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Summit County, UT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | The District Court in Summit County, which sits in the Third Judicial District. Utah has no separate probate court; the district court handles probate as a case type under the Utah Uniform Probate Code (Utah Code Title 75), and the judicial officer is a district court judge. An informal application is reviewed by the court's registrar without a hearing |
| Filing office | Clerk of the District Court, which takes probate applications and petitions and keeps the estate records |
| Courthouse | Silver Summit Justice Center, 6300 Justice Center Road, Suite A, Park City, UT 84098 (the same complex is also addressed as 6300 North Silver Creek Drive), about 6 miles from downtown Park City off U.S. Highway 40. This is the state district court, not the historic Summit County Courthouse in Coalville, which is county government |
| Mailing | Clerk of the District Court, 6300 Justice Center Road, Suite A, Park City, UT 84098; call (435) 615-4300 to confirm the current filing address before mailing original documents |
| Phone | (435) 615-4300, the Third District Court line at the Silver Summit Justice Center. Do not confuse it with the Summit County Justice Court, (435) 615-3800, a separate court that does not handle probate |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; closed weekends and state holidays; confirm current hours and any filing cutoff with the Clerk of the District Court, (435) 615-4300, before making a trip |
| Filing fee | $375 to file a probate petition or application, set by statute and uniform statewide (Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a)), plus a graduated accounting fee when an accounting is filed (Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(r)); fee waivers are available (Utah Code § 78A-2-302) |
| Local forms | None specific to Summit County. Utah uses one statewide probate forms set, published on the Utah Courts self-help pages at utcourts.gov |
| E-filing | Mandatory for Utah-licensed attorneys through the state electronic-filing system. Self-represented filers generally file on paper in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court, using the statewide self-help forms; check MyCourtCase (formerly MyCase) for whether your case type supports self-represented e-filing |
| Case search | There is no free public per-county probate docket. XChange (utcourts.gov) is Utah's subscription case-search service; MyCourtCase (formerly MyCase) lets a party view their own case for free. For records, contact the Clerk of the District Court or use XChange |
| Remote appearance | Hearing formats are set by the assigned district court judge; confirm any telephone or video option with the Clerk of the District Court before a scheduled date |
| Website | https://www.utcourts.gov/en/courts/court-types/dist/dist-sites/3rd.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
The first Summit County question is which route fits the estate, and then what you must bring to the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center. Utah's routes are informal probate (Utah Code § 75-3-301), used when the parties agree and no dispute is expected, where the court's registrar reviews the application without a hearing; formal probate (Utah Code § 75-3-401), heard by a district court judge when there is a dispute or a contested will; and, for a small estate holding only personal property, a sworn small-estate affidavit collected without opening a court case (Utah Code § 75-3-1201). Which one fits turns on whether there is a will, what the estate holds, and its value; the routes and their thresholds are covered on the Utah state page.
Before you file, identify every bank, credit union, brokerage, and retirement account, life insurance policy, vehicle, business interest, and parcel of Summit County real estate, along with every debt, and identify each heir and devisee by name. Only then can you pick the right route, complete the forms accurately, and decide whether counsel is needed. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The District Court in Summit County serves all of Summit County and sits in the Third Judicial District, which also covers Salt Lake and Tooele counties. Probate for a Summit County decedent is handled here, not in the other Third District counties. The court covers the whole county, from Park City, Snyderville, and Kimball Junction on the west side to Coalville, Kamas, Oakley, Francis, Henefer, and the Kamas Valley and Weber Canyon communities on the east. Venue for probate lies in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death; for a decedent who was not a Utah resident, venue lies in a county where the decedent owned property (Utah Code § 75-3-201). A Summit County decedent's estate is filed with the Clerk of the District Court no matter which city or town within the county the person lived in.
Summit County has one district court location, and it is not in Coalville, the county seat. The court sits at the Silver Summit Justice Center, 6300 Justice Center Road, in the Park City area about 6 miles from downtown off U.S. Highway 40, so a filer from Coalville, Kamas, or the north end of the county drives to the Park City side to appear in person. Because papers can be filed in person or by mail, most filing can be done without repeated trips. Utah-licensed attorneys e-file through the state electronic-filing system; a self-represented filer files on paper in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue. Summit County is the right county when the decedent was domiciled here at death; for a nonresident, file where the decedent owned Utah property (Utah Code § 75-3-201). Every Summit County estate is filed with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center; the city or town within the county does not change where the estate is filed.
- Choose the route. Informal probate (Utah Code § 75-3-301) is the most common path when the parties agree and no dispute is expected: the court's registrar reviews the application without a hearing. Formal probate (Utah Code § 75-3-401) is used when there is a dispute or a contested will and is heard by a district court judge. A small estate holding only personal property, with no application for a personal representative pending or granted, can be collected 30 days after death by a sworn affidavit with no court case opened (Utah Code § 75-3-1201). The routes and their thresholds are on the Utah state page.
- Gather what the Clerk needs: the original will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the names and addresses of the heirs and devisees, and a working list of the estate's assets and debts. Utah's estate representative is the personal representative, specified as an executor (named in a will) or an administrator (appointed where there is no will).
- Prepare the documents. Utah uses one statewide probate forms set, not a Summit County set. The informal-probate documents are published on the Utah Courts self-help pages at utcourts.gov, and every probate filing includes the Utah District Court Cover Sheet for Probate Actions. Confirm a form's current name on the Utah Courts self-help pages before relying on it.
- File with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center, 6300 Justice Center Road, Suite A, Park City. A Utah-licensed attorney must e-file through the state electronic-filing system; a self-represented filer files on paper in person or by mail. Pay the $375 fee to file a probate petition or application, set by statute and the same in every county (Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a), set by statute and uniform statewide, verified July 2026); a filer who cannot afford the fee may ask the court to waive it (Utah Code § 78A-2-302).
- Complete registrar review or the hearing. In an informal probate, the court's registrar reviews the application without a hearing and, if it is in order, signs a statement of informal probate and issues the letters. A formal probate is set before a district court judge for hearing at the Silver Summit Justice Center.
- Receive authority. The court issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (no will), the personal representative's proof of authority to open the estate account, collect assets, and act for the estate. Request enough certified copies for the banks and transfer agents the estate deals with.
- Administer and close. Give any required notice to creditors, collect the assets, pay valid debts, file an accounting where required (a graduated accounting fee applies under Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(r)), distribute to the heirs or devisees, and close the estate. Utah imposes no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax, so no Utah death-tax return is required.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Summit County
There is no Summit County probate form set. Utah uses one statewide probate forms set, used in every county and published on the Utah Courts self-help pages at utcourts.gov. The self-help pages publish the informal-probate documents, including the Application for Informal Probate, the Statement of Informal Probate, the letters, and the small-estate affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201). Every probate filing includes the Utah District Court Cover Sheet for Probate Actions, and the informal-probate application has with-will and no-will versions. The Utah Courts also offer an online document-preparation service, but check first that the current tool covers probate, because the court's tools change. Confirm a form's current name on the Utah Courts self-help pages before relying on it.
The county's role is where and how you file, not a different form set. In Summit County the completed documents are filed with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center in the Park City area: a Utah-licensed attorney e-files through the state electronic-filing system, and a self-represented filer files on paper in person or by mail. The Clerk's staff can tell you how the office wants filings made, but they cannot give legal advice or tell you which route to choose.
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Utah Courts self-help: probate (utcourts.gov) | The statewide probate self-help hub, with the forms, the cover sheet, and plain-language guidance used in every Utah county |
| Utah Courts self-help: informal probate (utcourts.gov) | Step-by-step guidance and the Application and Statement of Informal Probate for the most common path |
| Third District Court (utcourts.gov) | The court's own page for the Third Judicial District, which serves Summit County from the Silver Summit Justice Center |
Local nuance
Summit County-specific considerations
The one Summit County wrinkle worth knowing is where the court is. The county seat is Coalville, and the historic Summit County Courthouse at 60 North Main in Coalville houses county government, but the district court that handles probate does not sit there. It sits at the Silver Summit Justice Center, 6300 Justice Center Road, Suite A, in the Park City area about 6 miles from downtown off U.S. Highway 40. Address any probate filing, and any in-person visit, to the Silver Summit Justice Center, not to the Coalville courthouse.
The Silver Summit Justice Center is a shared complex. The state-operated District Court, which handles probate, shares the building with the juvenile court and with the separate, county-operated Summit County Justice Court. The Justice Court, reached at (435) 615-3800, hears traffic, small claims, and class B and C misdemeanors; it does not handle probate. File probate with, and direct probate questions to, the Clerk of the District Court at (435) 615-4300 so your papers reach the right court within the building.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Summit County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Park City or Kamas Valley home held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship passes to the surviving spouse outside probate; title is cleared by recording the death certificate and the supporting affidavit with the Summit County Recorder in Coalville. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need probate. If the sole-name estate holds only personal property under the small-estate ceiling, the survivor may use the affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201); otherwise an informal probate is opened with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center. | Asset discovery to separate survivorship property from sole-name assets. Packet generation for the small-estate affidavit or the informal-probate application. Guidance on clearing title with the Summit County Recorder. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | If the parent was domiciled in Summit County and left a small estate holding only personal property, a successor may use the small-estate affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201), presented directly to whoever holds the property 30 days after death, with no court case. If the estate is larger or holds real property, the child prepares an informal-probate application from the Utah Courts self-help forms and files it by mail with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center, which an out-of-state child can often do without traveling to Park City. | Asset discovery to confirm what the estate holds and which route fits. Packet generation for the affidavit or the informal-probate application. Attorney referral if the estate turns out to be larger or contested. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Probate in the District Court in Summit County. Because there is no will, the parent applies to be appointed administrator and receives letters of administration, then collects the assets and lists the child's Summit County real estate. The home is sold under the personal representative's authority before the remaining property is distributed. A contested step, such as a dispute among heirs, moves the matter to a formal probate before a district court judge at the Silver Summit Justice Center (Utah Code § 75-3-401). | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration application and the accounting. Attorney referral to run a formal probate or any contested step. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Third District Court (utcourts.gov), (435) 615-4300 | The court that handles Summit County probate, at the Silver Summit Justice Center in the Park City area; location, contact, and directions. Court staff can explain procedure but cannot give legal advice |
| Utah Courts self-help: probate (utcourts.gov) | The statewide probate self-help hub, with forms, the cover sheet, and plain-language guidance for informal probate, formal probate, and small estates |
| Utah Courts self-help: informal probate (utcourts.gov) | Step-by-step guidance and the Application and Statement of Informal Probate for the most common path |
| Utah State Courts Self-Help Center, (888) 683-0009 | Free help by phone, text, and email for self-represented filers, including probate forms and instructions; staffed Monday to Friday |
| MyCourtCase (formerly MyCase) (utcourts.gov) | Lets a party view their own case for free and, for supported case types, e-file into an existing case |
| XChange (utcourts.gov) | Utah's subscription public case-search service; there is no free per-county probate docket browser |
| Utah Legal Services (utahlegalservices.org) | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Utah residents; its Senior Law Project uses volunteer attorneys for wills-and-estates issues for seniors. Confirm probate coverage and eligibility before relying on it |
| Utah Free Legal Answers (utah.freelegalanswers.org) | Free online answers to civil legal questions from volunteer Utah attorneys for eligible users |
| Utah State Bar: find a lawyer (utahbar.org) | Lawyer referral statewide, including Summit County probate attorneys |
When to hire an attorney
Many Summit County families complete an informal probate on their own, using the statewide self-help forms, because the registrar reviews an informal application without a hearing. Counsel makes more sense when the matter is or becomes a formal probate before a district court judge, such as a will contest, an unclear or disputed will, or a fight over who should serve; when the estate is insolvent or its solvency is in doubt; when the estate holds a business interest, mountain or ranch real estate, or out-of-state property; when Summit County real estate must be sold and the terms are disputed; or when heirs are in conflict. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Summit County probate attorney when the situation calls for counsel.
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, Summit County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and can pick the right Utah route before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Summit County filing for estate settlement: the small-estate affidavit where the estate qualifies, or the informal-probate application, the cover sheet, and the supporting documents, ready to file with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center, or to e-file through a Utah attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate needs a formal probate or is contested, Sunset connects families to a vetted Summit County probate attorney to file and appear.
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 probate in Summit County, Utah?
With the Clerk of the District Court in Summit County, at the Silver Summit Justice Center, 6300 Justice Center Road, Suite A, Park City, UT 84098, about 6 miles from downtown Park City off U.S. Highway 40. Note that this is not the historic Summit County Courthouse in Coalville, which is county government. Utah has no separate probate court, so probate is handled by the District Court as a case type (Utah Code Title 75). Venue is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (Utah Code § 75-3-201).
Is the probate court in Coalville or Park City?
Neither is a probate court, because Utah has no separate probate court. Probate is handled by the District Court in Summit County, and that court sits at the Silver Summit Justice Center in the Park City area, not at the county seat in Coalville. The Coalville courthouse is county government. File probate at, and direct probate questions to, the Silver Summit Justice Center, (435) 615-4300.
Can I e-file probate in Summit County?
It depends on who is filing. E-filing through the state electronic-filing system is mandatory for Utah-licensed attorneys in district-court cases, including probate. Self-represented filers generally file on paper in person or by mail with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center, using the statewide self-help forms; check MyCourtCase (formerly MyCase) for whether your case type supports self-represented e-filing.
How much does it cost to file probate in Summit County?
$375 to file a probate petition or application. This fee is set by statute and is the same in every Utah county (Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a), verified July 2026). A graduated accounting fee also applies when the personal representative files an accounting (Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(r)), and a filer who cannot afford the fee may ask the court to waive it (Utah Code § 78A-2-302). There is no Summit County add-on.
How do I look up a Summit County probate case?
There is no free public per-county probate docket search. XChange (utcourts.gov) is Utah's subscription case-search service, and MyCourtCase (formerly MyCase) lets a party view their own case for free. For records on a specific estate, contact the Clerk of the District Court at (435) 615-4300 or use XChange.
What forms do I use for a Summit County estate?
The statewide Utah probate forms, not a Summit County set. The Utah Courts self-help pages at utcourts.gov publish the informal-probate documents, including the Application for Informal Probate, the Statement of Informal Probate, the letters, and the small-estate affidavit (Utah Code § 75-3-1201). Every probate filing includes the Utah District Court Cover Sheet for Probate Actions. Confirm a form's current name on the self-help pages before relying on it.
Does the Summit County Justice Court handle probate?
No. The Summit County Justice Court, (435) 615-3800, is a separate, county-operated court that hears traffic, small claims, and class B and C misdemeanors; it does not handle probate. Probate is handled by the state District Court, which shares the same Silver Summit Justice Center building. File probate with the Clerk of the District Court at (435) 615-4300 so your papers reach the right court.
Do I have to travel to Park City to settle the estate?
Not necessarily. A self-represented filer can file an informal-probate application on paper by mail with the Clerk of the District Court at the Silver Summit Justice Center, prepared from the Utah Courts self-help forms, and an informal probate is reviewed by the court's registrar on the papers without a hearing, so an informal probate can often be started without appearing in person. Formal probate before a district court judge and any contested hearing are handled at the Silver Summit Justice Center.
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.