Back to Wisconsin
Washington County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Washington County information |
|---|---|
| Court | The Circuit Court for Washington County. Estate filings go through the Washington County Register in Probate. |
| Probate filing office | Washington County Register in Probate, Washington County Justice Center, 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151, West Bend, WI 53090. |
| Mailing address | Washington County Register in Probate, 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151, West Bend, WI 53090. |
| Phone | (262) 335-4341. |
| Fax | Register in Probate fax: (262) 306-2224. Washington County accepts facsimile filings only under its local rule for fee-free documents of no more than fifteen pages, excluding the cover sheet. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| Estate fee | Through October 31, 2026, $20 if the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value if it is more, 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 raises the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. |
| Electronic filing fee | $35 per party per case when a party uses electronic filing (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). |
| Local forms | Yes. Washington County publishes county-specific probate forms, an estate guidelines and procedures set, and an Affidavit of No Probate, in addition to the statewide PR forms. |
| Electronic filing status | Attorneys electronically file probate documents except the original will. Self-represented filers may use paper by mail or in person unless they choose to participate in electronic filing (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), (b), (c)). |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. |
| Remote appearance | Washington County has not published a probate-specific remote appearance practice. Call (262) 335-4341 before assuming a hearing can be handled remotely. |
| County website | https://www.washcowisco.gov/departments/clerk_of_circuit_court/register_in_probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Washington County, list the assets, debts, co-owners, beneficiary designations and real estate first. That inventory decides whether the estate needs an administration in Room 3151 of the Justice Center, a recording step at the Register of Deeds, or a statewide shortcut that does not require a full administration.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then uses that information to assemble a packet matched to the Washington County counter. That matters locally because the county asks paper filers to include the original will, certified-copy payment and a self-addressed stamped return envelope, and because Washington County applies a fourteen-month closing benchmark from the date the first documents are filed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File a Washington County estate in West Bend when the decedent was domiciled in Washington County at death. Wisconsin places jurisdiction for administration of a decedent's estate in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death; if the decedent had no Wisconsin domicile, jurisdiction is in any Wisconsin county where the decedent's property is located, and the court that first exercises jurisdiction has exclusive jurisdiction (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
The Washington County Register in Probate serves estates for decedents domiciled in communities throughout Washington County, including West Bend, Hartford, Germantown, Jackson, Kewaskum, Richfield and Slinger. The fact that a person died, banked, worked or received care in a neighboring county does not move a Washington County domicile case out of West Bend.
Estate filings go to the Justice Center at 484 Rolfs Avenue. Real estate recording steps, when needed, go to the Register of Deeds in the Government Center at 432 E Washington Street, Room 2084, which is a different building.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts, real estate and nonprobate transfers before choosing a path. Sunset can help build the asset picture before the Washington County estate settlement starts.
- Choose the correct Wisconsin forms. Washington County uses the statewide PR forms and also publishes county-specific probate forms, an estate guidelines and procedures set, and an Affidavit of No Probate for filing an original will when no probate proceeding is needed.
- File in the right building. Estate papers go to the Washington County Register in Probate, Washington County Justice Center, 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151, West Bend, WI 53090.
- Send the original will on paper. Whoever holds the original will has a 30-day duty after learning of the death to file it with the proper court or deliver it to the person named to act as personal representative (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)). Washington County requires original wills by mail or in person, not electronically or by email.
- Use the correct filing channel. A filer without an attorney may file by mail or in person and should include the original will, the fee for certified copies and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. Attorneys electronically file all documents except the original will. Email filing is not accepted. Facsimile filing to (262) 306-2224 is limited by local rule to fee-free documents of no more than fifteen pages, excluding the cover sheet.
- Plan for the estate fee at the inventory, not at the first filing. Through October 31, 2026, the statewide estate fee is $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that value, using the 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 raises the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged.
- Watch the claim order and publication. The claim-filing date is set by order at not less than three nor more than four months from the date of that order, by the court in a formal administration and by the probate registrar in an informal administration (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). The notice is published as required by Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. § 859.07(1), § 879.05(4)).
- If a formal probate hearing is scheduled, get the documents in early. Washington County states that all documents must be filed in the Register in Probate office 96 hours before a formal probate hearing or the matter will be removed from the calendar.
- Ask before planning on a remote appearance. Washington County has not published a probate-specific remote appearance practice, and its local video rule is not an estate rule. Call (262) 335-4341 before travel plans depend on appearing remotely.
- After appointment, use the authority document Wisconsin issues. The personal representative's authority is evidenced by Domiciliary Letters, form PR-1810, in both informal and formal administration.
- Administer and close on the Washington County clock. File the inventory within a reasonable time and no later than six months after appointment unless the court changes the time (Wis. Stat. § 858.01), pay the estate fee with the inventory, handle notices and claims, record any required real estate documents at the Register of Deeds, and plan to close within Washington County's fourteen-month benchmark from the date the first documents were filed.
Executor duties
In Wisconsin, the person appointed to administer an estate is the personal representative. Washington County adds several local tasks to the statewide job.
| Local duty | What to do in Washington County |
|---|---|
| Work toward the county closing benchmark | Washington County states that estates filed there must be closed within fourteen months of the date the initial documents are filed. |
| Meet the 96-hour hearing rule | For a formal probate hearing, get all documents into the Register in Probate office 96 hours before the hearing or the matter comes off the calendar. |
| Mail complete paper filings | If filing without an attorney by mail, include the original will, the fee for certified copies and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. |
| Handle long electronic filings | If an electronically filed document is over 20 pages, deliver a marked paper courtesy copy for the assigned judge by mail or hand delivery, not by fax, under the county's local rule. |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Washington County
Washington County is one of the Wisconsin counties that publishes its own probate materials in addition to the statewide court-approved PR forms. The county's Register in Probate page links county-specific probate forms, an estate guidelines and procedures set, and the Affidavit of No Probate used with an original will when no probate proceeding is required.
The statewide probate forms are in Category 26 on the Wisconsin Court System forms index. Common statewide forms include PR-1801, Application for Informal Administration; PR-1806, Proof of Heirship; PR-1810, Domiciliary Letters; PR-1811, Inventory; PR-1816, Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate; PR-1819, Claim Against Estate; PR-1831, Transfer by Affidavit under Wis. Stat. § 867.03 for the $50,000 gross-value route; and PR-1901, Petition for Formal Administration.
Use Washington County's local forms page for county materials and the Wisconsin Court System forms index for the statewide PR series. If you are filing by mail without an attorney, the county asks you to include the original will, the fee for certified copies and a self-addressed stamped return envelope.
Fees
The estate fee itself is statewide and statutory. Washington County's local charges are for county-assembled paperwork, not a surcharge on the estate fee.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Estate inventory fee | Through October 31, 2026, $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that value (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2, § 814.66(1)(a)3). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. | Calculated on property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, and paid when the inventory or other value document is filed. |
| Electronic filing fee | $35 per party per case under Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m) and § 801.18(7), as stated in the Wisconsin Circuit Court fee tables updated July 13, 2026. | Separate from the estate inventory fee. No fee applies where a costs and fees waiver is granted under Wis. Stat. § 814.29(1). |
| Washington County probate forms packet | $10 each, as published by Washington County. The statewide PR forms remain free online. | Do not treat the county packet as required if you are downloading the statewide forms yourself. |
| Washington County informal probate guideline booklet | $10 each, as published by Washington County. The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide is free online. | The county also links the free court system guide. |
| Claim against estate | Through October 31, 2026, $3. Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises the charge to $10 (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(i)). | Washington County states that PR-1819 must be notarized and filed with the Register in Probate with the required charge. |
| Copies and certification | Copies are $1 per page under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(h)1, unchanged by 2025 Wis. Act 179. Certification is $3 through October 31, 2026, and $10 effective November 1, 2026 under 2025 Wis. Act 179 (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(g)). | Use this when requesting copies from the Register in Probate office. |
Timeline
- Within 30 days after learning of the death, the person holding the original will must file it with the proper court or deliver it to the person named to act as personal representative (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)). In Washington County, the original will is filed by mail or in person.
- The case opens when the application or petition and supporting papers are filed with the Washington County Register in Probate in Room 3151 of the Justice Center.
- In an informal administration, the personal representative must give interested persons the will, if there is one, and the list of interested persons within 10 days after appointment (Wis. Stat. § 865.08(5)).
- The claim-filing deadline is a date set by order at not less than three nor more than four months from the date of that order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). The date appears on the order and in the published notice.
- The inventory is due within a reasonable time and no later than six months after appointment unless the court changes the time (Wis. Stat. § 858.01). The statewide estate fee is paid when the inventory or other value document is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3).
- For a formal probate hearing, Washington County requires all documents to be in the Register in Probate office 96 hours before the hearing or the matter comes off the calendar.
- Washington County's published benchmark is to close the estate within fourteen months of the date the initial documents were filed.
Local nuance
Washington County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Two West Bend buildings | The Register in Probate is in Room 3151 of the Justice Center at 484 Rolfs Avenue. The Register of Deeds is in Room 2084 of the Government Center at 432 E Washington Street. A real-estate estate settlement may need both offices. |
| Fourteen-month benchmark | Washington County states that estates filed there must be closed within fourteen months of the date the initial documents are filed. |
| 96-hour formal hearing rule | Documents for a formal probate hearing must be filed in the Register in Probate office 96 hours before the hearing or the matter is removed from the calendar. |
| Filing channels | Self-represented filers may file by mail or in person. Attorneys electronically file everything except the original will. Email filing is not accepted. Facsimile filing is narrow and limited to fee-free documents of no more than fifteen pages, excluding the cover sheet. |
| Branch assignment | Washington County has four current published branches, and probate cases are assigned among them by the Clerk of Courts on a rotation system. The branch cannot be predicted in advance. |
| Courtesy paper copies | A document electronically filed in Washington County that exceeds 20 pages needs a marked paper courtesy copy delivered by mail or by hand for the assigned judge. |
| County paperwork | Washington County publishes county-specific probate forms, an estate guidelines and procedures set, and a county Affidavit of No Probate, in addition to the statewide PR forms. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| March 2026 | Washington County's local circuit court rules were revised for civil procedures and family court procedures. |
| September 9, 2025 | The county's local rule for judicial assignments was revised. Effective November 1, 2025, probate cases are assigned among the four branches by the Clerk of Courts on a rotation system. |
| 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. |
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by calling the Washington County Register in Probate at (262) 335-4341, but expect the real estate step to be in the other building. The Register of Deeds is at 432 E Washington Street, Room 2084, and that office is closed on Fridays. A surviving spouse may need a recording step rather than a full administration, depending on how the home is titled and whether survivorship marital property or another nonprobate transfer applies. | Sunset identifies accounts and assets before filing, helps determine whether a court administration is needed, and assembles the Washington County packet for the correct counter. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Washington County directly allows a filer without an attorney to submit documents by mail or in person. Mail the packet to the Register in Probate at 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151, West Bend, WI 53090, and include the original will, the fee for certified copies and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. Email filing is not accepted, and facsimile filing is limited to fee-free documents of no more than fifteen pages, excluding the cover sheet. | Sunset gathers the asset picture from wherever you live, prepares the estate settlement packet for West Bend, and connects you with Wisconsin counsel if a hearing or disagreement makes that the practical path. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often points toward formal administration or attorney involvement. Washington County says that if informal probate is not allowed, counsel is required. Locally, the original will comes in on paper, the case is assigned by rotation among the four branches, documents for a formal probate hearing must arrive 96 hours before the hearing, and any real estate recording step happens at the Register of Deeds in the Government Center. | Sunset builds the asset list, generates the probate packet and connects the parent with a local probate attorney for the sale and court-supervised closing work. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Washington County Register in Probate | The office's address, room, phone, fax and hours; the case types it handles; the county's own estate guidelines and procedures, county-specific probate forms and informal probate guideline booklet; its probate fee list; the fourteen-month closing benchmark and the 96-hour pre-hearing filing rule; how to file a claim against an estate; and what to do with an original will. | https://www.washcowisco.gov/departments/clerk_of_circuit_court/register_in_probate |
| Washington County Clerk of Circuit Court | The clerk's contact block and fax, the statement that documents cannot be filed by email and that non-attorneys can mail documents, payment methods, the pointer to the county's local circuit court rules, and the courtroom technology description. | https://www.washcowisco.gov/departments/clerk_of_circuit_court |
| Washington County Circuit Court Rules | The county's own local circuit court rules, including the facsimile filing rule with its conditions and the Register in Probate fax number, the courtesy paper copy rule, the requirement that documents go to the Clerk of Courts office rather than to the judge, the five-day rule on proposed orders, motion scheduling through each branch's judicial assistant, and the judicial assignment rule that puts probate cases on a rotation among the four branches. | http://www.wisbar.org/Directories/CourtRules/Wisconsin%20Circuit%20Court%20Rules/Washington%20County%20Circuit%20Court%20Rules.pdf |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | An 89-page plain-language guide to informal administration, developed by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association and hosted by the Wisconsin Court System. Washington County links it from its own Register in Probate page as its information guideline booklet. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf |
| Wisconsin Court System self-help law center, probate | The Court System's own probate page, with the guide, the probate forms category, the county register in probate directory and the state law library's probate topic page. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm |
| Circuit court probate forms | The statewide court-approved probate form set, the PR series, for both administration tracks and the summary paths, free to download. | https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA | The statewide public search for Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases, by name or case number. Washington County links it from its own Register in Probate page. | https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Wisconsin residents, with a single statewide intake at (855) 947-2529 and an online application. | 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 under Wis. Stat. ch. 865 runs administratively before the probate registrar rather than as a proceeding in court, which is why the Wisconsin Court System publishes a personal representative's guide to informal estate administration and why probate registrar staff have a statutory duty to advise, within their competence, on preparing those documents (Wis. Stat. § 865.065(2)). The court system's self-help guide, prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association, states that a formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, that informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and that summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Washington County says informal probate is only allowed in certain circumstances, and where it is not allowed you will be required to retain an attorney. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry their own express right to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). Locally, counsel makes sense when real estate must be sold, when a demand for formal proceedings is filed, when a claim is disputed, when a personal representative lives out of state, or when a long electronic filing triggers Washington County's courtesy paper copy rule. 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 bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement accounts and other assets that may affect the Washington County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the asset picture and family information to assemble the forms and supporting documents for the Washington County Register in Probate, including the local details that matter in West Bend, such as the original will, certified-copy payment and return envelope for paper filings.
Find a local probate attorney. If the case needs formal administration, a home sale, a hearing, a disputed claim or a demand for formal proceedings, Sunset connects the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney who can appear in court and manage the local requirements.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the estate settlement, understand the likely path and get matched with help without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Washington County?
File with the Washington County Register in Probate, Washington County Justice Center, 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151, West Bend, WI 53090. Wisconsin puts an estate administration in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
Is the Washington County Register in Probate in the courthouse on East Washington Street?
No. Estate filings go to the Justice Center at 484 Rolfs Avenue, Room 3151. The East Washington Street building is the Government Center, where the Register of Deeds is located. An estate with real estate may need the Justice Center for probate filings and the Government Center for recording.
When is the Washington County Register in Probate open?
The Register in Probate is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call (262) 335-4341 before a trip if you need to ask what to bring, whether a holiday affects the schedule, or how the office wants a paper filing assembled.
Can I mail a probate filing to Washington County, or do I have to use electronic filing?
A self-represented filer may mail or hand in documents and is not required to use electronic filing (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c)). Washington County asks paper filers to include the original will, the fee for certified copies and a self-addressed stamped return envelope. Attorneys electronically file probate documents except the original will (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a)). Email filing is not accepted.
What does it cost to open an estate in Washington County?
The statewide estate fee is paid when the inventory or other value document is filed, not when the first papers are filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). Through October 31, 2026, the amount is $20 at $10,000 or less and 0.2 percent above that value (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises the minimum to $36 at $18,500 or less, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. A separate $35 electronic filing fee applies per party per case when electronic filing is used (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
Does Washington County have its own probate forms?
Yes. Washington County publishes county-specific probate forms and an estate guidelines and procedures set, alongside the statewide PR forms. The county also names an Affidavit of No Probate, which is filed with an original will when no probate proceeding is required.
How long does an estate take in Washington County?
Washington County states that estates filed there must be closed within fourteen months of the date the initial documents are filed. That local benchmark sits alongside statewide timing points, including the claim date set by order under Wis. Stat. § 859.01 and the inventory due no later than six months after appointment unless the court changes the time (Wis. Stat. § 858.01).
Can I look up a Washington County estate case online?
Yes. Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases, can be searched through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. Use WCCA for case lookup, not as a promise that every estate document can be viewed there.
Which judge will hear my Washington County estate?
Washington County's local rule assigns probate cases among the court's four branches by rotation through the Clerk of Courts, so the branch is not predictable before assignment. If a formal probate hearing is scheduled, the county requires documents to be filed in the Register in Probate office 96 hours before the hearing.
Do I need a lawyer for a Washington County estate?
The Wisconsin Court System's self-help guide says a formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, while informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance. Washington County states that informal probate is allowed only in certain circumstances and that counsel is required when it is not allowed. In a Wisconsin court proceeding, a personal representative appears by attorney (Wis. Stat. § 879.15(2)).
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.