office asks you to make an appointment before arriving to probate, so contact it before you go.
How do I make a probate appointment in Indiana County?
Email the estate clerk ([email protected] as of July 2026, the appointment contact published on the county's Register and Recorder page) copies of the Petition for Grant of Letters, the certified death certificate, the will, any renunciations, and the number of short certificates you want; the county requires a copy of the petition before your appointment. The office reviews the documents, calculates your total cost, and schedules your appointment. You can call the estate clerk's direct line at (724) 465-3865 with questions and for cost figures. Sending the documents ahead is how Indiana County settles most of the paperwork before you arrive.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Indiana County but I live out of state?
You still file in Indiana 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 Indiana County Register of Wills regardless of where you live. Because the office asks you to make an appointment in advance, email the documents to the estate clerk ahead of time and ask about the Zoom swear-in, which may let you take the oath by video instead of traveling to Indiana.
Can I file probate electronically in Indiana County?
Not for the grant of letters. No Register of Wills e-filing was found for Indiana County; the grant of letters is handled by appointment, with the paperwork emailed to the estate clerk ahead of time, and the office lists a Zoom swear-in for the oath. Orphans' Court e-filing is available through the statewide UJS portal after you obtain an access code from the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not a Register of Wills e-filing system.
How much does it cost to file probate in Indiana County?
The Register of Wills cost of letters is set by Indiana County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $25 for an estate under $1,000 to $150 for an estate of $75,000 to $99,999, then higher in set steps for larger estates, under the schedule effective April 1, 2026. A short certificate is $6 each. The Register of Wills schedule does not itemize the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA and automation surcharges, so the office gives you the all-in total when it calculates your cost from the documents you send with your appointment request.
What forms do I need for probate in Indiana 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. Indiana County posts the petition and an Estate Information Sheet on its own page, and the petition to settle a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is filed with the Orphans' Court and obtained from the office.
Who handles inheritance tax in an Indiana County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Indiana 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 an Indiana 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 combined office at (724) 465-3860.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Indiana County?
The combined office is reached at (724) 465-3860, with a fax at (724) 465-3863; the estate clerk's direct line is (724) 465-3865. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and is closed on holidays. Because the office asks you to make a probate appointment in advance, email the estate clerk ([email protected] as of July 2026) to schedule before making a trip to Indiana.
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.