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Price County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Price County information |
|---|---|
| Court | The Circuit Court for Price County. Estate filings go through the Price County Register in Probate. |
| Courthouse address | Price County Courthouse, 126 Cherry Street, Room 208, Phillips, WI 54555 |
| Mailing | Use the published office address and call the Register in Probate at (715) 339-3078 before mailing an original will or other original documents. |
| Phone | Price County Register in Probate: (715) 339-3078 |
| Fax | (715) 339-3079 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| 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, payable when the inventory is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. |
| Local forms | No Price County-specific probate forms are published. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, Category 26. |
| E-filing | Attorneys and high-volume filing agents must e-file. Self-represented filers may opt in or file, serve, and receive paper documents by traditional methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), § 801.18(3)(b), § 801.18(3)(c)). The current e-filing fee is $35 per party per case as of August 2026 (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Remote appearance | Ask the Register in Probate when a hearing is scheduled. No Price County probate hearing calendar is published. |
| Website | https://www.co.price.wi.us/771/Register-in-Probate-Clerk-of-Juvenile-Co |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything in Price County, identify the assets, debts, will, beneficiaries, marital property issues, and any real estate. Wisconsin's estate fee is calculated later from the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, so a clear inventory plan matters before the Price County Register in Probate can issue authority to a personal representative.
Sunset supports estate settlement by checking for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then organizing what the family has found into the right Wisconsin probate packet. That is especially useful in Price County when an out-of-county child is working with the Phillips filing counter by phone and mail.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Price County probate filings are handled at the Price County Courthouse in Phillips through the Circuit Court for Price County and the Price County Register in Probate. Price County does not share its circuit with another county.
For a Wisconsin decedent, estate administration belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Wisconsin, the proceeding may be filed in a Wisconsin county where the decedent had property, and the first Wisconsin court to exercise jurisdiction has exclusive jurisdiction for that estate (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
Price County includes the cities of Park Falls and Phillips, the villages of Catawba, Kennan, and Prentice, and 17 towns. The courthouse city is Phillips.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Wisconsin path before you file. Informal administration starts with PR-1801, Application for Informal Administration. Formal administration starts with PR-1901, Petition for Formal Administration. A transfer by affidavit uses PR-1831 only when the property subject to administration in Wisconsin does not exceed $50,000 in gross value (Wis. Stat. § 867.03).
- Prepare the statewide PR forms and the original will, if there is one. Wisconsin requires the person holding the will to file it with the proper court or deliver it to the nominated personal representative within 30 days after learning of the death and the will-holder's role (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
- File with the Price County Register in Probate at the Price County Courthouse, 126 Cherry Street, Room 208, Phillips. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call (715) 339-3078 before mailing an original will or other original documents.
- Use the correct filing method. Attorneys and high-volume filing agents must e-file, while self-represented filers may opt in or use paper filing and traditional service methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), § 801.18(3)(b), § 801.18(3)(c)). The current e-filing fee is $35 per party per case as of August 2026 (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
- Plan for the statewide estate fee at the inventory stage. Through October 31, 2026, the fee is $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that amount, based on property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged.
- Give notice as the case requires. In an ordinary administration, the court or the probate registrar sets the claim deadline by order at a date not less than three nor more than four months from the order, and notice is published as required by Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. § 859.01, § 859.07(1), § 879.05(4)).
- Attend any hearing the court sets. Price County does not publish a probate hearing day or filing-to-hearing window, so ask the Register in Probate about scheduling and any remote appearance instructions when a hearing is placed on the calendar.
- After appointment, use Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, as the authority document for the personal representative on either informal administration or formal administration. Then gather assets, pay allowed claims and expenses, file the inventory, distribute property, and close the estate under the applicable Wisconsin procedure.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Price County
Price County publishes no probate forms of its own. The county's Register in Probate page points users to Wisconsin court forms, so use the statewide Wisconsin Circuit Court probate forms in Category 26 and contact the Price County Register in Probate if you are unsure which local counter should receive the packet.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| PR-1801 | Application for Informal Administration |
| PR-1806 | Proof of Heirship for informal and 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 when the property subject to administration in Wisconsin does not exceed $50,000 in gross value (Wis. Stat. § 867.03) |
| PR-1901 | Petition for Formal Administration |
Local nuance
Price County-specific considerations
| Local point | What to do |
|---|---|
| Use the Register in Probate's direct line | Call (715) 339-3078 for estate filing questions. The clerk of circuit court's general line is a different office at the same courthouse. |
| Go to Room 208 | The Price County Register in Probate is at the Price County Courthouse, 126 Cherry Street, Room 208, Phillips, WI 54555. |
| Plan around the midday closure | The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Staff cannot give legal guidance | The Price County Register in Probate's own page says the office cannot provide legal guidance and directs people with legal questions to an attorney or the Wisconsin lawyer referral service at 800-362-9082. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Legal Action of Wisconsin and Judicare Legal Aid merged into one organization, Legal Action of Wisconsin, with statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Price County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start with the Price County Register in Probate at Room 208 in Phillips, especially if title, marital property classification, or a transfer document needs review. Call (715) 339-3078 and avoid the noon to 1:00 p.m. closure. | Sunset identifies accounts and assets before filing, then helps assemble the Price County probate packet for the spouse's estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | A self-represented filer is not required to e-file and may use paper filing under Wisconsin's e-filing rule (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), § 801.18(3)(c)). Call the Register in Probate before mailing anything, and use PR-1831 only when the property subject to administration in Wisconsin does not exceed $50,000 in gross value (Wis. Stat. § 867.03). | Sunset helps find accounts from wherever the child lives, builds the packet for the Phillips counter, and connects the family with a Wisconsin probate attorney if a dispute or hearing becomes likely. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often points toward formal administration. The court system's self-help guide states that formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, and the Price County office says it cannot give legal guidance. The original will must be filed with the proper court within 30 days after the will-holder learns of the death and the will-holder's role (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)). | Sunset organizes the asset picture, prepares the estate settlement packet, and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the real estate sale and closing steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it gives |
|---|---|
| Price County Register in Probate | Local office address, Room 208, phone, fax, hours, and office role. |
| Price County clerk of circuit court | Separate clerk of circuit court contact information for non-probate circuit court questions. |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | The Wisconsin Court System's 89-page self-help guide prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association. |
| Wisconsin Court System self-help law center, probate | State probate self-help page, including links to forms and the informal administration guide. |
| Circuit court probate forms | The statewide Wisconsin PR-series probate forms. |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA | Statewide public circuit court case search for Wisconsin cases, including probate case types. |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | Free civil legal aid for eligible Wisconsin residents, with statewide intake at (855) 947-2529 after the January 1, 2026 merger with Judicare Legal Aid. |
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. § 865.01, § 865.065(2)). The court system's self-help guide states that formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, while informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance and summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry their own express right to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). The Price County Register in Probate says its staff cannot provide legal guidance and points callers with legal questions to an attorney or the Wisconsin lawyer referral service. Sunset connects families with a vetted local probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, investment, retirement, insurance, and other financial accounts so the personal representative has a clearer asset picture before filing in Price County.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information into an organized Wisconsin probate packet, including the forms and supporting details needed for the chosen path.
Find a local probate attorney. If the case needs formal administration, a real estate sale, a dispute response, or court appearances, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement tools, probate packet support, and attorney connection are provided at no cost to families.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Price County?
File with the Price County Register in Probate at the Price County Courthouse, 126 Cherry Street, Room 208, Phillips, WI 54555. Call the office at (715) 339-3078 before mailing an original will or other original documents.
When is the Price County Register in Probate open?
The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan around the noon to 1:00 p.m. closure.
Can I mail a probate filing to Price County, or do I have to e-file?
Attorneys and high-volume filing agents must e-file. Self-represented filers may voluntarily opt in to e-filing or use paper filing and traditional service methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), § 801.18(3)(b), § 801.18(3)(c)). The current e-filing fee is $35 per party per case as of August 2026 (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). Call the Register in Probate before mailing an original will.
What does it cost to open an estate in Price County?
Wisconsin's estate fee is statewide and is paid when the inventory or other document setting the net value is filed, not when the case is first opened. Through October 31, 2026, the fee is $20 if 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). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 changes the figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged.
Does Price County have its own probate forms?
No Price County-specific probate forms are published. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms in Category 26, including PR-1801 for informal administration, PR-1901 for formal administration, and PR-1810 for Domiciliary Letters.
Can I look up a Price County estate case online?
Yes. Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate case types, are searchable through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. A Price County probate case may carry a PR or IN case-type code. Do not assume that every document in the case can be viewed online.
Do I need a lawyer for a Price County estate?
In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)). The court system's self-help guide states that formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, while informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance. Summary settlement and summary assignment have express personal-appearance rules (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)).
What if I arrive at the Price County Courthouse during lunch?
The Register in Probate publishes hours of 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you are bringing a will, forms, or payment information in person, arrive outside the noon to 1:00 p.m. closure.
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.