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Harrison County, WV Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Probate authority | Harrison County Commission, with probate jurisdiction under W. Va. Code § 7-1-3; the Harrison County Clerk handles routine estate filings at the counter. |
| Office | Harrison County Clerk's office, Harrison County Courthouse, 229 South 3rd Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301. |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address was found on the county clerk page. Use the courthouse address unless the clerk gives you different mailing instructions. |
| Phone | (304) 624-8674. The county clerk page uses this number for the office that publishes estate and probate materials. |
| Fax | Listed fax: (304) 626-1090. Call the clerk before relying on fax delivery. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; weekends closed. |
| County charges | West Virginia has no statewide probate filing fee under W. Va. Code § 59-1-10. Harrison's county schedule lists estate-related charges effective July 1, 2025, including $12.00 to record several estate documents, $20.00 for the appraisement publication under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, $7.00 to administer the oath, and $17.00 to record a settlement under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1. |
| County forms | Harrison publishes estate forms, including administration information, a small-estate affidavit under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2, ancillary real estate affidavits, the ET 6.01 appraisement under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14, the ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory under W. Va. Code § 11-11-7, and settlement forms. |
| E-filing status | There is no probate e-filing with the county clerk. Estate papers are filed on paper with the Harrison County Clerk. |
| Estate file lookup | The Harrison County Clerk's website does not publish an online search of estate or fiduciary filings. The county's Public Records page is a governing-body meeting archive, not a clerk estate index. |
| Phone or video participation | Most Harrison County estates are handled at the counter. If a hearing is needed, ask the county clerk whether participation by phone or video is available. |
| Website | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/county-clerk.html |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you contact the Harrison County Clerk, make a working list of assets, debts, beneficiaries, jointly owned property, beneficiary designations, and any West Virginia real estate. Estate settlement in West Virginia depends heavily on knowing what is probate property and what passes outside the estate.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, balances, insurance, and other property before they prepare the ET 6.01 appraisement required by W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and the ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory required by W. Va. Code § 11-11-7. Better asset information makes the Harrison County counter appointment, fee estimate, and estate settlement plan much easier to manage.
Which court handles jurisdiction
File in Harrison County when the decedent lived in Harrison County. W. Va. Code § 41-5-4 places a will in the county where the decedent had a mansion house or known place of residence at death, and W. Va. Code § 44-1-4 puts an intestate estate in the same county. For Harrison County residents, the filing point is the Harrison County Clerk's office at the courthouse in Clarksburg.
West Virginia probate is not a routine court proceeding. The Harrison County Commission holds probate jurisdiction under W. Va. Code § 7-1-3 and W. Va. Const. art. VIII, § 6, while the Harrison County Clerk admits the will to record and appoints the executor or administrator between commission sessions under W. Va. Code § 41-5-10 and § 44-1-4. A will contest goes to the Circuit Court of Harrison County under W. Va. Code § 41-5-11, and an appeal from a final county commission order goes to circuit court under W. Va. Code § 58-3-1.
The jurisdiction process
- Start with the Harrison County Clerk's office in Clarksburg. Bring the original will if there is one, death information, names and addresses for heirs or beneficiaries, and a preliminary asset list. The clerk admits the will to record under W. Va. Code § 41-5-10 or opens an intestate estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1-4.
- Qualify as personal representative. If the will names an executor, that person usually applies first. If there is no will, an administrator applies under W. Va. Code § 44-1-4. The personal representative takes an oath and handles any bond question under W. Va. Code § 44-1-8.
- Pay the county's opening and recording charges. Harrison's schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists $12.00 to record a will, appraisement, fiduciary bond, fiduciary affidavit, or disclaimer; $7.00 to administer the oath; and other estate charges tied to W. Va. Code § 59-1-10.
- Use the certificate of qualification, the letters banks often ask for, to collect information from institutions and begin administration. Certified copies may be needed for each bank, brokerage, transfer agent, or other holder.
- Prepare the ET 6.01 appraisement required by W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and the ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory required by W. Va. Code § 11-11-7. Harrison publishes a county packet titled WV Estate Appraisement & Nonprobate Inventory.
- File the appraisement with the Harrison County Clerk. The county's schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists a $20.00 appraisement publication charge tied to W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a.
- Handle creditor notice and claims. The clerk's notice process and creditor deadlines come from W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a. Harrison publishes a Creditor Claim Form and a Claim Release Form for that part of administration.
- Close the estate when ready. Harrison publishes a Report of Receipts, Disbursements and Distribution. The county schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists $12.00 for a settlement, waiver, or report that is mailed or published and $17.00 for a settlement, waiver, or report that is recorded under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1.
- If the estate is referred, work with the fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3. Harrison's article 2 fee schedule uses fiduciary commissioner settlement language, and W. Va. Code § 44-2-1 applies the $200,000 referral framework and the $300 fiduciary commissioner cap plus expenses unless the personal representative approves more or the county commission has adopted a W. Va. Code § 59-1-9 schedule.
- The Harrison County Commission confirms the clerk's or commissioner's work through its probate jurisdiction under W. Va. Code § 7-1-3. Most routine estates do not require the family to attend a hearing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Harrison County
Harrison County publishes a downloadable estate form library on the county clerk page. Use the county's titles, and call the clerk before filing if you are unsure which paper fits your estate settlement.
| Form or packet | County link | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Information on how to Administer an Estate | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Information%20on%20how%20to%20Administer%20an%20Estate.pdf | County administration information. |
| Affidavit For Small Estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2 | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Affidavit%20For%20Small%20Estate.pdf | County small-estate affidavit form under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2. |
| Explanation for Completion of Affidavit for Small Estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2 | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/EXPLANATION%20FOR%20COMPLETION%20OF%20%22AFFIDAVIT%20FOR%20SMALL%20ESTATE%22.pdf | County explanation for the W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2 affidavit. |
| Small Sum, Asset, or Property Affidavit | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Small%20Sum,%20Asset,%20or%20Property%20Affidavit.pdf | County affidavit form listed with estate materials. |
| Waiver for Appointment of Administrator/Executor | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Waiver%20for%20Appointment%20of%20Administrator%20-%20Executor.pdf | County waiver form for appointment issues. |
| Ancillary Administration of WV Real Estate without Appointment Affidavit, Intestate under W. Va. Code § 44-1-4 | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Ancillary%20Administration%20of%20WV%20Real%20Estate%20without%20Appointment%20Affidavit%20%28Intestate%29.pdf | Ancillary real estate affidavit for an intestate nonresident situation under W. Va. Code § 44-1-4. |
| Ancillary Administration of WV Real Estate without Appointment Affidavit, Testate with Authenticated Copy | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Ancillary%20Administration%20of%20WV%20Real%20Estate%20without%20Appointment%20Affidavit%20%28Testate%20with%20Authenticated%20Copy%29.pdf | Ancillary real estate affidavit when there is a will and an authenticated copy. |
| Ancillary Administration of WV Real Estate without Appointment Affidavit, Testate with Original Will | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Ancillary%20Administration%20of%20WV%20Real%20Estate%20without%20Appointment%20Affidavit%28Testate%20with%20Original%20Will%29.pdf | Ancillary real estate affidavit when there is a will and the original will is available. |
| WV Estate Appraisement & Nonprobate Inventory | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/WV%20Estate%20Appraisement%20%26%20Nonprobate%20Inventory.pdf | County packet for the ET 6.01 appraisement required by W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and the ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory required by W. Va. Code § 11-11-7. |
| Report of Receipts, Disbursements and Distribution | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Report%20of%20Receipts,%20Disbursements%20and%20Distribution.pdf | Article 2 closing report tied to W. Va. Code § 44-2. |
| Creditor Claim Form under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Creditor%20Claim%20Form.pdf | County form for creditor claims under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a. |
| Claim Release Form under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/Claim%20Release%20Form.pdf | County release form for creditor claims under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a. |
| County Clerk Fee Schedule, effective July 1, 2025 | https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/ccforms/CLERK-FEE-SCHEDULE%20JULY%202025.pdf | Harrison County estate-related fee schedule. |
Fees
West Virginia has no statewide probate filing fee under W. Va. Code § 59-1-10. In Harrison County, the useful fee document is the county clerk's Schedule of Clerk's Fees to be Charged, effective July 1, 2025.
| Charge | Amount | Authority or note |
|---|---|---|
| Record a will, appraisement, fiduciary bond, fiduciary affidavit, or disclaimer | $12.00, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(a)(6). |
| Appraisement publication | $20.00, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule and W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a. |
| Administer executor's or administrator's oath | $7.00, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(b). |
| Settlement, waiver, or report, mailed or published | $12.00 each, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 44-2-1. |
| Settlement, waiver, or report, recorded | $17.00, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 44-2-1 and W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(d). |
| Certified copy for a bank or other institution | $2.50, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(d)(1) and (3). Use the West Virginia term certificate of qualification, also called letters. |
| Uncertified copies | $1.50 for the first two pages and $1.00 for each additional page, effective July 1, 2025 | County schedule tied to W. Va. Code § 59-1-10(d)(1). |
| Mailing a certified copy of the will | $5.32, effective July 1, 2025 | County-published certified mail cost. |
| Postage for mailing a filed creditor claim under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a | Actual postage cost, effective July 1, 2025 | County-published charge. |
| Fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3, if referred | $300 plus expenses, current under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1(a) | The cap applies unless the personal representative approves more or the Harrison County Commission has adopted a W. Va. Code § 59-1-9 schedule. |
Local nuance
Harrison County-specific considerations
Harrison County is an article 2 county for practical filing purposes on the materials it publishes. The county clerk's effective July 1, 2025 fee schedule labels estate settlements as Personal Representatives settlements and Fiduciary Commissioner settlements under W. Va. Code § 44-3; it does not publish fiduciary supervisor or short form settlement materials under W. Va. Code § 44-3A-4a.
That local fee schedule matters because article 2 estates use the W. Va. Code § 44-2-1 framework. In Harrison County, the article 2 referral threshold is $200,000 under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1, and a referred fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3 is capped at $300 plus expenses under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1(a) unless the personal representative approves more or the county commission has adopted a W. Va. Code § 59-1-9 schedule.
Harrison also publishes three separate ancillary real estate affidavits. That is useful when a nonresident decedent owned Harrison County real estate and a full West Virginia administration may not be needed.
Recent updates
| Update | What changed |
|---|---|
| County clerk website | The old county clerk URL ending in countyclerk.aspx is dead. The live Harrison County Clerk page is https://www.harrisoncountywv.com/county-clerk.html. |
| County phone number | The live Harrison County Clerk page lists (304) 624-8674 for the office that publishes estate materials. |
| County fees | Harrison County publishes a Schedule of Clerk's Fees to be Charged, effective July 1, 2025, with estate-related charges. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Harrison County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking the deed, account titles, and beneficiary designations. If a Harrison County estate is needed, qualify with the clerk in Clarksburg, use the certificate of qualification and letters for institutions, then complete the ET 6.01 appraisement under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory under W. Va. Code § 11-11-7. Harrison's fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists $12.00 recording items, $20.00 appraisement publication under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, and $17.00 recorded settlement charges under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1. | Sunset helps identify accounts and nonprobate transfers before the spouse starts estate settlement paperwork. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1A | Harrison publishes an Affidavit For Small Estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2, an explanation for that W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2 affidavit, and three ancillary real estate affidavits. If full administration is needed instead, the child should call the Harrison County Clerk before traveling and ask what original papers must be brought to Clarksburg. | Sunset helps collect the asset list and can help decide whether a local probate attorney should review the W. Va. Code § 44-1A small-estate path or an ancillary real estate filing. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | A home sale usually means full Harrison County administration. The personal representative qualifies, files the ET 6.01 appraisement under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14, goes through creditor notice under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, and closes with Harrison's Report of Receipts, Disbursements and Distribution under W. Va. Code § 44-2. If the estate is referred to a fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3, W. Va. Code § 44-2-1 includes the $200,000 article 2 framework and the $300 cap plus expenses. | Sunset organizes accounts, property information, debts, and sale-related documents so the parent and attorney can move the estate settlement forward. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Harrison County Clerk's office | Accepts Harrison County estate filings, publishes the county forms, and answers office procedure questions at (304) 624-8674. |
| Legal Aid West Virginia | Statewide civil legal help resource for eligible West Virginia residents. |
| West Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service | Statewide lawyer referral resource for families who need a probate attorney. |
| Tuesday Legal Connect | Statewide legal information resource identified for West Virginia families. |
| West Virginia Free Legal Answers | Statewide online legal question resource. |
| West Virginia Senior Legal Aid | Statewide legal resource for older West Virginians. |
When to hire an attorney
A lawyer is most useful in Harrison County when there is a will contest under W. Va. Code § 41-5-11, a circuit court appeal under W. Va. Code § 58-3-1, a dispute among heirs, a home sale, unclear title, business assets, substantial creditor claims under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, or a possible referral to a fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3. Sunset connects families to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families locate bank accounts, investment accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property before they prepare the Harrison County estate settlement paperwork.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset list, family information, and estate details into an organized packet you can use with the Harrison County Clerk's forms, including the ET 6.01 appraisement required by W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and the ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory required by W. Va. Code § 11-11-7.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal review, Sunset helps connect the family with a local probate attorney who can handle Harrison County procedure, title issues, creditor issues under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, or a will contest under W. Va. Code § 41-5-11.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand the next step, and get matched with help without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Harrison County?
File with the Harrison County Clerk's office at the Harrison County Courthouse, 229 South 3rd Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301. W. Va. Code § 41-5-4 places the estate where the person lived at death, and W. Va. Code § 44-1-4 applies the same location rule for an intestate estate.
Is Harrison County probate filed in a court?
No. Routine West Virginia probate is handled by the county commission and clerk structure. The Harrison County Commission has probate jurisdiction under W. Va. Code § 7-1-3, and the Harrison County Clerk handles the counter filing work.
Can I e-file a Harrison County estate?
No probate e-filing was found for Harrison County. Estate papers are filed on paper with the Harrison County Clerk.
Is there a case search for Harrison County estate files?
The Harrison County Clerk's website does not publish an online search for estate or fiduciary filings. The county's Public Records page is a governing-body meeting archive. WVPASS is a circuit court search and does not contain the county clerk estate file.
What number should I call for Harrison County probate questions?
Call the Harrison County Clerk's office at (304) 624-8674. That is the number shown on the current county clerk page that also publishes the estate forms.
How much does Harrison County charge to start an estate?
West Virginia has no single statewide probate filing fee under W. Va. Code § 59-1-10. Harrison's fee schedule effective July 1, 2025 lists $12.00 to record several estate documents, $7.00 for the oath, $20.00 for appraisement publication under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, and later settlement charges under W. Va. Code § 44-2-1.
Does Harrison County publish probate forms?
Yes. Harrison publishes estate administration information, the Affidavit For Small Estate under W. Va. Code § 44-1A-2, ancillary real estate affidavits, a WV Estate Appraisement & Nonprobate Inventory packet for the ET 6.01 appraisement under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14 and ET 6.02 nonprobate inventory under W. Va. Code § 11-11-7, creditor forms under W. Va. Code § 44-1-14a, and a closing report under W. Va. Code § 44-2.
Will I have to attend a hearing in Harrison County?
Most Harrison County estates are handled at the clerk counter and never require anyone to appear at a hearing. If the estate is referred to a fiduciary commissioner under W. Va. Code § 44-3 or an objection is filed, a hearing may be scheduled before the commissioner or before the Harrison County Commission under W. Va. Code § 7-1-3.
Can I participate remotely if a hearing is scheduled?
No statewide rule was identified for phone or video participation in these county matters. Ask the Harrison County Clerk when you file whether the particular office handling the matter will allow remote participation.
Do I have to travel to Clarksburg if I live out of state?
Call the Harrison County Clerk before making travel plans. Harrison publishes ancillary real estate affidavits that may help in some nonresident real estate situations, but a full administration may still require original papers, oath, bond under W. Va. Code § 44-1-8, and other steps through the clerk's office.
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.