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Snyder County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Snyder 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 Snyder County the Register of Wills is combined with the Recorder of Deeds under one elected row officer |
| Administration supervised by | The Snyder County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (17th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; that role is held by the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, a separate elected row officer in the same courthouse. The Orphans' Court handles the inventory, accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Courthouse | Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 |
| Mailing address | Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842. The county discontinued its PO Box 217 mailing address in December 2025; mail for every courthouse office now goes to the street address |
| Register of Wills phone | (570) 837-4224 (Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Clerk of Orphans' Court phone | (570) 837-4202 (Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts and Clerk of the Orphans' Court), a different office and line from the Register of Wills |
| [email protected] (Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds); [email protected] (Clerk of the Orphans' Court) | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office records until 3:45 PM). Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Middleburg |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Snyder County and graduated by the probate asset value reported on the inheritance tax return, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $100.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000 under the county schedule effective January 1, 2022 (42 P.S. § 21022.1), plus a $41.25 JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge (raised from $40.25 effective December 1, 2025) and a $10.00 Computerization Project Fee. Orphans' Court filings carry the Clerk of the Orphans' Court's separate schedule, effective January 2026 (42 P.S. § 21032.1). See the fees section below, and confirm the current schedules 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; Snyder County has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county-prepared petition rather than a numbered statewide form |
| E-filing | The Snyder County Orphans' Court now accepts electronic filings through the county's own portal (eportal.snydercounty.org); e-filed documents carry an electronic filing convenience fee under the Clerk's schedule (effective June 17, 2024). The Register of Wills grant of letters is handled on paper and by practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register; the county's e-recording (through CSC and Simplifile) is for Recorder of Deeds documents, not probate. 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. Snyder County's own Orphans' Court e-filing portal also provides case access for registered filers |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Snyder County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.snydercounty.org/departments/register-recorder |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Snyder 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 Middleburg.
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 Snyder it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, farm, or woodland, 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 Snyder County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both at the Snyder County Courthouse in Middleburg, serve all of Snyder County. That includes Middleburg, the county seat, along with Selinsgrove, Shamokin Dam, Beavertown, Freeburg, McClure, and the surrounding boroughs and townships in the Susquehanna River Valley and the Susquehanna University area. Every Snyder County estate is filed at 9 West Market Street in Middleburg. Snyder shares the 17th Judicial District with Union County, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge of that two-county district, but Snyder keeps its own Register of Wills and its own Clerk of the Orphans' Court; you do not file in Union County or in the district at large.
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 Snyder County, file with the Snyder 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. There is no separate numbered Snyder County form set.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, and the death certificate to the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office at 9 West Market Street, Middleburg. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; call (570) 837-4224 first to confirm what the Register needs and whether any part can be handled by mail.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills grant-of-letters fee is set by Snyder County and graduated by the probate asset value reported on the inheritance tax return, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $100.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000 (then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction) under the schedule effective January 1, 2022, plus a $41.25 JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge and a $10.00 Computerization Project 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; Snyder County charges $5.00 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. 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, advertised, and confirmed. The Snyder County Orphans' Court now accepts these filings electronically through the county's own portal at eportal.snydercounty.org, so ask the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, at (570) 837-4202, which filings can be made online and how to register. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Snyder County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Snyder County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Snyder 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-prepared petition rather than a numbered statewide RW form.
The grant of letters is filed on paper with the Register of Wills at 9 West Market Street, Middleburg; for questions about what the office needs on intake, call (570) 837-4224 during business hours. The inventory (Form RW-09) is filed with the Register of Wills. Orphans' Court filings that follow the grant of letters, such as accounts and petitions, can now be filed electronically through the county's Orphans' Court portal, or on paper with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at (570) 837-4202.
| 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 |
| Snyder County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds (snydercounty.org) | The county Register of Wills page, with the current Register of Wills fee schedule, hours, and contact information for the grant of letters |
| Snyder County Orphans' Court e-filing portal (eportal.snydercounty.org) | The county's own portal for electronic filing of Orphans' Court estate documents by registered filers |
| 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 Snyder County publishes its own Register of Wills fee schedule, effective January 1, 2022. 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 the grant of letters (letters testamentary and letters of administration) is graduated by the probate asset total reported on the inheritance tax return. It starts at $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($30.00 over $1,000 to $5,000, $40.00 over $5,000 to $10,000, $50.00 over $10,000 to $20,000, $60.00 over $20,000 to $30,000, $70.00 over $30,000 to $40,000, $80.00 over $40,000 to $50,000, $90.00 over $50,000 to $75,000, and $100.00 over $75,000 to $100,000), then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. On top of that graduated fee, the county adds a $41.25 JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge (raised from $40.25 effective December 1, 2025) and a $10.00 Computerization Project Fee. Snyder County's automation charge is the $10.00 Computerization Project Fee, not the $14.75 automation fee used in some other counties.
The Clerk of the Orphans' Court publishes a separate fee schedule for the filings that follow the grant of letters, effective January 2026 (42 P.S. § 21032.1): filing an account is $93.00 plus $6.00 for each additional page, a petition for distribution is $37.00 plus $6.00 per additional page, a small estate petition is $47.00, a family settlement is $49.00, and a general Orphans' Court petition is $65.00. The Clerk's schedule also adds an electronic filing convenience fee, effective June 17, 2024, for documents e-filed through the county's CountySuite portal: $30.00 for filings listed on the schedule and $10.00 for filings not listed.
| Snyder County Register of Wills filing | Fee (schedule effective January 1, 2022) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, graduated by probate asset value | From $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $100.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge (per estate) | $41.25 (raised from $40.25 effective December 1, 2025) |
| Computerization Project Fee (per estate) | $10.00 |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $5.00 each |
| Probate of will (first page) | $20.00, plus $5.00 per additional page |
| Renunciation | $5.00 |
| Inventory | $20.00 |
| Inheritance tax return and supplemental return | $20.00 |
| Caveat | $25.00 |
| Certified copies of an instrument (first page) | $20.00, plus $5.00 per additional page |
| Snyder County Clerk of Orphans' Court filing | Fee (schedule effective January 2026) |
|---|---|
| Account | $93.00, plus $6.00 per additional page |
| Petition for distribution | $37.00, plus $6.00 per additional page |
| Small estate petition | $47.00, plus $6.00 per additional page |
| Family settlement | $49.00 |
| Orphans' Court petition | $65.00 |
| Electronic filing convenience fee (CountySuite portal, effective June 17, 2024) | $30.00 for filings listed on the schedule; $10.00 for filings not listed |
Recent updates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| January 2026 | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court's new fee schedule took effect, covering accounts, petitions for distribution, small estate petitions, and other Orphans' Court filings (source: the fee schedule posted on the county's Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts page, verified July 2026). |
| December 24, 2025 | Snyder County discontinued the PO Box 217 mailing address for the courthouse and every office in it; all mail now goes to the street address, Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842 (source: county public notice, December 24, 2025). |
| December 1, 2025 | The JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge on the grant of letters increased from $40.25 to $41.25, as noted on the county's Register of Wills fee schedule (verified July 2026). |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Snyder County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Middleburg-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 Snyder 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 Middleburg and is a paper filing, an out-of-state child should call ahead to arrange the appointment or a mail filing; later Orphans' Court steps can be filed through the county's e-filing portal. | 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 Middleburg. |
| 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 Snyder County home and, when a formal account is required, file it with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, in person or through the county's e-filing portal. | 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 |
|---|---|
| Snyder County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, (570) 837-4224 (snydercounty.org) | The county Register of Wills page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the current Register of Wills fee schedule, and where to file the grant of letters |
| Snyder County Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, (570) 837-4202 (snydercounty.org) | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court, the filing office for the inventory, accounts, and estate disputes, with the county's Orphans' Court e-filing portal |
| 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 Snyder 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 Snyder County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, Sunbury office, 877-515-7730, apply by phone at 877-953-4250 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; the Sunbury office serves Snyder, Union, and Northumberland 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 Snyder County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Snyder 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 Snyder 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, Snyder 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 Snyder County Register of Wills in Middleburg.
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 Snyder 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 Snyder County?
With the Snyder County Register of Wills, part of the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office at the Snyder County Courthouse, 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, PA 17842. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, a separate office in the same courthouse held by the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, supervises the administration that follows.
Do I have to travel to Middleburg to settle an estate in Snyder 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 Snyder County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to Middleburg. Call the Register of Wills at (570) 837-4224 first to confirm whether any part can be handled by mail and to arrange the appointment. Later Orphans' Court filings can be made through the county's e-filing portal.
Can I file probate electronically in Snyder County?
It depends on the office. The Snyder County Orphans' Court now accepts electronic filings through the county's own portal at eportal.snydercounty.org, so accounts, petitions, and other Orphans' Court estate documents can be filed online by registered filers; under the Clerk's schedule, e-filed documents carry an electronic filing convenience fee ($30.00 for filings listed on the schedule, $10.00 for others, effective June 17, 2024). The grant of letters at the Register of Wills is still handled on paper, and Pennsylvania practice generally requires appearing before the Register; call (570) 837-4224 to ask whether any part can be handled by mail. The county's e-recording through CSC and Simplifile is for Recorder of Deeds documents, not probate.
How much does it cost to file probate in Snyder County?
The Register of Wills grant-of-letters fee is set by Snyder County and graduated by the probate asset value reported on the inheritance tax return, from $20.00 for an estate not exceeding $1,000 up to $100.00 for an estate of $75,000 to $100,000 under the schedule effective January 1, 2022, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. On top of that the county adds a $41.25 JCP/ATJ/CJEA/OAG surcharge (raised from $40.25 effective December 1, 2025) and a $10.00 Computerization Project Fee. A short certificate is $5.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Snyder 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 Snyder County form set, and the small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses a county-prepared petition rather than a numbered statewide form.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Snyder County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Snyder 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 Snyder 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 Register of Wills at (570) 837-4224 or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at (570) 837-4202. Registered filers can also see their matters through the county's Orphans' Court e-filing portal.
What are the phone numbers and office hours for probate in Snyder County?
The Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office is reached at (570) 837-4224, email [email protected]; the Prothonotary, Clerk of Courts and Clerk of the Orphans' Court is a separate office at (570) 837-4202, email [email protected]. Both are at 9 West Market Street, Middleburg, and are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office records until 3:45 PM). Confirm any filing cutoff before making a trip to Middleburg.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Snyder County but I live out of state?
You still file in Snyder 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 Snyder County Register of Wills in Middleburg regardless of where you live. Because the grant of letters generally requires appearing before the Register, an out-of-state personal representative should call (570) 837-4224 ahead of time to plan a single trip or a mail filing.
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.