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Waushara County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Waushara County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court for Waushara County |
| Filing office | Waushara County Register in Probate |
| Courthouse address | Waushara County Government Center, 380 S. Townline Road, Wautoma, WI 54982 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 508, Wautoma, WI 54982 |
| Phone | 920-787-0448 |
| 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 changes the minimum to $36 and the threshold to $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate still under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2. |
| Local forms | No Waushara County-specific decedent estate form or local probate checklist is added by the county local rules. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. |
| Electronic filing | Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use Wisconsin circuit court electronic filing. Self-represented parties may opt in or use traditional paper methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)). A $35 per party per case electronic filing fee applies when a case is e-filed (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. Waushara County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance practice in the local rules. |
| Website | https://www.co.waushara.wi.us/12715/circuit-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Waushara County, make an asset and liability list. Separate assets that may pass outside probate, such as jointly owned property, trust property, beneficiary-designated accounts, and Wisconsin survivorship marital property, from property that may need administration through the Circuit Court for Waushara County.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then organize the information needed for the Waushara County Register in Probate and the statewide Wisconsin PR forms.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Waushara County Register in Probate serves estate filings for decedents domiciled in Waushara County. The filing office is at the Waushara County Government Center in Wautoma, with mail directed to P.O. Box 508, Wautoma, WI 54982.
Wisconsin jurisdiction follows the decedent's county of domicile at death. If the decedent was domiciled in Wisconsin, administration is in the county where the decedent was domiciled when the decedent died. If the decedent had no Wisconsin domicile, administration may be in a Wisconsin county where the decedent's property is located, and the court that first exercises jurisdiction has exclusive jurisdiction (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the Wisconsin path before choosing forms. Informal administration begins with statewide form PR-1801, while formal administration begins with PR-1901. Transfer by affidavit, summary settlement, summary assignment, termination, and descent routes use different statewide PR forms.
- File with the Waushara County Register in Probate at the Waushara County Government Center, or mail filings to P.O. Box 508, Wautoma, WI 54982. If there is an original will, Wisconsin law requires the person with the will, or the person named to act as personal representative once that person knows of the death and nomination, to file it with the proper court within 30 days unless it has already been deposited with the court (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
- Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms. Waushara County local rules do not add a county-specific decedent estate form or local probate checklist.
- Do not calculate the estate fee as a charge due at opening. Through October 31, 2026, the statewide estate fee is $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. It is paid when the inventory or other document setting the net value is filed (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 and the threshold to $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate still under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2.
- Follow the notice order. In Wisconsin, the court in a formal administration, or the probate registrar in an informal administration, sets a claim deadline by order at a date not less than three months and not more than four months from the date of that order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). Notice of that deadline is published under Wis. Stat. § 859.07.
- Attend any scheduled hearing or conference if the court sets one. Waushara County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance rule, so ask the Register in Probate how to appear when a hearing is scheduled.
- After appointment, use Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, as the authority document for the personal representative in either informal administration or formal administration. In an informal administration, the personal representative must send the required list of interested persons, and the will if there is one, within 10 days after appointment (Wis. Stat. § 865.08(5)).
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory within a reasonable time and no later than 6 months after appointment unless the court changes that time by order (Wis. Stat. § 858.01). Informal administration may close by the personal representative's sworn statement, with appointment terminating 6 months later if no challenge or other proceeding is pending (Wis. Stat. § 865.16(2)); formal administration closes through final judgment and discharge forms.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Waushara County
Waushara County uses the statewide Wisconsin probate form set. The county local rules do not add a Waushara County-specific decedent estate form or local probate checklist.
| Form category | Common statewide forms |
|---|---|
| Informal administration | PR-1801 Application for Informal Administration, PR-1806 Proof of Heirship, PR-1808 Statement of Informal Administration, PR-1810 Domiciliary Letters, PR-1811 Inventory, PR-1816 Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate |
| Formal administration | PR-1901 Petition for Formal Administration, PR-1903 order setting hearing and claim deadline, PR-1905 order appointing the personal representative, PR-1912 Final Judgment, PR-1915 order discharging the personal representative |
| Other probate routes | PR-1831 Transfer by Affidavit under Wis. Stat. § 867.03, PR-1835 through PR-1837 summary settlement forms under Wis. Stat. § 867.01, PR-1840 through PR-1844 summary assignment forms under Wis. Stat. § 867.02 |
Use the Wisconsin Court System probate forms page, Category 26, for current PR forms.
Local nuance
Waushara County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Waushara County |
|---|---|
| Two circuit court branches | Waushara County's October 2025 order approving local court rules is signed under Branch 1 and Branch 2, confirming two circuit court branches. Estate filings still go through the Waushara County Register in Probate. |
| Government Center address | Use the Waushara County Government Center at 380 S. Townline Road in Wautoma for the Register in Probate, with mail to P.O. Box 508. |
| Juvenile procedure housed in the probate office | Local Rule 2.24 states that the Waushara County Juvenile Procedure is housed in the Probate Office. That is a local administrative point and does not change the decedent estate process. |
| Local rules | The local rules were restated by an order filed October 20, 2025, effective October 17, 2025. The rules do not add a probate-specific form or hearing calendar. |
Recent updates
| Date | Waushara County update |
|---|---|
| October 2025 | Waushara County restated its local circuit court rules by an order filed October 20, 2025, replacing the prior rules effective October 17, 2025. The local rules do not add a county-specific decedent estate form. |
| 2024 | Waushara County materials identify the Waushara County Government Center at 380 S. Townline Road in Wautoma as the current county office location used for the Register in Probate page. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Waushara County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming title. Wisconsin survivorship marital property or other survivorship property may avoid a full estate administration, and summary confirmation of interest in property may be available under Wis. Stat. § 867.046. If an estate is still needed, file with the Waushara County Register in Probate. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title clues, beneficiary designations, and documents needed for an estate settlement plan before the spouse contacts the Register in Probate. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If property subject to administration in Wisconsin does not exceed $50,000 in gross value, transfer by affidavit may be available under Wis. Stat. § 867.03. If the decedent or spouse ever received covered medical assistance or long-term care benefits, follow the Department of Health Services notice requirement in Wis. Stat. § 867.03(1m). | Sunset helps collect account information, organize mailing tasks, and decide whether the facts fit a transfer by affidavit or need a Waushara County estate case. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a Waushara County estate must be opened so someone can sell real estate, the personal representative will need Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, after appointment. A contested matter or formal administration is handled by the circuit court, and Wisconsin's court system guide says formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney. | Sunset helps assemble the asset list, generate a probate packet for the appropriate path, and connect the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney when a court proceeding or real estate sale makes counsel important. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Waushara County Circuit Court | Local court and Register in Probate contact information for Waushara County. | https://www.co.waushara.wi.us/12715/circuit-court |
| Wisconsin Court System probate self-help | Statewide probate self-help page for Wisconsin families. | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | Statewide 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 Wisconsin PR forms, Category 26. | https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access | Statewide public circuit court case search. Probate case numbers use PR for formal probate and IN for informal probate case types. | https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | Statewide free civil legal aid intake for eligible Wisconsin residents, (855) 947-2529. | https://legalaction.org/ |
| Wisconsin State Law Library, Waushara County legal resources | County legal resources index page. | https://wilawlibrary.gov/topics/county.php?c=Waushara&a=a&l=l&f=f&r=r |
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 the court system's self-help guide says informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, while formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney. If a Waushara County estate is contested, needs formal administration, involves a real estate sale, or has uncertain heirs or creditors, counsel can prevent avoidable delays. Sunset connects families to a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps families organize account, insurance, retirement, real estate, and debt information before filing in Waushara County. A clearer asset picture makes estate settlement faster and helps separate probate property from nonprobate transfers.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family's answers into an organized packet using the appropriate Wisconsin path and the statewide PR forms, with Waushara County Register in Probate contact details included.
Find a local probate attorney. When formal administration, a dispute, a real estate sale, or a court hearing calls for legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset's estate settlement tools, asset discovery, document organization, and attorney connection service at no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Waushara County?
File with the Waushara County Register in Probate for the Circuit Court for Waushara County. The office is at the Waushara County Government Center, 380 S. Townline Road, Wautoma, WI 54982. Mail goes to P.O. Box 508, Wautoma, WI 54982.
What is the Waushara County Register in Probate phone number?
Call the Waushara County Register in Probate at 920-787-0448.
Does Waushara County have its own probate forms?
No county-specific decedent estate form or local probate checklist is added by Waushara County's local rules. Use the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, Category 26, from the Wisconsin Court System.
Can I use electronic filing for a Waushara County probate case?
Yes. Wisconsin circuit court electronic filing includes probate. Licensed Wisconsin attorneys and high-volume filing agents are required to use it, while self-represented parties may opt in or use traditional paper methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)). A $35 per party per case electronic filing fee applies when a case is e-filed (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
What does a Waushara County estate cost to open?
The statewide estate fee is tied to the inventory, not to the first filing. 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 of that value if it is more (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 and the threshold to $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate still under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2.
Can I look up a Waushara County probate case online?
Wisconsin circuit court cases, including probate cases, are searchable through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. Use WCCA for case-level information, but do not assume that every probate document can be viewed there.
Does Waushara County publish probate hearing days or wait times?
Waushara County's local rules do not publish a probate hearing day or filing-to-hearing window. Ask the Register in Probate how scheduling works for the specific estate.
Can I appear remotely for a Waushara County probate hearing?
Waushara County does not publish a probate-specific remote appearance practice in its local rules. Ask the Register in Probate for instructions if the court schedules a hearing.
Do I have to travel to Wautoma to handle a Waushara County estate?
Not always. Some filings can be mailed, attorneys use electronic filing, and self-represented parties may choose whether to opt in to electronic filing. If a hearing is scheduled, ask the Register in Probate whether the court will allow a remote appearance in that specific matter.
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.