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Tioga County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Tioga 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 Tioga County the Register of Wills is part of the combined Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office |
| Administration supervised by | The Tioga County Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas (4th Judicial District), whose filing office is the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same combined office; it handles the inventory, accounts, distributions, guardianships, and disputes, including appeals from the Register of Wills |
| Combined office | One elected official runs the Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the courthouse, so the same counter handles the grant of letters and the later estate filings |
| Courthouse | Tioga County Courthouse, 118 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 118 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901 |
| Phone | (570) 724-9260 (the combined Register and Recorder office). This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Fax | No fax is published for the Register of Wills on the county site; call (570) 724-9260 to confirm how the office accepts documents before sending anything |
| The county publishes no general office mailbox; probate documents are emailed to the Register of Wills probate contact linked on the county's Register and Recorder page. Call (570) 724-9260 to confirm the current submission address before emailing documents | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Probate is handled by appointment, so call ahead rather than walking in to open an estate |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Tioga County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $25.00 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, plus a $41.25 Judicial Computer System (JCS) fee on the first filing in each case (42 P.S. § 21022.1). Tioga's 2025 schedule adds the JCS fee only; it lists no separate automation fee. See the fees section below (2025 county schedule, read July 2026), 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; Tioga County has no separate numbered county form set. The small estate petition is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; obtain the form from the office |
| E-filing | No Register of Wills e-filing portal. Estates are opened by appointment: the county directs filers to email the probate petition, a copy of the death certificate, the original will (if one exists), and a copy of the petitioner's photo identification to the office's probate contact, and the oath of the personal representative is administered remotely by Zoom. Orphans' Court administration filings are made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; confirm any e-filing option 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 | Yes for the grant of letters: the oath of the personal representative is administered remotely by Zoom after an appointment is scheduled. Ask the office whether other steps can also be handled remotely |
| Website | https://www.tiogacountypa.us/departments/register-recorder |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Tioga 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 filed with 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 Tioga opens estates by appointment and swears in the personal representative by Zoom, a little planning by phone can save a trip to Wellsboro.
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 contact the office. In a rural county like Tioga it is common for a decedent to have owned a home, 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 Tioga County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both part of the combined office at the Tioga County Courthouse in Wellsboro, serve all of Tioga County. That includes Wellsboro, the county seat, along with Mansfield, Blossburg, Elkland, Westfield, Lawrenceville, Knoxville, Liberty, Roseville, and the borough of Tioga, plus the surrounding townships in the Pine Creek Gorge region of north-central Pennsylvania. Every Tioga County estate is filed at 118 Main Street in Wellsboro. Tioga County is its own single-county judicial district, the 4th Judicial District, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge sitting in the county, and there is no second county to share filings with.
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 Tioga County, file with the Tioga 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 photo 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. Tioga County has no separate numbered county form set.
- Schedule the appointment and open the estate. Call the Tioga County Register of Wills at (570) 724-9260 to schedule a probate appointment, then email the probate documents to the office's probate contact linked on the county's Register and Recorder page: the probate petition, a copy of the death certificate, the original will if one exists, and a copy of your photo identification. The oath of the personal representative is administered remotely by Zoom, so many families do not have to travel to Wellsboro to be sworn in; confirm with the office what it needs, including how to deliver the original will, before your appointment.
- Pay the filing fee. The Register of Wills fee is set by Tioga County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $25.00 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), plus a $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing in each case, under the county's 2025 schedule. 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 (the Certificate of Appointment, certified proof of the letters), which is what banks and transfer agents rely on; Tioga charges $5.00 per short certificate under the 2025 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, which acts as the collection agent. 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. Many small estates close by a family settlement agreement, which is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; where a formal account is required, the Clerk lists it as a personal representative's account. Ask the Clerk of the Orphans' Court which closing route fits your matter.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Tioga County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Tioga County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Tioga County form set. The load-bearing form to open an estate is the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02), submitted 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 is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court rather than on a numbered statewide RW form; contact the office to obtain the current petition.
In Tioga County estates are opened by appointment, with the probate documents emailed to the Register of Wills probate contact and the personal representative's oath administered remotely by Zoom; the later administration filings are made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in the same office. For questions about what the office needs on intake, call (570) 724-9260 to schedule the appointment.
| 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 |
| Tioga County Register and Recorder (tiogacountypa.us) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page, with the probate appointment and Zoom-oath instructions, the current fee schedules, 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 Tioga County publishes its own 2025 Register of Wills fee schedule and 2025 Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedule. 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 grant of letters (letters of administration or letters testamentary) is graduated by the value of the estate. It starts at $25.00 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. A $41.25 JCS fee is added on the first filing in each case. Tioga's schedule adds the JCS fee only; unlike some counties it does not list a separate automation fee. The Orphans' Court schedule sets a personal representative's account at $250.00 (which includes advertising and discharge) and a small estate petition at $40.00 (plus the $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing). The Clerk of the Orphans' Court accepts payment by business check, cashier's check, or money order.
| Tioga County filing | Fee (2025 county schedule) |
|---|---|
| Grant of letters, estate not exceeding $1,000 | $25.00 plus the $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing |
| Grant of letters, estate over $50,000 to $75,000 | $90.00 plus the $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing |
| Grant of letters, estate over $75,000 to $100,000 | $100.00 plus the $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing, then $50.00 for each additional $100,000 or fraction |
| Short certificate (Certificate of Appointment) | $5.00 each |
| Probate of will only | $15.00 first page, $4.00 each additional page |
| Certified or exemplified copy | $25.00 first page, $3.00 each additional page |
| Personal representative's account (Orphans' Court, includes advertising and discharge) | $250.00 |
| Petition to settle a small estate (Orphans' Court, 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $40.00 plus the $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Tioga County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Wellsboro-area home was owned jointly with right of survivorship, it passes to the surviving spouse outside probate on proof of death, so no estate proceeding is needed for the house itself. If other assets stood in the decedent's sole name and there is a will, the spouse schedules a probate appointment, submits the Petition for Grant of Letters (Form RW-02) to the Tioga 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. The oath is administered by Zoom. | 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 Tioga opens estates by appointment and administers the oath by Zoom, an out-of-state child can often complete the swearing-in without traveling; call ahead to arrange the appointment and confirm what to submit. | 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 complete the appointment remotely where the office allows it. |
| 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 Tioga County home and, when a formal account is required, file the personal representative's account 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 |
|---|---|
| Tioga County Register and Recorder, (570) 724-9260 (tiogacountypa.us/departments/register-recorder) | The county Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court page: hours, the probate appointment and Zoom-oath instructions, the mailing address, and the current fee schedules |
| 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 Tioga 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 Tioga County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, helpline (877) 953-4250 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Tioga County; the Williamsport office serves Lycoming, Tioga, and Clinton 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 Tioga County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Tioga 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 Tioga 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, Tioga 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 submit to the Tioga County Register of Wills at your probate appointment.
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 Tioga 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 Tioga County?
With the Tioga County Register of Wills, part of the combined Register of Wills, Recorder of Deeds, and Clerk of the Orphans' Court office at the Tioga County Courthouse, 118 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901. The Register of Wills admits the will and grants letters; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, in the same office, supervises the administration that follows.
Do I have to travel to Wellsboro to settle an estate in Tioga County?
Often no. Tioga County opens estates by appointment: you email the probate petition, a copy of the death certificate, the original will if one exists, and a copy of your photo identification to the Register of Wills probate contact, and the oath of the personal representative is administered remotely by Zoom. That lets many families, including out-of-state ones, complete the swearing-in without traveling. Call (570) 724-9260 to schedule the appointment and confirm what to submit.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Tioga County but I live out of state?
You still file in Tioga 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 Tioga County Register of Wills in Wellsboro regardless of where you live. Because the county opens estates by appointment and administers the oath by Zoom, an out-of-state personal representative can often be sworn in without a trip to Wellsboro; call the office ahead of time to arrange it.
Can I file probate electronically in Tioga County?
There is no Register of Wills e-filing portal in Tioga County. Instead, estates are opened by appointment: the probate documents are emailed to the office's probate contact and the personal representative's oath is administered remotely by Zoom. Orphans' Court administration filings are made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court; ask the office whether an e-filing option is available for your matter. The statewide UJS Portal is a case search, not an estate e-filing system for this county.
How much does it cost to file probate in Tioga County?
The Register of Wills fee for a grant of letters is set by Tioga County and graduated by the value of the estate, from $25.00 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, plus a $41.25 JCS fee on the first filing, under the county's 2025 schedule. Tioga adds the JCS fee only and lists no separate automation fee. A short certificate is $5.00 each. Confirm the current schedule with the office.
What forms do I need for probate in Tioga 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), submitted with the original will and a certified death certificate; the Inventory is Form RW-09. There is no separate numbered Tioga County form set, and the small estate petition under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 is filed with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, obtained from the office.
Who handles inheritance tax in a Tioga County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Tioga 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 Tioga 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 combined office at (570) 724-9260.
What are the phone number and office hours for probate in Tioga County?
The combined Register and Recorder office is reached at (570) 724-9260 and is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The county publishes no general office mailbox; probate documents are emailed to the probate contact linked on the county's Register and Recorder page. Because probate is handled by appointment, call to schedule your probate appointment rather than walking in to open an estate.
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.