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Union County, PA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Probate begins at | The Union 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 Union County the Register of Wills is combined with the Recorder of Deeds under one elected Register and Recorder |
| Administration supervised by | The Union 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 | Union County Courthouse, 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837 |
| Mailing address | Same as the courthouse address: 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837 |
| Register of Wills phone | (570) 524-8762 (Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds), fax (570) 524-0104. This is the county's own line, not a statewide call center |
| Clerk of Orphans' Court phone | (570) 524-8751 (Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, serving as Clerk of the Orphans' Court), fax (570) 524-8628, a different office and line from the Register of Wills |
| Each office lists a contact email on its county department page (unioncountypa.org); use email for questions only, because the Clerk of the Orphans' Court does not accept emailed documents for filing | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office concludes document recording at 4:15 PM). Confirm the counter and any filing cutoff before making a trip to Lewisburg |
| Filing fee | Register of Wills fees are set by Union County and graduated by the value of the estate, plus a statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge (42 P.S. § 21022.1). Union County does not publish its Register of Wills grant-of-letters schedule online, so confirm the current amount with the Register of Wills. The county does publish an Orphans' Court Fee Bill (effective November 14, 2025) for filings made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, including a $42.00 petition to settle a small estate; see the fees section below |
| Local probate forms | Pennsylvania uses a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set published on pacourts.us and used in every county; Union 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; ask the Register of Wills for the form |
| E-filing | No e-filing was found for either office. The Register of Wills grant of letters is handled on paper, in person or by mail, and by practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register; the Clerk of the Orphans' Court accepts filings in person or by mail only, and faxed or emailed documents are not accepted for filing. 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 |
| Remote appearance | Not published for Union County; ask the Register of Wills or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court whether a given step can be handled remotely |
| Website | https://unioncountypa.org/register-of-wills/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Union 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 Lewisburg.
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 county like Union 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 Union County Register of Wills and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court, both at the Union County Courthouse in Lewisburg, serve all of Union County. That includes Lewisburg, the county seat and home to Bucknell University, along with Mifflinburg, New Berlin, Hartleton, and the surrounding townships (Buffalo, East Buffalo, Kelly, White Deer, Gregg, Union, Limestone, Lewis, Hartley, and West Buffalo) in the Susquehanna River Valley. Every Union County estate is filed at 103 South Second Street in Lewisburg. Union shares the 17th Judicial District with Snyder County, so the Orphans' Court judge is a Court of Common Pleas judge of that two-county district, but Union keeps its own Register of Wills and its own Clerk of the Orphans' Court; you do not file in Snyder 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 Union County, file with the Union 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 Union County form set.
- Present the petition to the Register of Wills. Take the petition, the original will, the certified death certificate, and any renunciations and witness affidavits to the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office at 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg. Pennsylvania practice generally requires the personal representative to appear before the Register to be sworn, so plan to file in person; call (570) 524-8762 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 Union County and graduated by the value of the estate, plus a statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge (42 P.S. § 21022.1). Union County does not publish its Register of Wills schedule online, so ask the office for the current amount for your estate. Filings later made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court follow the county's Orphans' Court Fee Bill, effective November 14, 2025 (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.
- 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; in Union County these filings are made in person or by mail with the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts at (570) 524-8751, because the office does not accept faxed or emailed filings. Many small estates close by family settlement agreement instead of a formal account.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Union County
Pennsylvania has a statewide Register of Wills and Orphans' Court form set, published centrally on pacourts.us and used in every county, and Union County uses the same forms as the rest of the state; there is no separate numbered Union 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; ask the Register of Wills for the form.
The grant of letters is filed on paper with the Register of Wills at 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg; for questions about what the office needs on intake, call (570) 524-8762 during business hours. Orphans' Court filings that follow the grant of letters, such as the inventory and accounts, are filed in person or by mail with the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, who serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, at (570) 524-8751; that office does not accept faxed or emailed filings.
| 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 |
| Union County Register of Wills (unioncountypa.org) | The county Register of Wills page, with the office's probate requirements, hours, and contact information for the grant of letters |
| Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts (unioncountypa.org) | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court, the filing office for the inventory, accounts, and estate disputes, with the county's Orphans' Court Fee Bill and filing requirements |
| 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. Union County does not publish its Register of Wills grant-of-letters schedule online; that fee is graduated by the value of the estate and carries the statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge (42 P.S. § 21022.1), so ask the Register of Wills at (570) 524-8762 for the current amount for your estate before you file.
Union County does publish an Orphans' Court Fee Bill, effective November 14, 2025, for filings made with the Clerk of the Orphans' Court. The figures below were read from that published fee bill in July 2026; several of the petition fees include a $5.00 computer fee (the $42.00 small estate petition, for example, is a $37.00 fee plus the $5.00 computer fee), and the fee bill applies the $41.25 JCP surcharge to certain petitions, such as the petition for appointment of a guardian, rather than a $14.75 automation fee. Confirm the current amounts with the office, because a county can revise its schedule.
| Union County Orphans' Court filing | Fee (fee bill effective November 14, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Petition to settle a small estate (20 Pa.C.S. § 3102) | $42.00 |
| Filing of an account | $90.00 (plus $6.00 for each additional case) |
| Petition for distribution | $37.00 |
| Petition for family settlement | $43.00 |
| Petition for sale of real estate | $28.00 |
| Petition for the family exemption | $20.00 |
| Certified copies of orders | $9.00 |
| Filing a claim against an estate | $18.00 |
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Union County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Lewisburg-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 Union 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 Lewisburg and Union is a paper-filing county, an out-of-state child should call ahead to arrange the appointment or a mail filing. | 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 Lewisburg. |
| 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 Union County home and, when a formal account is required, file it in person or by mail 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 |
|---|---|
| Union County Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, (570) 524-8762 (unioncountypa.org/register-of-wills) | The county Register of Wills page: hours, directions, the mailing address, the office's probate requirements, and where to file the grant of letters |
| Union County Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, Clerk of the Orphans' Court, (570) 524-8751 (unioncountypa.org/prothonotary-and-clerk-of-courts) | The Clerk of the Orphans' Court, the filing office for the inventory, accounts, and estate disputes, with the county's Orphans' Court Fee Bill and its in-person and mail filing requirements |
| 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 Union 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 Union County Register of Wills |
| North Penn Legal Services, Sunbury office, 877-515-7730 (nplspa.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties; new clients apply through the statewide NPLS line at 877-953-4250 or online |
| 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 Union County region |
When to hire an attorney
Many Union 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 Union 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, Union 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 Union County Register of Wills in Lewisburg.
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 Union 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 Union County?
With the Union County Register of Wills, part of the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office at the Union County Courthouse, 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837. 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 Lewisburg to settle an estate in Union 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 Union County handles the grant of letters on paper rather than by e-filing, so plan on a trip to Lewisburg. Call the Register of Wills at (570) 524-8762 first to confirm whether any part can be handled by mail and to arrange the appointment.
Can I file probate electronically in Union County?
No. No e-filing was found for either probate office in Union County. The grant of letters at the Register of Wills is handled on paper, in person or by mail, and the Clerk of the Orphans' Court accepts filings in person or by mail only, because faxed and emailed documents are not accepted for filing. 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 Union County?
The Register of Wills grant-of-letters fee is set by Union County and graduated by the value of the estate, plus a statewide $41.25 JCS/ATJ/CJEA surcharge (42 P.S. § 21022.1). Union County does not publish that schedule online, so ask the Register of Wills at (570) 524-8762 for the current amount. The county's Orphans' Court Fee Bill, effective November 14, 2025, lists the later filings, including a $42.00 petition to settle a small estate and a $90.00 account filing.
What forms do I need for probate in Union 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 Union 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 Union County estate?
The Pennsylvania inheritance tax return (the REV-1500 for a resident decedent) is filed with the Union 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 Union 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) 524-8762 or the Clerk of the Orphans' Court at (570) 524-8751.
What are the phone numbers and office hours for probate in Union County?
The Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office is reached at (570) 524-8762, fax (570) 524-0104; the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, serving as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, is a separate office at (570) 524-8751, fax (570) 524-8628. Each office lists a contact email on its county department page, but emailed documents are not accepted for filing. Both offices are at 103 South Second Street, Lewisburg, and are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (the Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds office concludes document recording at 4:15 PM). Confirm any filing cutoff before making a trip to Lewisburg.
Where do I file if my parent lived in Union County but I live out of state?
You still file in Union 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 Union County Register of Wills in Lewisburg 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) 524-8762 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.