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Potter County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Potter 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) and the estate inventory. In Potter County the Register of Wills is part of the Register and Recorder office at the Gunzburger Building |
| Administration supervised by | The Potter County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (55th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, held by the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office; it handles the accounts, petitions, family settlement agreements, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Register of Wills office | Register and Recorder, Gunzburger Building, One North Main Street, 1st Floor, Coudersport, PA 16915. Phone (814) 274-8370; the current staff email addresses are listed on the county's Register and Recorder page |
| Clerk of the Orphans' Court office | Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, 1 East Second Street, Room 23, Coudersport, PA 16915. Phone (814) 274-9740, with a second line at (814) 274-3361; the current staff email addresses are listed on the county's Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page. This is a different building from the Register of Wills |
| Office hours | The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts (Clerk of the Orphans' Court) office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and is closed for lunch daily from 12 PM to 1 PM. The Register of Wills page does not publish its hours, so confirm the counter hours and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Coudersport |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Potter County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $60.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $25.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county's 2026 schedule and exclusive of advertising (42 P.S. § 21022.1). The county adds a Judicial Computer System fee to the grant of letters, printed as $40.25 on the county's 2026 schedule, although the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge rose to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, so confirm the amount the office collects; the county schedule does not list a separate automation fee. Orphans' Court filings follow the county's separate schedule effective December 1, 2025. See the fees section below, and confirm the current amounts with each office |
| Local probate forms | Pennsylvania uses a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us and used in every county; Potter County has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate petition (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; obtain the form from that office |
| E-filing | No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for Potter County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper, and the grant of letters by practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register, so call each office to ask what it accepts by mail. Guardianship filings use the statewide Guardianship Tracking System. Confirm the current options with each office |
| Online case search | The statewide UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch); its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county, so call the office to confirm a specific estate filing |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Potter County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://pottercountypa.gov/departments/register_and_recorder.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Potter County, know exactly what is in the estate, and know which of the two county offices each step belongs to. 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 Coudersport.
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 rural county like Potter it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, a camp, or timber or hunting land, 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 Potter County Register of Wills, at the Gunzburger Building in Coudersport, and the Potter County Clerk of the Orphans' Court, at 1 East Second Street in Coudersport, together serve all of Potter County. That includes Coudersport, the county seat, along with Galeton, Austin, Ulysses, Shinglehouse, Roulette, Genesee, Oswayo, and the surrounding townships across the Pennsylvania Wilds headwaters region. Every Potter County estate is filed in Coudersport, with the grant of letters presented to the Register of Wills and the later administration filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. Potter County is its own 55th Judicial District, so there is no shared district office; the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge of the 55th Judicial District.
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 Potter County, file with the Potter 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. Potter County has no separate numbered county form set.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the Register and Recorder office at the Gunzburger Building, One North Main Street, 1st Floor, Coudersport. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; the county does not publish mail-filing guidance for the Register, so call (814) 274-8370 to confirm what the Register needs before you travel.
- Pay the Register of Wills filing fee. The grant-of-letters fee is set by Potter County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $60.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $25.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county's 2026 schedule and exclusive of advertising. The county adds a Judicial Computer System fee to the grant of letters, printed as $40.25 on the 2026 schedule; the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge rose to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, so confirm the current amount when you file. Filing the inheritance tax return, which includes the inventory and appraisement, is $20.00, and a short certificate is $3.00. 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; Potter County charges $3.00 per short certificate.
- 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; in Potter County the inheritance tax return filing fee of $20.00 includes the inventory and appraisement. 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. Accounts, petitions, citations, and family settlement agreements are filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office, 1 East Second Street, Room 23, which is a different building from the Register of Wills and is closed for lunch from 12 PM to 1 PM. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement rather than a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Potter County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Potter County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Potter 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 petition filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court rather than a numbered statewide RW form; obtain it from that office.
In Potter County these forms are filed on paper, generally in person; ask each office what it accepts by mail. The grant of letters, the inventory, and the inheritance tax return go to the Register of Wills at the Gunzburger Building, One North Main Street, while accounts, petitions, and family settlement agreements go to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at 1 East Second Street, Room 23. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for the county. For questions about what the Register needs on intake, call (814) 274-8370 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 |
| Potter County Register and Recorder (pottercountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills page, with the Register of Wills fee schedule, contact information, and the office location at the Gunzburger Building |
| Potter County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts (pottercountypa.gov) | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the combined Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Orphans' Court 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 Potter County publishes two separate schedules: the Register of Wills 2026 fee schedule for opening an estate, and a combined Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Orphans' Court fee schedule effective December 1, 2025 for the later administration filings. The figures below were read from the county's published schedules in July 2026; confirm the current amounts with each 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 and is exclusive of advertising. It starts at $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($25.00 over $1,000 to $5,000, $30.00 over $5,000 to $10,000, $35.00 over $10,000 to $20,000, $40.00 over $20,000 to $30,000, $45.00 over $30,000 to $40,000, $50.00 over $40,000 to $50,000, $55.00 over $50,000 to $75,000, and $60.00 over $75,000 to $100,000), then $25.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. The county adds a Judicial Computer System fee to the grant of letters. The published 2026 schedule prints that fee as $40.25, marked revised, but the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge it reflects rose to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, a change announced in an Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts notice the county itself posts, so expect the office to collect the current statewide amount and confirm it when you file. Unlike some counties, the Potter County schedule does not list a separate automation fee. So a mid-range estate typically pays the graduated base plus the Judicial Computer System surcharge.
| Register of Wills filing | Fee (2026 schedule) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, estate not exceeding $1,000 | $20.00 base, plus the Judicial Computer System fee |
| Grant of letters, estate $40,000 to $50,000 | $50.00 base, plus the Judicial Computer System fee |
| Grant of letters, estate $75,000 to $100,000 | $60.00 base, plus the Judicial Computer System fee; then $25.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| Judicial Computer System fee (added to the grant of letters) | $40.25 as printed on the county's 2026 schedule; the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge rose to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, so confirm the amount the office collects |
| Filing the inheritance tax return (includes inventory and appraisement) | $20.00 |
| Probate of will only, first page | $10.00, plus $3.00 for each additional page |
| Renunciation (Form RW-06) | $3.00 |
| Short Form Certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $3.00 each |
| Certified or exemplified copies | $20.00 |
Orphans' Court administration filings follow the county's combined schedule effective December 1, 2025, filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office. The petition to settle a small estate under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is filed as a petition or commencement of action at that office.
| Orphans' Court filing | Fee (effective December 1, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Petition or commencement of action, including the small estate petition (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $97.75 (includes the JCS/ATJ fee) |
| Account, first and final, first page | $96.25 (includes the JCS/ATJ fee), plus $2.00 per additional page |
| Family settlement agreement | $30.00 |
| Claim against estate | $16.00 |
| Guardianship annual report | $50.00 |
| Citation | $5.00 |
Local nuance
Potter County-specific considerations
Two offices in two different buildings. Unlike the many small Pennsylvania counties where one combined counter handles everything, Potter County splits probate between two separate elected row offices in two buildings. The grant of letters, the original will, the inventory, and the inheritance tax return go to the Register of Wills, part of the Register and Recorder office at the Gunzburger Building, One North Main Street, 1st Floor, (814) 274-8370. Accounts, petitions, the small estate petition, family settlement agreements, and guardianships go to the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, part of the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at 1 East Second Street, Room 23, (814) 274-9740. Know which office a step belongs to before you make the trip.
Two separate fee schedules. Because the offices are separate, each publishes its own fee schedule. The Register of Wills uses its 2026 schedule, where the grant-of-letters base fee runs from $20.00 to $60.00 and the county adds a Judicial Computer System fee, printed as $40.25 on that schedule ($41.25 statewide under Act 45 of 2025, so confirm the current amount). The Orphans' Court filings follow the county's combined schedule effective December 1, 2025. Match the fee to the office you are filing with.
The Clerk of the Orphans' Court closes for lunch. The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office that serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and is closed daily from 12 PM to 1 PM. The Register of Wills page does not publish its hours, so confirm the counter hours and any filing cutoff with each office before driving to Coudersport.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Potter County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Coudersport-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 presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Potter County Register of Wills at the Gunzburger Building 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 Clerk of 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 Coudersport and Potter is a paper-filing county, an out-of-state child should call ahead to arrange the appointment and ask what 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 Coudersport. |
| 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 Potter County home and, when a formal account is required, file it with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at 1 East Second 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 |
|---|---|
| Potter County Register and Recorder, (814) 274-8370 (pottercountypa.gov) | The county Register of Wills page: the Gunzburger Building location, the Register of Wills fee schedule, and contact information for the grant of letters, the inventory, and the inheritance tax return |
| Potter County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, (814) 274-9740 (pottercountypa.gov) | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: the 1 East Second Street location, hours (closed for lunch 12 PM to 1 PM), and the combined Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts, and Orphans' Court 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 Potter 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 Potter County Register of Wills |
| Northwestern Legal Services, (800) 665-6957 (nwls.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Potter 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 Potter County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Potter 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 Potter 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, Potter 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 Potter County Register of Wills in Coudersport.
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 Potter 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 Potter County?
With the Potter County Register of Wills, part of the Register and Recorder office at the Gunzburger Building, One North Main Street, 1st Floor, Coudersport, PA 16915, (814) 274-8370. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters. The later administration, including accounts and petitions, is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, part of the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at 1 East Second Street, Room 23, a different building in Coudersport.
Why are there two different offices for probate in Potter County?
Pennsylvania splits estate administration between the Register of Wills, which grants letters, and the Orphans' Court, which supervises the administration. In Potter County these are two separate elected offices in two buildings: the Register of Wills is part of the Register and Recorder office at the Gunzburger Building, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court is part of the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office at 1 East Second Street. Open the estate with the Register, then file the accounts and petitions with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
Do I have to travel to Coudersport to settle an estate in Potter 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 Potter County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to Coudersport. Call (814) 274-8370 first to ask whether any part of your matter can be handled by mail and to arrange the appointment.
How much does it cost to file probate in Potter County?
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is set by Potter County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $60.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $25.00 for each additional $100,000, under the county's 2026 schedule and exclusive of advertising. The county adds a Judicial Computer System fee to the grant of letters, printed as $40.25 on the 2026 schedule, though the statewide JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge rose to $41.25 under Act 45 of 2025, and a short certificate is $3.00. Orphans' Court filings follow the county's separate schedule effective December 1, 2025. Confirm the current amounts with each office.
Can I file probate electronically in Potter County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for Potter County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper, generally in person, so ask each office what it accepts by mail. Guardianship filings use the statewide Guardianship Tracking System. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this county.
What forms do I need for probate in Potter 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 Potter County form set, and the small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is a county petition obtained from and filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Coudersport but I live out of state?
You still file in Potter 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 Potter County Register of Wills in Coudersport 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 and ask what can be handled by mail.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Potter County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Potter County Register of Wills, which acts as the collection agent; in Potter County the return filing fee of $20.00 includes the inventory and appraisement. 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.
What are the office hours for probate in Potter County?
The Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts office, which serves as the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and is closed for lunch daily from 12 PM to 1 PM, at 1 East Second Street, Room 23, (814) 274-9740. The Register of Wills at the Gunzburger Building, (814) 274-8370, does not publish its hours, so confirm the counter hours and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Coudersport.
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.