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Wood County, WI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Wood County information |
|---|---|
| Court | The Circuit Court for Wood County. Estate filings go through the Wood County Register in Probate. |
| Courthouse address | Wood County Courthouse, 400 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. |
| Mailing address | Wood County Register in Probate, 400 Market Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. |
| Probate phone | (715) 421-8524 for the Wood County Register in Probate. The clerk of circuit court is a separate office at (715) 421-8490. |
| Fax | (715) 421-8896, published by the Register in Probate as that office's fax. |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, closed 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for lunch. |
| Estate fee | Through October 31, 2026, the statewide estate fee is $20 when property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less, and 0.2 percent of that value when it is more (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)2). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other document setting value is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). |
| Local forms | Wood County publishes no probate forms of its own. The office uses the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, sells an informal probate packet for $9.50 as of August 2026 in exact cash or check, and provides the transfer by affidavit form at no charge. |
| E-filing | Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use the statewide Wisconsin circuit court electronic filing system. Self-represented parties may register voluntarily or use traditional paper methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), (b), (c)). The e-filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)). |
| Case search | Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. Wood County's probate page points readers there to check whether a will has been filed or whether a probate has started. |
| Remote appearance | Wood County's circuit court rules do not address remote appearances. Ask the branch handling the case before assuming a hearing can be handled remotely. |
| Website | https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/RegisterInProbate/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a form or call the Wood County Register in Probate, list the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, account beneficiaries and possible claims. In Wood County, that first inventory also tells you whether the estate settlement stays mostly at the probate office on the 3rd floor or also requires a recording step with the Wood County Register of Deeds on the 2nd floor.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 financial institutions so families can see what accounts and assets exist before filing. That asset picture helps decide whether the Wood County estate settlement needs informal administration, formal administration with counsel, a real estate recording step, or another statewide Wisconsin route.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Wood County Register in Probate at the Wood County Courthouse in Wisconsin Rapids serves the whole county. That includes Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Nekoosa, Pittsville, Arpin, Auburndale, Biron, Port Edwards, Rudolph, Vesper and the county's towns. Wood County has other county buildings, including in Marshfield, but the courthouse, all four circuit court branches and the Register in Probate are in Wisconsin Rapids.
Wisconsin places administration of a decedent's estate in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent had no Wisconsin domicile, administration may proceed 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). For a Wood County domiciliary, file at the Wood County Register in Probate.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, liabilities, interested persons, real estate and original will before choosing a Wisconsin probate path. If the decedent was domiciled in Wood County, the case belongs at the Wood County Courthouse in Wisconsin Rapids under Wis. Stat. § 856.01.
- File the original will on paper with the Wood County Register in Probate if one exists. Wood County says to bring the original will to the probate office to be filed at no charge. Wisconsin also gives the person holding the will a 30-day duty after learning of the death to file it with the proper court or deliver it to the person named in the will to act as personal representative (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
- Select the correct statewide Wisconsin PR forms. Informal administration usually begins with PR-1801, Application for Informal Administration. Formal administration begins with PR-1901, Petition for Formal Administration. The statewide probate forms are in Category 26 on the Wisconsin court system's forms index.
- File at the Wood County Register in Probate, Wood County Courthouse, 400 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closes 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for lunch. Call (715) 421-8524 before traveling if you need to ask about a first filing or a mailing question.
- Handle e-filing correctly. Attorneys and high-volume filing agents use the statewide electronic filing system. A self-represented party may register voluntarily, or may file, serve and receive paper documents by traditional methods (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(a), (b), (c)). The e-filing fee is $35 per party per case (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
- Budget for the statewide estate fee at the inventory stage, not at the first counter visit. Through October 31, 2026, the fee is $20 if the value 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). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other value document is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3).
- Follow the notice and claim-deadline order. In Wisconsin, the court in a formal administration, or the probate registrar in an informal administration, sets the claim deadline by order at a date not less than three nor more than four months from the date of that order (Wis. Stat. § 859.01). Notice of that deadline is published as a class 3 notice in a newspaper published in the county (Wis. Stat. § 859.07(1), § 879.05(4)).
- Address medical assistance and agency notice when it applies. If the decedent or the decedent's spouse received medical assistance or long-term care benefits, or the decedent was a patient of a state or county institution, Wisconsin requires notice to the applicable agency and the county clerk of the decedent's county of residence by registered or certified mail not less than 30 days before the claim deadline (Wis. Stat. § 859.07(2)).
- Schedule motions under the Wood County rules if a hearing or motion is needed. Rule B.14 says a motion hearing is scheduled with the proper judicial assistant or judge before the motion is filed, and the notice of motion hearing is delivered or mailed within 72 hours after scheduling. Wood County's rules do not address remote appearances, so ask the branch handling the case before assuming a remote hearing is possible.
- After appointment, use Domiciliary Letters, PR-1810, as the personal representative's authority document on either administration track. 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). If real estate must be transferred or a formal administration closes with an abridgment of final judgment, the recording step is with the Wood County Register of Deeds on the 2nd floor of the same courthouse.
- Close the estate on the track you opened. An informal administration closes by the personal representative's sworn closing statement, PR-1816, and the appointment terminates six months later if no proceeding is pending (Wis. Stat. § 865.16(2)). A formal administration uses the statewide formal closing forms, including final judgment and an order discharging the personal representative.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Wood County
Wood County publishes no probate forms of its own. The Wood County Register in Probate uses the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, keeps a supply of some required forms for attorneys and citizens for a fee, and states that those same forms are available free from the Wisconsin court system. The office sells an informal probate packet for $9.50 as of August 2026, payable in exact cash or check, and provides the transfer by affidavit form at no charge.
| Form or resource | Use in Wood County |
|---|---|
| PR-1801, Application for Informal Administration | Starts an informal administration with the probate registrar in the county where the decedent was domiciled. |
| PR-1806, Proof of Heirship | Provides heirship information in informal and formal administration. |
| PR-1810, Domiciliary Letters | Evidence of the personal representative's authority in informal and formal administration. |
| PR-1811, Inventory | Lists estate property and value. The statewide estate fee is paid when the inventory or other value document is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). |
| PR-1816, Personal Representative's Statement to Close Estate | Used to close an informal administration under Wis. Stat. § 865.16. |
| PR-1831, Transfer by Affidavit | Statewide transfer by affidavit form under Wis. Stat. § 867.03. Wood County provides this form at no charge as of August 2026. |
| PR-1835, Petition for Summary Settlement | Statewide form for summary settlement under Wis. Stat. § 867.01. |
| PR-1901, Petition for Formal Administration | Starts formal administration before the circuit court. |
The Wisconsin court system notes that some counties have additional county-specific forms where no standard form exists. In Wood County, call the Register in Probate at (715) 421-8524 if you want the office's printed informal probate packet or need to ask what to bring with your first filing.
Fees
The estate fee itself is statewide under Wis. Stat. § 814.66, so Wood County does not add a separate local surcharge to start an estate. Wood County does publish local counter charges for printed forms, copies and certifications at the Register in Probate. The office states that these counter charges are payable in exact cash or check.
| Charge | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Informal probate packet | $9.50 as of August 2026 | Printed packet sold by the Wood County Register in Probate. |
| Transfer by affidavit form | No charge as of August 2026 | Wood County provides the form without a counter charge. The statewide route is governed by Wis. Stat. § 867.03. |
| Certification | $3.00 per certification as of August 2026 | The statewide certificate charge is $3 through October 31, 2026 under Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(g), and rises to $10 effective November 1, 2026 under 2025 Wis. Act 179. |
| Printing | $1.00 per page as of August 2026 | Copies are governed by Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(h)1. |
| Notarization | No charge as of August 2026 | The office says to bring photo identification. |
| Filing an original will after death | No charge as of August 2026 | Wood County says to bring the original will to the probate office to be filed at no charge. |
Local nuance
Wood County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Probate has its own counter | The Wood County Register in Probate is on the 3rd floor of the courthouse and has its own phone number, (715) 421-8524. The clerk of circuit court is a separate office at (715) 421-8490. |
| Lunch closure | The probate office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, but closes 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for lunch. Plan a courthouse trip around that closure. |
| Printed packets at the counter | The Register in Probate sells an informal probate packet for $9.50 as of August 2026, in exact cash or check, and provides the transfer by affidavit form at no charge. |
| Original will | Wood County says to bring the original will to the probate office to be filed at no charge. Wisconsin gives the person holding a will a 30-day duty after learning of the death to file it or deliver it to the named personal representative (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)). |
| Proposed orders and judgments | Under Wood County Rule B.7, unless the court directs otherwise, a proposed order, findings, conclusions of law or judgment is submitted to the other side and to the court, and the court signs it five days later unless an objection arrives. |
| Motion scheduling | Under Wood County Rule B.14, a motion hearing is scheduled with the proper judicial assistant or judge before the motion is filed, and notice is delivered or mailed within 72 hours after scheduling. |
| Limited fax filing rule | Wood County Rule B.3 allows limited fax filing with the clerk of circuit court under Wis. Stat. § 801.16, with advance permission in mandatory electronic filing case types, a 15-page limit unless the assigned judge approves more, and after-hours fax papers treated as filed the next business day. Call the Register in Probate before assuming a probate document can be handled that way. |
| Real estate recording | The Wood County Register of Deeds is on the 2nd floor of the same courthouse. Real estate steps such as recording a transfer by affidavit for Wood County real property, a summary order touching real property, or an abridgment of final judgment happen there, not at the probate counter. |
| Remote appearances | Wood County's circuit court rules do not address remote appearances. If a probate hearing is set, ask the branch handling the case before assuming you can appear remotely. |
Recent updates
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| March and April 2025 | Wood County circuit court rules were ordered adopted for all branches on March 25, 2025 and approved on April 1, 2025. The current rules include the limited fax filing procedure, the five-day rule on proposed orders and judgments, and the motion scheduling requirement. |
| 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
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by calling the Wood County Register in Probate at (715) 421-8524 and checking whether any court administration is needed. If the home is held in a way that can be cleared through a recording step, the Wood County Register of Deeds is on the 2nd floor of the same courthouse, while probate is on the 3rd floor. Wisconsin's marital property rules and survivorship marital property routes are statewide, so the local question is which Wood County counter receives the paperwork. | Sunset identifies financial accounts and estate assets before the spouse makes a filing decision, then helps assemble the Wood County packet or connect the family to counsel if title or creditor questions complicate the estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Register in Probate at (715) 421-8524 before mailing or traveling. The office publishes a mailing address at 400 Market Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495, sells an informal probate packet for $9.50 as of August 2026 in exact cash or check, and provides the transfer by affidavit form at no charge. A self-represented filer may use traditional paper methods rather than the electronic filing system (Wis. Stat. § 801.18(3)(b), (c)). | Sunset gathers the asset picture from wherever the adult child lives, prepares the probate packet for Wood County, and connects the family with a Wisconsin probate attorney if a dispute or hearing makes counsel important. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often calls for attorney help, especially if formal administration is needed. The original will goes to the Wood County Register in Probate at no charge. Wood County Rule B.14 requires motion dates to be scheduled with the judicial assistant or judge before the motion is filed, and Rule B.7 gives the other side five days to object before the court signs a proposed order or judgment. Real estate paperwork may also require recording with the Wood County Register of Deeds on the 2nd floor. | Sunset helps the parent locate assets, organize debts and assemble the filing packet, then connects the family with a local probate attorney for the sale, court filings and final estate settlement. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Wood County Register in Probate | https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/RegisterInProbate/. Gives the probate office's floor, phone, fax, mailing address and hours, including the lunch closure. |
| Wood County probate and wills page | https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/RegisterInProbate/ProbateWills.aspx. Explains filing an original will at no charge and points readers to WCCA to check whether a will or probate case exists. |
| Wood County Register in Probate forms page | https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/RegisterInProbate/Forms.aspx. Lists the office's printed packet and copy charges, including the $9.50 informal probate packet as of August 2026 and the free transfer by affidavit form. |
| Wood County circuit court rules | https://www.woodcountywi.gov/Departments/Courts/Doc/Local%20Court%20Rules.pdf. Gives local rules for fax filing, proposed orders, motion scheduling and court-file handling. |
| A Personal Representative's Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/docs/probateguide.pdf. A court system self-help guide prepared by the Wisconsin Register in Probate Association for informal administration. |
| Wisconsin court system probate self-help | https://www.wicourts.gov/services/public/selfhelp/probate.htm. Links the informal administration guide, the statewide probate forms and the county Register in Probate directory. |
| Circuit court probate forms | https://www.wicourts.gov/forms1/circuit/ccform.jsp?Category=26&SubCat=All. The statewide Wisconsin PR form set for probate proceedings. |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Access | https://wcca.wicourts.gov/. Public search for Wisconsin circuit court case information, including probate case information. Do not rely on it for document access. |
| Legal Action of Wisconsin | https://legalaction.org/. Free civil legal aid for eligible low-income Wisconsin residents, with statewide intake at (855) 947-2529. |
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 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. Summary settlement and summary assignment also carry their own express right to appear in person (Wis. Stat. § 867.01(5), § 867.02(5)). Locally, the Wood County Register in Probate says its staff cannot provide legal advice and directs legal questions to an attorney. Counsel makes sense when real estate must be sold, an heir objects, a claim is disputed, or the personal representative lives out of state, and 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 families identify accounts, balances and estate property before they file. In Wood County, that asset map helps decide whether the estate settlement belongs at the Register in Probate, the Register of Deeds, or both.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information, asset list and Wisconsin form choices into an organized packet for the Wood County Register in Probate. That includes using the statewide PR forms and keeping the local counter details, lunch closure and packet options in view.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs formal administration, a home sale, a contested claim or a court hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Wisconsin probate attorney familiar with local court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset's estate settlement support is free to families. The goal is to reduce the paperwork burden, help you avoid filing at the wrong counter and make the Wood County process easier to manage.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file to probate a will in Wood County?
File with the Wood County Register in Probate on the 3rd floor of the Wood County Courthouse, 400 Market Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495. Wisconsin places administration in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (Wis. Stat. § 856.01).
What is the phone number for the Wood County Register in Probate?
Call the Wood County Register in Probate at (715) 421-8524. The clerk of circuit court is a separate office at (715) 421-8490, so use the Register in Probate number for estate filings and probate forms.
When is the Wood County Register in Probate open?
The office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and closes 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. for lunch. Call (715) 421-8524 before traveling if timing is tight or you need to ask what to bring.
Do I have to go to Wisconsin Rapids, or can I file in Marshfield?
File at the courthouse in Wisconsin Rapids. Wood County has county buildings in Marshfield, but the courthouse, the Register in Probate and all four circuit court branches are in Wisconsin Rapids.
What does it cost to open an estate in Wood County?
The estate fee is statewide. Through October 31, 2026, the fee is $20 if 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). Effective November 1, 2026, 2025 Wis. Act 179 raises those figures to $36 and $18,500, with the 0.2 percent rate unchanged. The fee is paid when the inventory or other value document is filed (Wis. Stat. § 814.66(1)(a)3). The separate e-filing fee is $35 per party per case when a case is electronically filed (Wis. Stat. § 758.19(4m), § 801.18(7)).
Does Wood County have its own probate forms, and can I buy them at the counter?
Wood County publishes no probate forms of its own. The office uses the statewide Wisconsin PR forms, sells an informal probate packet for $9.50 as of August 2026 in exact cash or check, provides the transfer by affidavit form at no charge, and says the forms are also available through the Wisconsin court system. The Wisconsin court system notes that some counties have additional county-specific forms where no standard form exists, so call the Wood County Register in Probate at (715) 421-8524 if you want the office's printed packet.
How do I file an original will in Wood County?
Wood County says to bring the original will to the probate office to be filed at no charge. Wisconsin gives the person holding a will a 30-day duty after learning of the death to file it with the proper court or deliver it to the person named in the will to act as personal representative (Wis. Stat. § 856.05(1)).
Can I look up a Wood County estate case online?
Yes. Use Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, WCCA, at https://wcca.wicourts.gov/ to search Wisconsin circuit court case information, including probate case information. Wood County's probate page points readers there to check whether a will has been filed or whether a probate case has started. Do not assume that case search means document access.
Can I appear remotely in a Wood County probate hearing?
Wood County's circuit court rules do not address remote appearances. If a hearing is set, ask the branch handling the case before assuming you can appear remotely.
Do I need a lawyer for a Wood 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 says formal administration requires the assistance of an attorney, informal administration may be granted without an attorney's assistance, and summary settlement does not require an attorney's assistance. Wood County also states that Register in Probate staff cannot provide legal advice. If real estate must be sold, an heir objects, a claim is disputed or formal administration is needed, talk with a Wisconsin probate attorney.
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.