Back to Pennsylvania
Susquehanna County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County the Register of Wills is part of the combined Register and Recorder office |
| Administration supervised by | The Susquehanna County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (34th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at the same courthouse; it handles the accounts, distributions, guardianships, adoptions, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills. The inventory itself is filed with the Register of Wills |
| Combined office | One elected official runs the Register and Recorder office (Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds) and separately serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, all at the Susquehanna County Courthouse |
| Courthouse | Susquehanna County Courthouse, 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 218, Montrose, PA 18801 |
| Phone | (570) 278-4600 (the county courthouse); the Register of Wills is reached at extensions 4065, 4066, or 4067 and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at extension 4067. This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | (570) 278-2963 |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The office asks that you make an appointment for probate, so call before coming in to Montrose |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Susquehanna County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $30.00 for an estate up to $1,000 to $125.00 for an estate up to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction, under the county schedule effective January 1, 2026 (42 P.S. § 21022.1). The $41.25 JCS fee is charged in addition when an estate is opened. 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; Susquehanna County also posts downloadable probate forms on the county site but has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate route uses the county Petition for Settlement of Small Estate filed with the Orphans' Court |
| E-filing | The grant of letters is handled on paper and in person with the Register of Wills, by appointment; the county states it does not accept mailed probate petitions or petitions in Orphans' Court, and no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for Susquehanna County. Guardianship reports use the statewide Guardianship Tracking System. Confirm the current options with the office |
| Online case search | The statewide UJS Portal case search (ujsportal.pacourts.us/CaseSearch); its coverage of Register of Wills and Orphans' Court estate records varies by county |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Susquehanna County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.susqco.com/departments/register-recorder |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Susquehanna 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 Register of Wills asks families to make an appointment for probate and takes the grant of letters in person rather than by mail.
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 Susquehanna it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, camp, or timber or hunting land in the Endless Mountains, 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 Susquehanna County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both at the Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose, serve all of Susquehanna County. That includes Montrose, the county seat, along with Susquehanna Depot, Hallstead, New Milford, Great Bend, Forest City, Hop Bottom, Union Dale, and the surrounding boroughs and townships across the Endless Mountains region. Every Susquehanna County estate is filed at 31 Lake Avenue in Montrose. Susquehanna is its own single-county judicial district, the 34th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge of that district, 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 Susquehanna County, file with the Susquehanna 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 the approximate value of the estate's real and personal property as of the date of death. 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. Susquehanna County also posts downloadable probate forms on the county site; there is no separate numbered Susquehanna County form set.
- Make an appointment and present the petition to the Register of Wills. Susquehanna County asks families to make an appointment for probate, and the Register of Wills takes the grant of letters in person at 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, not by mail. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so call (570) 278-4600 first to schedule and confirm what to bring. You may ask the office for a fee estimate before you come in.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Susquehanna County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $30.00 for an estate up to $1,000 to $125.00 for an estate up to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction, under the schedule effective January 1, 2026, and the $41.25 JCS fee is charged in addition when the estate is opened. Fees may be paid by cash, check, or credit card (a credit-card service fee applies); inheritance tax is paid by cash or check only. 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 schedule effective January 1, 2026.
- Advertise the grant of letters. Immediately after letters are granted, advertise the grant once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation near the decedent's residence and in the county's designated legal periodical (the Legal Journal of Susquehanna County), 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; the county inventory fee is $30.00), 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, the First and Final Accounting with a petition for adjudication is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, advertised, and confirmed; the county schedule effective January 1, 2026 sets this filing at $50.00 for the first page plus $5.00 per additional page and a separate advertising fee. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Susquehanna County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Susquehanna County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Susquehanna 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), the Inventory (Form RW-09), and the Rule 10.6 Status Report (Form RW-10), along with the Orphans' Court OC-series account and administration forms. The small estate route under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses the county Petition for Settlement of Small Estate filed with the Orphans' Court rather than a numbered statewide RW form.
Susquehanna County also posts the statewide forms (RW-02 through RW-10) as downloadable PDFs on its Register and Recorder page, along with the Legal Journal estate notice advertising form, to help families assemble a filing. In Susquehanna County the grant of letters is filed on paper and in person, by appointment; the county does not accept mailed probate petitions or petitions in Orphans' Court, and no Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for the county. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (570) 278-4600 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), the Status Report (RW-10), and the Orphans' Court OC-series forms |
| Susquehanna County Register and Recorder (susqco.com) | The combined county office page, with the statewide probate forms (RW-02 through RW-10) and the Legal Journal estate notice advertising form as downloadable PDFs, hours, and contact information |
| Susquehanna County Register of Wills fee schedule (susqco.com) | The Register of Wills page, with the county fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 and payment rules |
| 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 Susquehanna County publishes its own Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedules, both effective January 1, 2026 and both approved by the President Judge of the 34th Judicial District on October 15, 2025. The figures below were read from the county's published schedules in July 2026; confirm the current amounts with the office, because a county can revise its schedule.
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $30.00 for an estate up to $1,000 and rises with the estate's value ($40.00 up to $5,000, $50.00 up to $10,000, $60.00 up to $20,000, $70.00 up to $30,000, $80.00 up to $40,000, $90.00 up to $50,000, $100.00 up to $75,000, and $125.00 up to $100,000), then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction. The $41.25 JCS fee is charged in addition when the estate is opened. Fees may be paid by cash, check, or credit card (a credit-card service fee of 2.5% or $2.00, whichever is greater, applies); inheritance tax is paid by cash or check only. Underestimated estate values are re-billed when the inheritance tax return is filed, so estimate carefully.
| Susquehanna County filing | Fee (effective January 1, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Petition for Grant of Letters (graduated by estate value) | From $30.00 for an estate up to $1,000 to $125.00 for an estate up to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction; the $41.25 JCS fee is added when the estate is opened |
| Short certificate (certified proof of the letters) | $5.00 each |
| Probate of will only (no letters) | $20.00 |
| Inventory (Form RW-09) | $30.00 |
| Small estate affidavit (issued by the Register of Wills) | $25.00 |
| Certified or exemplified record (issuing) | $30.00 first page, plus $5.00 per additional page |
| Petition for Settlement of Small Estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102, Orphans' Court) | $30.00, plus the $41.25 JCS fee when a new case is opened |
| First and Final Accounting with petition for adjudication (Orphans' Court) | $50.00 first page, plus $5.00 per additional page, plus an advertising fee |
| Postage (if no self-addressed stamped envelope) | $1.00 per 5 pages |
Recent updates
The Susquehanna County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court fee schedules were revised effective January 1, 2026 (approved by the President Judge of the 34th Judicial District on October 15, 2025); the figures on this page reflect those schedules. The county also notes that the JCS portion of filing fees increased effective November 17, 2025 under Act 45 of 2025; the $41.25 JCS fee on this page is the figure printed on the county schedules effective January 1, 2026.
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Susquehanna County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Montrose-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 makes an appointment and presents the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Susquehanna 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 for Settlement of 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 Susquehanna takes the grant of letters in person by appointment and does not accept probate petitions by mail, an out-of-state child should call ahead to schedule the appointment and plan a single trip to Montrose. | 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 Montrose. |
| 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 Susquehanna County home and, when a formal account is required, file the First and Final Accounting with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the grant of letters and the inventory. Attorney referral, and help if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Susquehanna County Register of Wills, (570) 278-4600 (susqco.com) | The county Register of Wills and Register and Recorder pages: hours, directions, the mailing address, downloadable probate forms, and the current fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 |
| Susquehanna County Clerk of the Orphans' Court, (570) 278-4600 (susqco.com) | The Orphans' Court filing office for the accounts, small estate petitions, guardianships, adoptions, and disputes, with its own fee schedule effective January 1, 2026 |
| 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 Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, (877) 953-4250 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; its Towanda office serves Bradford and Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna 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, Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County Register of Wills in Montrose.
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 Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County?
With the Susquehanna County Register of Wills at the Susquehanna County Courthouse, 31 Lake Avenue, Montrose, PA 18801. The Register of Wills, part of the combined Register and Recorder office, admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, at the same courthouse, supervises the administration that follows.
Do I have to make an appointment to probate a will in Susquehanna County?
Yes. The Susquehanna County Register of Wills asks families to make an appointment for probate, and takes the grant of letters in person rather than by mail. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so call (570) 278-4600 first to schedule the appointment and confirm what to bring. You can also ask the office for a fee estimate before you come in.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Susquehanna County but I live out of state?
You still file in Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County Register of Wills in Montrose regardless of where you live. Because the county takes the grant of letters in person by appointment and does not accept probate petitions by mail, call the office ahead of time to schedule and plan a single trip to Montrose.
Can I file probate electronically in Susquehanna County?
No. No Register of Wills or Orphans' Court estate e-filing was found for Susquehanna County; the grant of letters and the estate filings are handled on paper and in person, by appointment. The county posts downloadable probate forms on its site to help you assemble the filing. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this county, and guardianship reports use the statewide Guardianship Tracking System.
How much does it cost to file probate in Susquehanna County?
The Register of Wills fee for a Petition for Grant of Letters is set by Susquehanna County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $30.00 for an estate up to $1,000 to $125.00 for an estate up to $100,000, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction, under the schedule effective January 1, 2026. The $41.25 JCS fee is charged in addition when the estate is opened, and a short certificate is $5.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna County form set, though the county posts downloadable probate forms, and the small estate route under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 uses the county Petition for Settlement of Small Estate filed with the Orphans' Court.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Susquehanna County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna 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) 278-4600.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Susquehanna County?
The office is reached at (570) 278-4600 (the Register of Wills at extensions 4065, 4066, or 4067; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at extension 4067), with a fax at (570) 278-2963. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Because the office asks that you make an appointment for probate, call before making a trip to Montrose.
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.