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Pike County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Pike 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 Pike County the elected Register of Wills also serves as the county's Recorder of Deeds, from the same office |
| Administration supervised by | The Pike County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (60th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; it handles accounts, distributions, guardianships, adoptions, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills. In Pike County the Clerk of the Orphans' Court sits in the Clerk of Courts office, and the same elected clerk also serves as the county's Prothonotary |
| Register of Wills office | Pike County Register of Wills, 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337. Phone (570) 296-3508; email [email protected] |
| Clerk of the Orphans' Court office | Pike County Clerk of Courts, whose office also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337. Phone (570) 296-7231 |
| Mailing address | Use the office's street address in Milford: the Register of Wills at 506 Broad Street, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, Milford, PA 18337 |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at both offices; no lunch closure is published. Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Milford |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Pike County. Under the county's published Register of Wills fee schedule for 2026 (42 P.S. § 21022.1), opening an estate carries a flat probate fee of $101.25 (which covers the petition for grant of letters and its supporting documents), plus a separate fee for issuing letters and returns that is graduated by the estate's total gross assets and collected at the time of the inheritance tax return, from $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 rising with value. 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; Pike County posts its own probate and grant-of-letters petition and a renunciation form on the county site. The small estate petition uses a county form |
| E-filing | The grant of letters is handled on paper and in person with the Register of Wills; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for Pike County. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register. Confirm the current options with the office |
| Online case search | The UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch) is the statewide court case search; its Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate-record coverage varies by county. The Pike County Register of Wills records index is searched through the subscription-based INFOCON County Access System, with detailed records available only in the office |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Pike County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.pikepa.org/courts___law/register_of_wills/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Pike 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 Milford.
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 Pocono county like Pike it is common for a decedent to have owned a primary home, a vacation or lake property, or land in a private community, 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 Pike County Register of Wills, at 506 Broad Street in Milford, and the Pike County Clerk of the Orphans' Court, at 412 Broad Street in Milford, serve all of Pike County. That includes Milford, the county seat, along with Matamoras, Dingmans Ferry, Greentown, and Lords Valley, and the county's eleven townships (Blooming Grove, Delaware, Dingman, Greene, Lackawaxen, Lehman, Milford, Palmyra, Porter, Shohola, and Westfall) in the Upper Delaware and Pocono region. Pike County is the entire 60th Judicial District, so its Orphans' Court Division judges are Court of Common Pleas judges of a single-county district sitting in Milford; 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 Pike County, file with the Pike 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 Register of Wills 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. Pike County also posts its own petition for probate and grant of letters and a renunciation form on the county site.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the Pike County Register of Wills at 506 Broad Street, Milford. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; confirm what the Register needs before you travel.
- Pay the filing fee. Under the Pike County Register of Wills fee schedule for 2026, opening the estate carries a flat probate fee of $101.25 (which covers the petition for grant of letters and its supporting documents). A separate fee for issuing letters and returns is graduated by the estate's total gross assets and is collected at the time of the inheritance tax return, starting at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rising with value. Checks are made payable to the Pike County Register of Wills. 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 $5.00 per short certificate under the 2026 schedule.
- Advertise the grant of letters. Immediately after letters are granted, advertise the grant once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation near the decedent's residence and in the county's designated legal periodical (the statewide legal-notice search at palegalads.org can help locate the current journal), so that creditors can present claims (20 Pa.C.S. § 3162). A creditor's practical deadline runs one year from the first complete advertisement (20 Pa.C.S. § 3532).
- File the inventory and handle inheritance tax. File a verified inventory of the estate's real and personal property with the Register of Wills (Form RW-09, 20 Pa.C.S. § 3301), and file the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (REV-1500) with the Register of Wills. The inheritance tax becomes delinquent nine months after the date of death, and a 5% discount is allowed on tax paid within three months of death.
- Administer and close through the Orphans' Court. Pay valid debts and taxes, then distribute what remains. When a formal account is required, it is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, advertised, and confirmed by the Orphans' Court Division; ask the Clerk which filing and audit date fits your matter. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Pike County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Pike 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 uses a county form rather than a numbered statewide RW form; Pike County does not post that form online, so ask the office for the current version. The Register of Wills fee schedule separately lists a small estate affidavit fee without describing the instrument, so confirm with the office which filing it covers.
Pike County posts its own petition for probate and grant of letters and a renunciation form on the Register of Wills page to help families assemble a filing. In Pike County these forms are filed on paper, in person, with the Register of Wills at 506 Broad Street, Milford; no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for the county. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (570) 296-3508 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 |
| Pike County Register of Wills (pikepa.org) | The county Register of Wills page, with the county probate and grant-of-letters petition, the renunciation form, the current fee schedule, hours, 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 Pike County publishes its own Register of Wills fee schedule. The figures below were read from the county's published Register of Wills fee schedule for 2026 in July 2026; confirm the current amounts with the office, because a county can revise its schedule.
Pike County's schedule works in two parts. Opening the estate carries a flat probate fee of $101.25, which the schedule says covers the petition for grant of letters, the oath of the personal representative, the death certificate, renunciations, the oath of witnesses, affidavits, and bond. Separately, a fee for issuing letters and returns is graduated by the estate's total gross assets and is collected at the time of the inheritance tax return: $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000, then rising in steps ($30.00, $40.00, $50.00, $60.00, $70.00, $80.00 through the $40,001 to $50,000 bracket), reaching $100.00 for an estate of $75,001 to $100,000 and $370.00 for an estate of $900,001 to $1,000,000, and continuing per $100,000 above that. The county does not itemize the statewide surcharges separately on this schedule, so confirm with the Register of Wills how they apply. Checks are made payable to the Pike County Register of Wills.
| Pike County Register of Wills filing | Fee (2026 schedule) |
|---|---|
| Probate / grant of letters (covers the petition and its supporting documents) | $101.25 flat |
| Issuing letters and returns, estate up to $1,000 (graduated by total gross assets) | $20.00 |
| Issuing letters and returns, estate $75,001 to $100,000 | $100.00 |
| Issuing letters and returns, estate $900,001 to $1,000,000 (then per $100,000 above) | $370.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $5.00 each |
| Certified copy of will | $25.00 |
| Inheritance return or supplemental return | $10.00 |
| Small estate affidavit | $10.00 |
| Family settlement agreement | $25.00 |
| Request for hearing | $150.00 |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Pike County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Milford-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 Pike 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 Milford and Pike is a paper-filing county, an out-of-state child should call ahead to arrange the appointment. | 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 Milford. |
| 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 Pike County home and, when a formal account is required, file it with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at 412 Broad Street. | 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 |
|---|---|
| Pike County Register of Wills, (570) 296-3508 (pikepa.org) | The county Register of Wills page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the county probate and grant-of-letters petition, the renunciation form, and the current fee schedule |
| Pike County Clerk of Courts and Clerk of Orphans' Court, (570) 296-7231 (pikepa.org) | The Clerk of Courts office at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, which also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court for estate accounts, guardianships, and adoptions; the same elected clerk serves as the county's Prothonotary |
| 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 Pike 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; its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records 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 Pike County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, Stroudsburg office, (800) 532-8282, applications (877) 953-4250 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; North Penn Legal Services covers 20 northeastern Pennsylvania counties, and its Stroudsburg office is the location listed for Pike County |
| 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 Pike County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Pike 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 Pike 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, Pike 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 Pike County Register of Wills in Milford.
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 Pike 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 Pike County?
With the Pike County Register of Wills at 506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters. The Clerk of the Orphans' Court, part of the Clerk of Courts office at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1, is the filing office for the administration that follows, such as accounts, distributions, and disputes.
Why are there two different Milford addresses for probate in Pike County?
Because Pike County runs the two Pennsylvania probate offices as two separate row offices. The Register of Wills, where you open the estate and file the inheritance tax return, is at 506 Broad Street; the same elected official also serves as the county's Recorder of Deeds. The Clerk of the Orphans' Court, where accounts, guardianships, and adoptions are filed, is part of the Clerk of Courts office at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1; that elected clerk also serves as the county's Prothonotary. Both are in Milford, a short distance apart.
Do I have to travel to Milford to settle an estate in Pike 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 Pike County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to Milford. Call (570) 296-3508 first to confirm what the Register needs and to arrange the appointment.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Pike County but I live out of state?
You still file in Pike 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 Pike County Register of Wills in Milford regardless of where you live. Because the grant of letters generally requires appearing before the Register, an out-of-state personal representative should call the office ahead of time to plan a single trip.
Can I file probate electronically in Pike County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court e-filing was found for Pike County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper, in person. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this county, and the Register of Wills records index is searched through the subscription-based INFOCON County Access System, with detailed records available only in the office.
How much does it cost to file probate in Pike County?
Under the Pike County Register of Wills fee schedule for 2026, opening an estate carries a flat probate fee of $101.25, which covers the petition for grant of letters and its supporting documents. A separate fee for issuing letters and returns is graduated by the estate's total gross assets and collected at the time of the inheritance tax return, starting at $20.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rising with value. A short certificate is $5.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Pike 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. Pike County also posts its own probate and grant-of-letters petition and a renunciation form on the county site, and the petition to settle a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is filed with the Orphans' Court on a county form obtained from the office.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Pike County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Pike 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 Pike County probate case online?
The statewide UJS Portal case search at ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch is the place to start, though its Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate-record coverage varies by county. The Pike County Register of Wills maintains a records index searchable through the subscription-based INFOCON County Access System, with detailed records available only in the office, so to confirm a specific estate filing you can also call the Register of Wills at (570) 296-3508.
What are the phone numbers and office hours for probate in Pike County?
The Register of Wills is reached at (570) 296-3508 (email [email protected]) at 506 Broad Street, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court is reached at (570) 296-7231 at 412 Broad Street, Suite 1. Both offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM; no lunch closure is published. Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Milford.
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.