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Lycoming County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Lycoming 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 Lycoming County the Register of Wills is part of the combined Register and Recorder office |
| Administration supervised by | The Lycoming County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (29th 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 serves as Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, so the same office at 48 West Third Street handles the grant of letters and the later estate filings |
| Courthouse | Lycoming County Courthouse, 48 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 48 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701 |
| Phone | Register and Recorder office (570) 327-2263; probate appointments with the Register of Wills (570) 327-2258, calling from 10:30 a.m. daily; Clerk of the Orphans' Court (570) 327-2508. These are the county's own lines, not a statewide call center |
| [email protected], the county's mailbox for map and estate records requests only (copies of records not already online; a research and retrieval fee of $5.00 for the first page and $1.00 per additional page applies, and a response can take two to three weeks) | |
| Office hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed on weekends and county holidays. Probate petitions are handled by appointment scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, so call before making a trip to Williamsport |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Lycoming County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $66.25 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $121.25 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $30.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction, under the county fee bill (Act 49, dated December 1, 2025; 42 P.S. § 21022.1). Pennsylvania's statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge and $14.75 automation fee are collected under 42 P.S. § 21022.1; the county fee bill does not itemize them separately, so confirm with the Register of Wills whether they are included in the listed amounts. The office accepts cash and check only. See the fees section below |
| Local probate forms | Pennsylvania uses one statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us and used in every county; Lycoming County posts the Petition for Grant of Letters, a Renunciation form, and an Orphans' Court motion cover sheet on its own site but has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate petition uses a county form obtained from the office |
| E-filing | None for estates: no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing exists for Lycoming County, and the grant of letters is handled on paper, by appointment before the Register. Guardianship reports are the exception: the county requires the guardian's annual reports of the person and of the estate and the guardian inventory to be e-filed through the statewide Guardianship Tracking System (GTS), at $20.00 per report effective July 1, 2026; contact the Clerk of the Orphans' Court for help with GTS |
| 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 Lycoming County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://lycomingcountypa.gov/government/row_officers/government/register___recorder/register_of_wills.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Lycoming 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 is handled at an appointment before the Register in Williamsport, booked at least 24 hours 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 go to the courthouse. In a large rural-and-town county like Lycoming it is common for a decedent to have owned a home in the Williamsport area plus farm, timber, or hunting land in the outlying townships, 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 Lycoming County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both part of the combined Register and Recorder office at the Lycoming County Courthouse in Williamsport, serve all of Lycoming County. That includes Williamsport, the county seat, along with South Williamsport, Montoursville, Duboistown, Jersey Shore, Muncy, Hughesville, Montgomery, and the many surrounding townships across what is the largest county by land area in Pennsylvania. Every Lycoming County estate is filed at 48 West Third Street in Williamsport. Lycoming is the 29th Judicial District on its own, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge of that single-county district; you do not file in any other county.
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 Lycoming County, file with the Lycoming 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. Lycoming County also posts the Petition for Grant of Letters and a Renunciation form on its own site; there is no separate numbered Lycoming County form set.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Probate in Lycoming County runs by appointment: appointments are limited to two people, must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, and are made by calling the Register of Wills at (570) 327-2258 starting at 10:30 a.m. daily. Bring the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the combined Register and Recorder office at 48 West Third Street, Williamsport, where the personal representative is sworn before the Register. If an attorney represents the estate, the office requires copies of the documents by email at least 24 hours before the appointment.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Lycoming County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $66.25 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $121.25 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $30.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction, under the county fee bill (Act 49, dated December 1, 2025). Pennsylvania's statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge and $14.75 automation fee are collected under 42 P.S. § 21022.1; the county fee bill does not itemize them separately, so confirm with the office whether they are included in the listed amounts. The office accepts cash and check only. 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, and generally not before 30 days after death for lower-priority applicants. Request several short certificates (certified proof of the letters), which is what banks and transfer agents rely on; the county charges $4.00 per short certificate under the fee bill.
- 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 Lycoming Reporter, so that creditors can present claims (20 Pa.C.S. § 3162). The Lycoming Reporter, published every Friday by the Lycoming Law Association, charges $115.00 for an estate notice; the charge covers the three weekly insertions and one proof of publication (lycolaw.org rates effective January 1, 2025). A creditor's practical deadline runs one year from the first complete advertisement of the grant of letters (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; the rate detail is on the Pennsylvania state page.
- 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, in the same combined office, then advertised and confirmed; objections to an account are filed with the Clerk within the deadline set by the Lycoming County Orphans' Court rules. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lycoming County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Lycoming County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Lycoming 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 small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form rather than a numbered statewide RW form.
Lycoming County posts several of these on its own Register of Wills and Orphans' Court pages, including the Petition for Grant of Letters, a Renunciation form, and an Orphans' Court motion cover sheet. In Lycoming County these forms are filed on paper with the combined Register and Recorder office at 48 West Third Street, Williamsport, and probate petitions are presented at an appointment scheduled at least 24 hours in advance; only guardianship reports are e-filed, through the statewide Guardianship Tracking System. For questions about what the office needs on intake, or to schedule the appointment, call (570) 327-2258 starting at 10:30 a.m. on a business day.
| 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 |
| Lycoming County Register of Wills (lycomingcountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills page, with the downloadable Petition for Grant of Letters and Renunciation form, the fee bill, and contact information |
| Lycoming County Orphans' Court (lycomingcountypa.gov) | The county Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the Orphans' Court motion cover sheet and fee sheet and guardianship 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 Lycoming County publishes its own Register of Wills fee bill (Act 49). The figures below were read in July 2026 from the county's current fee bill, dated December 1, 2025 and posted as updated for the 2025 JCS fee change; confirm the current amounts with the office, because the county revises the schedule (each graduated tier rose by $1.00 in the December 2025 update).
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $66.25 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($71.25 over $1,000 to $5,000, $81.25 over $5,000 to $10,000, $86.25 over $10,000 to $20,000, $96.25 over $20,000 to $30,000, $101.25 over $30,000 to $40,000, $106.25 over $40,000 to $50,000, $116.25 over $50,000 to $75,000, and $121.25 over $75,000 to $100,000), then $30.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. Pennsylvania's statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge and $14.75 automation fee are collected under 42 P.S. § 21022.1; the county fee bill lists these amounts as the charge and does not itemize the surcharge or automation fee separately, so confirm with the Register of Wills whether they are included in the figures below. The office accepts cash and check only, and starting July 1, 2026 a personal check must carry a phone number and driver's license number.
| Lycoming County filing | Fee (Act 49 fee bill dated December 1, 2025, verified July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, estate not exceeding $1,000 | $66.25 |
| Grant of letters, over $50,000 to $75,000 | $116.25 (an example mid-range tier; the fee rises in steps with the value of the estate) |
| Grant of letters, over $75,000 to $100,000 | $121.25, then $30.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| Probate of will only (no letters issued) | $15.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $4.00 each |
| Inheritance tax return (REV-1500) | $20.00 |
| Petition to settle a small estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $35.50 (no tax return) or $55.50 (with tax return) |
| First and final account | $40.00, plus $4.00 for each additional page |
| Renunciation | $4.00 |
| Ancillary letters (out-of-state decedent) | $30.00 |
| Petition for sale of real estate | $25.00 |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| December 1, 2025 | Lycoming County issued an updated Register of Wills fee bill, posted as reflecting the 2025 JCS fee change; each graduated grant-of-letters tier rose by $1.00, so an estate not exceeding $1,000 now pays $66.25 and an estate of $75,000 to $100,000 pays $121.25 (county fee bill, verified July 2026). |
| July 1, 2026 | The fee for filing a guardian's annual report of the person or of the estate and the guardian inventory rose from $10.00 to $20.00 per filing; Lycoming County requires those reports to be e-filed through the statewide Guardianship Tracking System (county Register and Recorder and Orphans' Court fee sheet, verified July 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Lycoming County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Williamsport-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 Lycoming 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 Lycoming County handles probate on paper and by appointment scheduled at least 24 hours in advance, an out-of-state child should call the office ahead, book the appointment, and ask what if anything 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 Williamsport. |
| 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 Lycoming 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 |
|---|---|
| Lycoming County Register of Wills, (570) 327-2258 (lycomingcountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the downloadable Petition for Grant of Letters and Renunciation form, and the fee bill |
| Lycoming County Orphans' Court, (570) 327-2508 (lycomingcountypa.gov) | The county Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: the motion cover sheet, the Orphans' Court fee sheet, guardianship information, and the local account-filing procedure |
| 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 Lycoming 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 Lycoming County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, Williamsport Office, (570) 323-8741 or (800) 326-7436 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Lycoming, Clinton, and Tioga counties |
| Lycoming Law Association (lycolaw.org) | The county bar association, with a Lycoming County lawyer directory; it publishes the Lycoming Reporter, the county's designated legal periodical for estate and other legal notices |
| Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (pabar.org) | Referrals to Pennsylvania probate attorneys statewide, including those serving the Lycoming County region |
| PALawHELP (palawhelp.org) | Plain-language legal information and statewide routing to legal aid and lawyer referral services |
When to hire an attorney
Many Lycoming 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, a 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 Lycoming 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, Lycoming 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 Lycoming County Register of Wills in Williamsport.
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 Lycoming 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 Lycoming County?
With the Lycoming County Register of Wills, part of the combined Register and Recorder office at the Lycoming County Courthouse, 48 West Third Street, Williamsport, PA 17701. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, the same elected office, supervises the administration that follows. Call the Register of Wills at (570) 327-2258 to schedule the probate appointment, or the Register and Recorder office at (570) 327-2263.
Do I have to travel to Williamsport to settle an estate in Lycoming County?
For the grant of letters, usually yes. Lycoming County handles probate by appointment: appointments are limited to two people, must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance by calling the Register of Wills at (570) 327-2258 starting at 10:30 a.m. daily, and arriving late can mean being rescheduled. There is no estate e-filing, so plan on a trip to Williamsport, and ask the office when you call whether any item in your matter can be handled by mail.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Williamsport but I live out of state?
You still file in Lycoming 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 Lycoming County Register of Wills in Williamsport regardless of where you live. Because the grant of letters is handled at an appointment before the Register, an out-of-state personal representative should call (570) 327-2258 ahead of time to book the appointment and plan a single trip.
Can I file probate electronically in Lycoming County?
Not for the grant of letters. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing exists for Lycoming County; the grant of letters is handled on paper, at an appointment before the Register. Guardianship reports are the one exception: Lycoming County requires the guardian's annual report of the person, the annual report of the estate, and the guardian inventory to be e-filed through the statewide Guardianship Tracking System (GTS), at $20.00 per report effective July 1, 2026, and does not accept those reports on paper. 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 Lycoming County?
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is set by Lycoming County and graduated by the value of the estate under the county fee bill (Act 49), from $66.25 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $121.25 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $30.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. Pennsylvania's statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge and $14.75 automation fee are collected under 42 P.S. § 21022.1; the county fee bill does not itemize them separately, so confirm with the office whether they are included. A short certificate is $4.00 each, probating a will without letters is $15.00, and the office accepts cash and check only (Lycoming County Register of Wills fee bill dated December 1, 2025, verified July 2026).
What forms do I need for probate in Lycoming 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 and the Renunciation is Form RW-06. There is no separate numbered Lycoming County form set, though the county posts the Petition for Grant of Letters and a Renunciation form on its site, and the small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Lycoming County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Lycoming 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 Lycoming 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 (570) 327-2263, or email a request for a copy of an estate record that is not online to [email protected].
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Lycoming County?
The Register and Recorder office is reached at (570) 327-2263, probate appointments are scheduled with the Register of Wills at (570) 327-2258 (call starting at 10:30 a.m. on a business day), and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court is at (570) 327-2508. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is closed on weekends and county holidays; probate petitions are handled by appointment booked at least 24 hours in advance, so call before making a trip to Williamsport. Requests for copies of maps and estate records that are not online can be emailed to [email protected] (allow two to three weeks).
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.