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Mercer County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Mercer 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 Mercer County the Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court are one combined office held by a single elected official, who also serves as the county's Clerk of Courts |
| Administration supervised by | The Mercer County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (35th Judicial District, a single-county district), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same combined office; it handles the inventory, accounts, distributions, guardianships, adoptions, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Courthouse | Mercer County Courthouse, 125 South Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer, PA 16137 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 125 South Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer, PA 16137 |
| Phone | (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248 (the Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | (724) 662-1604 |
| [email protected] (the email address the county lists for the Register of Wills and Orphans' Court office) | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding holidays; no lunch closure is published. Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Mercer |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Mercer County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 up to $150.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county schedule effective April 6, 2026 (42 P.S. § 21022.1). The initial grant of letters also carries a $41.25 JCP fee and a $10.00 automation fee, plus per-document charges. 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; Mercer County also posts several of its own forms on the county forms page, including its own petition for grant of letters and inventory. The 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 small-estate settlement uses the county's Petition for Small Estate; the county form titled Small Estates Affidavit is a separate release for insurance proceeds under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101, not the § 3102 form |
| E-filing | The grant of letters is handled on paper, in person or by mail with the Register of Wills; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing system was found for Mercer County. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register. 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 |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Mercer County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.mercercountypa.gov/RegisterOfWills |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Mercer 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 Mercer.
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. How the decedent's home was 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 the Register of Wills 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 Mercer County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, one combined office at the Mercer County Courthouse in Mercer borough, serve all of Mercer County. That includes the county seat of Mercer along with Hermitage, Sharon, Farrell, Greenville, Grove City, Sharpsville, West Middlesex, Sandy Lake, Stoneboro, Jamestown, Clark, and the surrounding boroughs and townships. Every Mercer County estate is filed at 125 South Diamond Street in Mercer. Mercer County is its own single-county judicial district, the 35th, so the Orphans' Court judges are Court of Common Pleas judges who sit for Mercer County alone; 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 Mercer County, file with the Mercer 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. Mercer County also posts several of its own forms on the county forms page.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the combined office at 125 South Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer. An original death certificate must accompany all probate and first filings. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; the office also accepts filings by mail, so confirm what the Register needs before you travel.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Mercer County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 up to $150.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county schedule effective April 6, 2026. The initial grant of letters also carries a $41.25 JCP fee and a $10.00 automation fee, plus a $20.00 will or codicil recording charge, a $20.00 inventory and REV-1500 charge, and a $5.00 death-certificate charge. 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; Mercer County charges $10.00 per short certificate under the county schedule effective April 6, 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, 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, the first and final accounting is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, advertised, and confirmed; Mercer County lists a $125.00 first and final accounting fee that includes advertising under the county schedule effective April 6, 2026. Many smaller estates close by a family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Mercer County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Mercer 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 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 small-estate settlement uses the county's Petition for Small Estate rather than a numbered statewide RW form.
Mercer County also posts several of its own forms on the county forms page, including its own versions of the petition for grant of letters, the inventory, the renunciation, and the witness oaths, along with an Orphans' Court claim form, a praecipe for appearance, and a first and final account form. One caution: the county form titled Small Estates Affidavit is a release for insurance proceeds of $11,000 or less under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101 where no letters have issued; the form states on its face that it is not to be used for the settlement of a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102, which uses the county's Petition for Small Estate instead. In Mercer County these forms are filed on paper, in person or by mail, with the Register of Wills at 125 South Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing system was found for the county. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248 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 |
| Mercer County Register of Wills forms (mercercountypa.gov) | The county's own forms, including its own petition for grant of letters, inventory, and renunciation, an Orphans' Court claim form, a praecipe for appearance, a first and final account form, and the Small Estates Affidavit (an insurance-proceeds release under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101, not the § 3102 small-estate petition) |
| 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 Mercer County publishes its own Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedule, effective April 6, 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 Petition for Grant of Letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 and rises with the estate's value ($60.00 for $5,001 to $10,000, $70.00 for $10,001 to $20,000, $90.00 for $20,001 to $30,000, $100.00 for $30,001 to $40,000, $115.00 for $40,001 to $50,000, $130.00 for $50,001 to $75,000, and $150.00 for $75,001 to $100,000), then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or any fraction. On top of that estate-value fee, the initial grant of letters carries a $41.25 JCP fee and a $10.00 automation fee, a $20.00 charge to record the will or codicil (first five pages), a $20.00 inventory and REV-1500 charge, and a $5.00 death-certificate charge. Where the estate value is underestimated on the petition, the county adjusts the fee and bills the balance. Two cautions on the small-estate lines: the Petition for Small Estate ($25.00) is the 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 filing, while the Small Estates Affidavit ($20.00 on the schedule) is the county's separate release for insurance proceeds under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101, and the affidavit form's own instruction sheet lists a $25.00 total payable in cash or money order, so confirm that amount with the office before filing.
| Mercer County filing | Fee (effective April 6, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, estate value fee (graduated) | From $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 up to $150.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| JCP fee (on the initial grant of letters) | $41.25 |
| Automation fee (on the initial grant of letters) | $10.00 |
| Recording the will or codicil (first five pages) | $20.00, plus $5.00 each additional page |
| Inventory and REV-1500 | $20.00 |
| Filing the original death certificate | $5.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $10.00 each |
| Petition for small estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $25.00 for the first five pages, plus $5.00 each additional page |
| Small estates affidavit, an insurance-proceeds release under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101, not the § 3102 petition (includes death certificate and automation fee) | $20.00 |
| Certification | $5.00, or $10.00 with a cover sheet and gold seal |
| Copies | $0.50 per page |
| First and final accounting (advertising included) | $125.00 for the first five pages, plus $5.00 each additional page |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| April 6, 2026 | A new Mercer County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedule took effect, replacing the schedule in effect since November 2, 2017. It keeps the graduated grant-of-letters estate-value fee (from $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 up to $150.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000) and raises the JCP fee from $40.25 to $41.25 and the automation fee from $5.00 to $10.00 (source: Mercer County Register of Wills fee schedule effective April 6, 2026, verified July 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Mercer County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Mercer County 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 Mercer 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 Mercer and the county is a paper-filing county, an out-of-state child should call ahead to arrange the appointment or a mail filing. | 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 Mercer. |
| 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 Mercer County home and, when a formal account is required, file the first and final accounting 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 |
|---|---|
| Mercer County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court, (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248 (mercercountypa.gov/RegisterOfWills) | The county Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the county forms, and the current fee schedule |
| 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 Mercer 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 Mercer County Register of Wills |
| Northwestern Legal Services, (814) 452-6957 (nwls.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Mercer County and nine other northwestern 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 Mercer County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Mercer 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 Mercer 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, Mercer County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Pennsylvania 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 Mercer County Register of Wills in Mercer.
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 Mercer 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 Mercer County?
With the Mercer County Register of Wills, the combined Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the Mercer County Courthouse, 125 South Diamond Street, Suite 112, Mercer, PA 16137. 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 Mercer to settle an estate in Mercer 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 Mercer County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to the courthouse in Mercer. The office also accepts filings by mail, so call (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248 first to confirm whether your matter can be handled by mail and to arrange the appointment.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Mercer County but I live out of state?
You still file in Mercer 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 Mercer County Register of Wills in Mercer 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 or a mail filing.
Can I file probate electronically in Mercer County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing system was found for Mercer County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper, in person or by mail. The county posts several of its own forms on its website to help you assemble the filing. 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 Mercer County?
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is set by Mercer County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $40.00 for an estate not exceeding $5,000 up to $150.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county schedule effective April 6, 2026. The initial grant of letters also carries a $41.25 JCP fee and a $10.00 automation fee, plus per-document charges for recording the will, the inventory and REV-1500, and the death certificate. A short certificate is $10.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Mercer 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. Mercer County also posts several of its own forms, including its own petition for grant of letters and inventory. One caution: the county form titled Small Estates Affidavit is a release for insurance proceeds under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3101, not a small-estate settlement form; the 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 small-estate settlement uses the county's Petition for Small Estate.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Mercer County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Mercer 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 Mercer 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 (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Mercer County?
The combined Register of Wills and Orphans' Court office is reached at (724) 662-3800, ext. 2248, with a fax at (724) 662-1604 and email [email protected]. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding holidays; no lunch closure is published. Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Mercer.
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.