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Northumberland County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Northumberland County Register of Wills, which admits the will to probate, grants letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without one), receives the verified inventory, and receives the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (REV-1500). In Northumberland County the Register of Wills is part of a combined office run by one elected official who also serves as Recorder of Deeds and Clerk of the Orphans' Court |
| Administration supervised by | The Northumberland County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (8th Judicial District, which covers Northumberland County only), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same combined office; it handles accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Courthouse | Northumberland County Courthouse, 201 Market Street, 1st Floor, Sunbury, PA 17801 |
| Mailing address | Register of Wills or Clerk of the Orphans' Court, 201 Market Street, 1st Floor, Sunbury, PA 17801; documents returned by mail require a self-addressed stamped envelope |
| Phone | (570) 988-4143 (the Register and Recorder office). Probate appointments, which are required, are scheduled at (570) 988-4985; the Recorder of Deeds side of the office also answers at (570) 988-4142. These are the county's own lines, not a statewide call center |
| Office hours | Monday 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM, Tuesday to Friday 9:00 AM to 4:15 PM, closed daily 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch. Probate is by appointment, so call before making a trip to Sunbury |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Northumberland County and graduated by the value of the estate, running from $142.75 for an estate under $1,000 to $267.75 for an estate of $50,001 to $100,000 under the county schedule effective December 1, 2025 (42 P.S. § 21022.1). The county schedule is all-inclusive: that price already includes the inventory filing, the inheritance tax return filing, the JCP fee, and the automation fee, so the generic surcharges are not added on top here. 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; Northumberland County has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form filed with the Orphans' Court, so contact the office for the correct form |
| E-filing | The grant of letters is handled by appointment, in person or by Zoom, with the Register of Wills; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing for estates was found for Northumberland County. E-recording is available for deeds and other recorded documents through the Recorder of Deeds function, but that is a Recorder service, not probate. Confirm the current options with the office |
| Remote appearance | Yes. Northumberland County accepts Zoom probates in addition to in-person probates, which are done Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. Ask the office when scheduling whether your matter can be handled by Zoom |
| 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. The county Recorder of Deeds also runs the LANDEX image database and a free Record Alert fraud-monitoring service, but that is a recorded-document image search, not a court docket |
| Website | https://northumberlandcountypa.gov/register-recorder/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Northumberland 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 probate in Northumberland County is by appointment and generally requires appearing before the Register, in person or by Zoom.
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 schedule your appointment. In a county like Northumberland it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, a farm in the northern river valley, or coal-region property around Shamokin or Mount Carmel, 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 Northumberland County Register of Wills and the Northumberland County Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both part of the combined office at the Northumberland County Courthouse in Sunbury, serve all of Northumberland County. That includes Sunbury, the county seat, along with Shamokin, Mount Carmel, Coal Township, Milton, the borough of Northumberland, Kulpmont, Watsontown, Riverside, Snydertown, and the surrounding townships across the county's Susquehanna River valley and anthracite coal region. Every Northumberland County estate is filed at 201 Market Street in Sunbury. Northumberland is the sole county of the 8th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge for the county, and the county keeps its own Register of Wills and its own 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 Northumberland County, file with the Northumberland 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. There is no separate numbered Northumberland County form set.
- Schedule your probate appointment. Probate in Northumberland County is by appointment only; call (570) 988-4985 to schedule. In-person probates are done Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the office also accepts Zoom probates, so ask when scheduling whether your matter can be handled remotely. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, which the appointment satisfies whether in person or by Zoom.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Bring or submit the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the combined office at 201 Market Street, 1st Floor, Sunbury. Before the appointment, confirm how the office wants payment, because since November 1, 2019 it does not accept personal checks, cash, money orders, or certified bank checks from the public, only checks from law firms, county attorneys, corporations, local abstractors, and title companies.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Northumberland County and graduated by the value of the estate, running from $142.75 for an estate under $1,000 to $267.75 for an estate of $50,001 to $100,000 under the schedule effective December 1, 2025, then $100.00 for each additional $100,001 or fraction. That price is all-inclusive: it already covers the inventory filing, the inheritance tax return filing, the JCP fee, and the automation fee. 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; Northumberland County charges $10.00 per short certificate under the schedule effective December 1, 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, so that creditors can present claims (20 Pa.C.S. § 3162). The statewide legal-notice search at palegalads.org can help locate the current designated periodical. 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; in Northumberland County the inventory filing and the inheritance tax return filing are already covered by the all-inclusive grant-of-letters fee. 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, then advertised and confirmed; in Northumberland County a first and final account must be filed by the 10th of a month to be confirmed on the 4th Monday of the following month, and holidays can shift the confirmation date, so ask the Clerk which filing date fits your matter. Many small estates close by a family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Northumberland County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Northumberland County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Northumberland 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 filed with the Orphans' Court rather than a numbered statewide RW form; contact the office for the correct form.
In Northumberland County these forms are filed by appointment with the Register of Wills at 201 Market Street, Sunbury, in person on Tuesdays and Thursdays or by Zoom; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing for estates was found for the county. To schedule the probate appointment or ask what the office needs on intake, call (570) 988-4985.
| 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 |
| Northumberland County Register and Recorder (northumberlandcountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the current fee schedule, hours, the probate appointment line, 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 Northumberland County publishes its own Register of Wills, Orphans' Court, and Recorder fee schedule, effective December 1, 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 grant of letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It runs $142.75 for an estate under $1,000, $157.75 over $1,000 to $5,000, $167.75 over $5,000 to $10,000, $182.75 over $10,000 to $20,000, $197.75 over $20,000 to $30,000, $217.75 over $30,000 to $40,000, $242.75 over $40,000 to $50,000, and $267.75 over $50,000 to $100,000, then $100.00 for each additional $100,001 or fraction. A litigation-only grant of letters is $102.75. Northumberland County's schedule is all-inclusive: each grant-of-letters price already includes the inventory filing, the inheritance tax return filing, the JCP fee, and the automation fee, so the generic statewide add-ons are not charged on top here. Before you pay, confirm the accepted payment method: since November 1, 2019 the office does not take personal checks, cash, money orders, or certified bank checks from the public, only checks from law firms, county attorneys, corporations, local abstractors, and title companies, so a self-represented filer should call to arrange payment.
| Northumberland County filing | Fee (effective December 1, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, estate under $1,000 | $142.75 (includes inventory, inheritance tax return, JCP fee, and automation fee) |
| Grant of letters, estate $20,001 to $30,000 | $197.75 (all-inclusive) |
| Grant of letters, estate $50,001 to $100,000 | $267.75 (all-inclusive) |
| Grant of letters, each additional $100,001 or fraction | $100.00 |
| Grant of letters, litigation only | $102.75 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $10.00 each |
| Renunciation | $10.00 per name |
| Filing an inheritance tax return without probate | $50.00 |
| Certified copy of an instrument, with certificate | $50.00, plus $5.00 each additional page |
| Creditors claim (Orphans' Court) | $75.00 |
| Petitions, orders, motions, citations, and claims, including the 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 small estate petition (Orphans' Court) | $117.75; the fee covers one petition and one order, and additional petitions or motions carry additional fees |
| First and final account (Orphans' Court) | $320.00 for the first page, plus $10.00 each additional page |
Local nuance
Northumberland County-specific considerations
One combined office does all three jobs. Northumberland County runs probate through a single combined row office at 201 Market Street, Sunbury, where one elected official serves as Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The Register of Wills side admits the will, grants letters, takes the inventory, and receives the inheritance tax return; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court side handles the accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes that follow. Because it is one office, you deal with the same counter and the same phone line for both stages of the estate.
Probate is by appointment, in person or by Zoom. Probate appointments are required in Northumberland County; call (570) 988-4985 to schedule. In-person probates are done Tuesdays and Thursdays only, and the office also accepts Zoom probates, so an out-of-state or homebound personal representative can often be sworn and complete the grant of letters remotely. Confirm the format when you schedule; the office does not take walk-in probates.
The county fee is all-inclusive. Unlike counties that add a separate $41.25 JCP fee and a $14.75 automation fee on top of the base filing, Northumberland County's graduated grant-of-letters fee (effective December 1, 2025) already bundles the JCP fee, the automation fee, the inventory filing, and the inheritance tax return filing into the single price, from $142.75 for an estate under $1,000 to $267.75 for an estate of $50,001 to $100,000. Budget the graduated amount rather than that amount plus surcharges.
Check the accepted payment method before you go. Since November 1, 2019 the Register and Recorder office does not accept personal checks, cash, money orders, or certified bank checks from the public; it accepts checks from law firms, county attorneys, corporations, local abstractors, and title companies. A self-represented filer should call the office when scheduling the probate appointment to confirm how to pay the filing fee.
Recent updates
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| New Register of Wills fee schedule effective December 1, 2025 | Northumberland County posted a revised fee schedule in November 2025 that raised each graduated grant-of-letters bracket by $1.00 over the prior November 6, 2023 schedule (for example, $142.75 for an estate under $1,000 and $267.75 for $50,001 to $100,000) and raised the Orphans' Court petition fee to $117.75. The schedule remains all-inclusive: the grant-of-letters price bundles the inventory filing, the inheritance tax return filing, the JCP fee, and the automation fee. Confirm the amount for your filing with the Register and Recorder office |
| Probate appointments required, with a Zoom option | Probate in Northumberland County is handled by appointment; in-person probates are done Tuesdays and Thursdays and the office accepts Zoom probates. Call (570) 988-4985 to schedule and to confirm the format for your matter |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Northumberland County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Sunbury-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 schedules a probate appointment, presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Northumberland 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 Northumberland County accepts Zoom probates, an out-of-state child can often be sworn and complete the grant of letters remotely instead of traveling; call (570) 988-4985 to schedule the appointment and ask about the Zoom option. | 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 a remote filer can complete the Zoom appointment in one sitting. |
| 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 Northumberland 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 |
|---|---|
| Northumberland County Register and Recorder, (570) 988-4143 (northumberlandcountypa.gov/register-recorder) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: hours, directions, the probate appointment line, and the current fee schedule |
| Northumberland County Orphans' Court requirements (northumberlandcountypa.gov/orphans-court-requirements) | The county page on Orphans' Court filings, including the account filing and confirmation 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 Northumberland 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 Northumberland County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, Sunbury office, (570) 286-5687 or (877) 953-4250 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; the Sunbury office serves Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties and handles wills and estates |
| PALawHELP (palawhelp.org) | Plain-language legal information and statewide routing to legal aid and lawyer referral services |
| Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, (800) 692-7375 (pabar.org) | Referrals to Pennsylvania probate attorneys; the statewide service covers the counties without a local referral service, including Northumberland County |
When to hire an attorney
Many Northumberland 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 farm, 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 Northumberland 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, Northumberland 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 Northumberland County Register of Wills at your Sunbury appointment or Zoom probate.
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 Northumberland 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 Northumberland County?
With the Northumberland County Register of Wills, part of the combined Register, Recorder, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the Northumberland County Courthouse, 201 Market Street, 1st Floor, Sunbury, PA 17801. 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. Probate is by appointment, so call (570) 988-4985 to schedule.
Do I have to travel to Sunbury to settle an estate in Northumberland County?
Not necessarily. Probate in Northumberland County is by appointment, and the office accepts Zoom probates as well as in-person probates on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so a personal representative can often be sworn and complete the grant of letters remotely. Call (570) 988-4985 to schedule and ask whether your matter can be handled by Zoom.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Northumberland County but I live out of state?
You still file in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County Register of Wills in Sunbury regardless of where you live. Because the county accepts Zoom probates, an out-of-state personal representative can often complete the grant of letters without traveling; call (570) 988-4985 to arrange it.
Can I file probate electronically in Northumberland County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing for estates was found for Northumberland County; the grant of letters is handled by appointment, in person or by Zoom. E-recording is available for deeds and other recorded documents through the Recorder of Deeds function, but that is a Recorder service, not probate. 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 Northumberland County?
The Register of Wills fee for a grant of letters is set by Northumberland County and graduated by the value of the estate, running from $142.75 for an estate under $1,000 to $267.75 for an estate of $50,001 to $100,000 under the schedule effective December 1, 2025, then $100.00 for each additional $100,001 or fraction. That price is all-inclusive: it already covers the inventory filing, the inheritance tax return filing, the JCP fee, and the automation fee, so the generic surcharges are not added on top. A short certificate is $10.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Northumberland County?
The statewide Pennsylvania forms, the same ones used in every county. The core form is the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), filed with the original will and a certified death certificate; the Inventory is Form RW-09. There is no separate numbered Northumberland County form set, and the small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county form filed with the Orphans' Court, so contact the office for the correct form.
How do I pay the filing fee in Northumberland County?
Confirm the accepted method when you schedule your probate appointment. Since November 1, 2019 the Register and Recorder office does not accept personal checks, cash, money orders, or certified bank checks from the public; it accepts checks from law firms, county attorneys, corporations, local abstractors, and title companies. A self-represented filer should call (570) 988-4985 to arrange how to pay before the appointment.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Northumberland County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Northumberland 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 Northumberland 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 (570) 988-4143. The county Recorder of Deeds runs the LANDEX image database and a free Record Alert fraud-monitoring service, but that is a recorded-document search rather than a court docket.
What are the office hours for probate in Northumberland County?
The Register and Recorder office is open Monday 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM and Tuesday to Friday 9:00 AM to 4:15 PM, closed daily 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch. Probate is by appointment, with in-person probates on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a Zoom option, so call (570) 988-4985 to schedule before making a trip to Sunbury.
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.