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Bayfield County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Bayfield County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court for Bayfield County |
| Filing office | Bayfield County Register in Probate, combined with the Clerk of Circuit Court's office |
| Courthouse address | 117 E. Fifth Street, Washburn, WI 54891 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 536, Washburn, WI 54891 |
| Phone | (715) 373-6108 |
| Fax | (715) 373-6317 |
| Hours | Specific probate counter hours are not posted on Bayfield County's probate pages. Call (715) 373-6108 before visiting. |
| Statewide estate fee | Through October 31, 2026, $20 when the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent above that amount, paid when the inventory is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). From November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes those figures to $36 and $18,500; the 0.2 percent rate remains. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys and high-volume filing agents file electronically. Self-represented filers may opt in or may use paper methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), (b), (c)). The electronic filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). |
| Local forms | Bayfield County does not publish a separate county probate form. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. Bayfield County's local rules require Proof of Heirship, PR-1806, with summary settlement and summary assignment opening papers. |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Remote appearance | Bayfield County local rules allow video proceedings when allowed by law or by the presiding official. Parties who are not attorneys need prior court approval, and a written request must be made by noon on the Friday before the hearing. |
| County website | https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/133/Clerk-of-Courts and https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/1326/Probate-Guardianship |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Bayfield County, make a practical inventory of what the person owned, what passed outside probate, what debts exist, and whether any real estate sits in Bayfield County. Wisconsin's estate fee is calculated later from property subject to administration, not from every asset the person owned.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts and assets before they choose a filing path. That asset picture also helps you decide what to ask the Bayfield County Register in Probate, the probate registrar, or a Wisconsin probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Bayfield County estate with the Bayfield County Register in Probate at 117 E. Fifth Street in Washburn, or by mail to P.O. Box 536, Washburn, WI 54891. Washburn is the courthouse city for Bayfield County and is not a reference to Washburn County.
Wisconsin places a decedent's estate in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Wisconsin, the estate may be started in a Wisconsin county where the decedent's property is located, and the first Wisconsin court to act controls the estate case (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
Bayfield County has its own circuit court under Wis. Stat. § 753.06 and is not one of Wisconsin's two-county circuits. Bayfield County is in Wisconsin's 10th judicial administrative district, but the estate is filed in the county, not in the administrative district.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Wisconsin path before you prepare forms. Informal administration starts with PR-1801, formal administration starts with PR-1901, and Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, are the authority document on both tracks. If a Wisconsin small-estate route may apply, match the route to the correct statute before using it, because transfer by affidavit, summary settlement, and summary assignment use different tests (Wis. Stat. § 867.03, § 867.01, § 867.02).
- File the opening papers with the Bayfield County Register in Probate at 117 E. Fifth Street in Washburn, or mail them to P.O. Box 536, Washburn, WI 54891. Bayfield County's local rules say probate papers are filed at the Register in Probate's office unless they are filed with the court at a hearing.
- Submit the original will if one exists. Wisconsin requires a person with custody of a will, or a person named to act as personal representative who knows of the death and the nomination, to file the will within 30 days after having the required knowledge (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)). Bayfield County's local rules accept only original wills for court filing.
- Account for the estate fee when the inventory is filed, not at the first trip to the counter. Through October 31, 2026, the statewide charge is $20 when the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent above that amount (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). From November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes those figures to $36 and $18,500, while the 0.2 percent rate remains. If the case is filed electronically, the separate electronic filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
- Use Bayfield County's local scheduling rules. The Register in Probate's office schedules probate cases on the court calendar, and uncontested informal probate matters are scheduled with the Register in Probate.
- Give notice and watch the claims order. In Wisconsin, the court in formal administration, or the probate registrar in informal administration, sets a claim deadline by order at a date not less than three and not more than four months from the date of the order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). Notice is published as required by Wis. Stat. § 859.07 and § 879.05(4), and medical-assistance or long-term-care notice may be required under Wis. Stat. § 859.07(2).
- Prepare for any hearing or remote request. Bayfield County local rules say hearings are not required when interested parties file waivers, but hearings are held when notice is required or requested. A party who is not an attorney must obtain prior court approval for a remote appearance, with a written request by noon on the Friday before the hearing.
- After appointment, use the Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, to show authority to act as personal representative. For an informal administration, the personal representative must give interested persons the will and interested-person list, or the list alone if there is no will, within 10 days after appointment (Wis. Stat. § 865.08(5)).
- Administer the estate, file the inventory, address claims, document distributions, and close. Bayfield County's local rules require receipts from heirs or beneficiaries, documentation that they were advised of personal representative and attorney fees, and a Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before the estate closes. If the estate cannot close on time, the local rules require an extension petition with reasons and a proposed order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bayfield County
Wisconsin uses statewide PR-series probate forms. Bayfield County does not publish a separate county probate form for decedent estates, but its local rules add a county-specific attachment requirement for two summary paths.
| Form or rule | How it applies in Bayfield County |
|---|---|
| PR-1801 | Application for Informal Administration. |
| PR-1901 | Petition for Formal Administration. |
| PR-1810 | Domiciliary Letters for informal and formal administration. |
| PR-1811 | Inventory for informal and formal administration. |
| PR-1816 | Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate for informal administration. |
| PR-1831 | Transfer by affidavit form for the Wisconsin route under Wis. Stat. § 867.03. |
| PR-1806 | Proof of Heirship. Bayfield County's local rules require it with all summary settlement and summary assignment opening papers. |
Statewide probate forms are available from the Wisconsin Court System at https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All. For estate settlement planning, bring the asset list, the death certificate, the original will if there is one, names and addresses of interested persons, and any real estate information before you ask the Register in Probate which papers are needed.
Timeline
- Opening papers are filed with the Bayfield County Register in Probate in Washburn, unless papers are filed with the court at the time of a hearing.
- The Register in Probate's office schedules probate cases on the court calendar. Uncontested informal probate matters are scheduled with the Register in Probate.
- Bayfield County's local rules set a case-processing goal that estate actions be disposed of within 12 months from the date the petition or application to open the estate is filed.
- For an ancillary probate limited to real estate with a foreign personal representative, the local case-processing goal is six months.
- If the estate cannot close within the applicable time, Bayfield County's local rules require an extension petition that states the reasons and includes a proposed order.
Local nuance
Bayfield County-specific considerations
| Local rule | What it means for a Bayfield County estate |
|---|---|
| Filing counter | Probate papers are filed at the Bayfield County Register in Probate's office unless they are filed with the court during a hearing. |
| Original wills | Bayfield County accepts only original wills for filing with the court. A will that is not part of a probate proceeding is filed with an accompanying affidavit. |
| Fax limits | Probate papers requiring an original signature may be faxed only to show the court that the filing is complete. The signed original must still be received and kept by the court. Copies of court file papers will not be faxed unless the statutory copy charge is paid in advance. |
| Proof of heirship | Bayfield County requires Proof of Heirship, PR-1806, with summary settlement and summary assignment opening papers. |
| Residency and bond | Bayfield County's local rules generally favor Wisconsin residents as personal representative. A nonresident may serve only at the court's discretion and must plan for a Wisconsin-resident co-personal representative with a Wisconsin attorney, or a resident agent and a bond set by the court. |
| Closing papers | Bayfield County's local rules require a Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before any estate closes, and require signed receipts from heirs or beneficiaries plus documentation that they were advised of personal representative and attorney fees. |
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Bayfield County local rules effective January 1, 2025 | The county's local circuit court rules include Part 8 probate practice rules, local filing and scheduling procedures, nonresident personal representative conditions, closing requirements, and the 12-month estate case-processing goal. |
| Legal aid intake effective January 1, 2026 | Legal Action of Wisconsin and the former northern Wisconsin legal aid program now use Legal Action of Wisconsin's statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Bayfield County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying whether the home passes outside administration or needs a Bayfield County court filing. The filing counter is the Bayfield County Register in Probate at 117 E. Fifth Street, P.O. Box 536, Washburn, WI 54891. Bayfield County's local rules allow a Wisconsin-resident spouse who is the sole heir to serve without posting bond. | Sunset finds accounts and assets, helps separate probate and nonprobate property, and prepares the estate settlement packet so the spouse can ask the right local questions. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Bayfield County's local residency rule matters early. A nonresident personal representative may need a Wisconsin-resident co-personal representative with a Wisconsin attorney, or a resident agent and a bond set by the court. If a Wisconsin small-estate path applies, match the facts to Wis. Stat. § 867.03, § 867.01, or § 867.02 before filing. | Sunset helps the child find accounts from out of state, organize values and debts, and connect with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney before the residency and bond issue delays the estate settlement. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often points toward formal administration, and the Wisconsin Court System self-help guide says formal administration requires an attorney's assistance. Bayfield County's local rules also require the Wisconsin closing certificate for fiduciaries before closing, plus signed receipts and fee disclosures to heirs and beneficiaries. | Sunset builds the asset picture, generates the probate packet, and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale, court filings, and closing certificate steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Bayfield County Clerk of Court | Contact information for the combined Clerk of Circuit Court and Register in Probate office, plus local court links. | https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/133/Clerk-of-Courts |
| Bayfield County local circuit court rules | Local probate practice rules, including filing location, scheduling, remote appearance requests, personal representative residency and bond rules, closing papers, and case-processing goals. | https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9730/LOCAL-RULES-2020 |
| Bayfield County Probate and Guardianship page | County page that points families to probate and guardianship resources. | https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/1326/Probate-Guardianship |
| Wisconsin Court System probate self-help | Statewide public probate information and links to court-approved resources. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | Statewide self-help guide for informal administration, prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association and hosted by the Wisconsin Court System. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf |
| Circuit court probate forms | Statewide PR-series probate forms. | https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access | Statewide public circuit court case search. | https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | Free civil legal aid for eligible Wisconsin residents through statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. | https://legalaction.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). Informal administration runs administratively before the probate registrar rather than as a proceeding in court, and probate registrar staff have a statutory duty to advise, within their competence, on preparing informal-administration documents (Wis. Stat. § 865.065(2)); the Wisconsin Court System self-help guide states that formal administration requires an attorney's assistance and that informal administration may be granted without one. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry an express right for a party to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). In Bayfield County, counsel is especially important if the proposed personal representative lives outside Wisconsin, because the local rules condition nonresident service on a Wisconsin-resident co-personal representative with a Wisconsin attorney, or on a resident agent and court-set bond. Sunset connects families to a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, policies, and other assets that may matter to a Bayfield County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the family information, asset list, debts, and court-form details so you can prepare the Wisconsin PR forms and Bayfield County attachments with fewer gaps.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs formal administration, a real estate sale, a nonresident personal representative plan, or a contested issue, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery, packet generation, and attorney connection without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Bayfield County?
File with the Bayfield County Register in Probate at 117 E. Fifth Street, Washburn, WI 54891, or mail papers to P.O. Box 536, Washburn, WI 54891. If you have the original will, Wisconsin's 30-day will-filing rule may apply (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
What is the phone number for the Bayfield County Register in Probate?
Call the Bayfield County Register in Probate at (715) 373-6108. The office is combined with the Clerk of Circuit Court's office. The fax number is (715) 373-6317.
Can an out-of-state person serve as personal representative in Bayfield County?
Bayfield County's local rules say Wisconsin residents are generally favored for appointment as personal representative. A nonresident may serve only at the court's discretion and should plan for a Wisconsin-resident co-personal representative with a Wisconsin attorney, or a resident agent and a bond set by the court.
How long does an estate take to close in Bayfield County?
Bayfield County's local rules set a case-processing goal of disposing of estate actions within 12 months from the date the petition or application to open the estate is filed. For an ancillary probate limited to real estate with a foreign personal representative, the local goal is six months.
What does it cost to start an estate in Bayfield County?
The estate charge is statewide. Through October 31, 2026, it is $20 when the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent above that amount, paid when the inventory is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). From November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes those figures to $36 and $18,500; the 0.2 percent rate remains. An electronically filed case also carries a $35 per-party case fee (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
Does Bayfield County have its own probate forms?
Bayfield County does not publish a separate county probate form for decedent estates. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. Bayfield County's local rules do add that Proof of Heirship, PR-1806, must be filed with summary settlement and summary assignment opening papers.
Can I look up a Bayfield County estate case online?
Yes. Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases, are searchable through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. Use it as a case-search tool, not as a promise that every paper in the court file can be viewed online.
Do I need a lawyer for a Bayfield County estate?
Formal administration requires an attorney's assistance under the Wisconsin Court System self-help guide, and in a Wisconsin court proceeding a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). Informal administration may be granted without attorney assistance, and probate registrar staff have a statutory duty to advise within their competence on ch. 865 documents (Wis. Stat. § 865.065(2)). Bayfield County's nonresident personal representative rule is a local reason to speak with a Wisconsin attorney early if the proposed personal representative lives outside Wisconsin.
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.