Illinois Probate Forms List: What You Actually File
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Take the 2-minute assessmentThe Illinois probate filings by stage: opening petitions, creditor notices, the inventory and closing report, the small estate affidavit, and RT OPR 31.
Illinois probate paperwork splits into two kinds, and knowing which is which saves a day of searching. The statewide standardized forms on illinoiscourts.gov cover many court tasks, and the clerks post local versions. But the filings that run an estate, the opening petitions, the oath and bond, the inventory and accounts, are mostly drafted documents. The two genuine fill-in forms in the estate lane are the statutory small estate affidavit and the Secretary of State's vehicle version of it. Here is the full list by stage, from our Illinois forms reference data.
Opening the estate
| Document | When it is used |
|---|---|
| The original will | Deposited with the Circuit Court clerk immediately after death, case or no case |
| Petition for Probate of Will and for Letters Testamentary | There is a will and the estate needs a representative |
| Petition for Letters of Administration | No will, and the estate needs a representative |
| Oath and Bond of Representative | Filed with the petition, before letters of office issue |
| Notice to Heirs and Legatees | Immediately after letters issue, on the 14-day clock |
Filing fees are set by each Circuit Court clerk. Depositing the will itself is free and mandatory on its own clock, which our Illinois probate deadlines post covers along with the 30-day window the named executor has to petition or refuse. What the resulting letters of office let a representative do is its own guide.
Creditor notice and claims
Two documents run the six-month claim machinery: the Claim Notice to Creditors, published once a week for three successive weeks and mailed to known creditors as soon as letters issue, and the Claim Against the Estate, the document a creditor files to seek payment. The claim date the notice states must sit at least six months after first publication, or three months after mailed notice, whichever is later. The creditor claims guide covers allowance and contest.
Inventory, accounting, and closing
Three documents, and which ones reach the courthouse depends on the administration type. The Inventory of the Estate is prepared within 60 days of letters; in independent administration it goes to the interested persons rather than the court file. The Verified Account belongs to supervised administration, or to any independent one where an interested person demands it. And the Independent Administration Closing Report is how the common case actually ends: claims resolved, assets distributed, report filed, 42 days for objections where notice is required.
The small estate affidavit: the statutory form
The exception to the drafted-documents rule. The affidavit's required contents are written into 755 ILCS 5/25-1(b) itself, which is why every version you find tracks the same text: it works when no probate case is open or planned and the personal estate sits within the cap, it needs a notary and no judge, and the bank or company holding the asset hands it over on the affidavit's authority. Our small estate affidavit guide covers how the state-by-state caps work. For vehicles, the Secretary of State publishes RT OPR 31, its own small estate affidavit for title transfers, filed with the title paperwork rather than any court.
Summary administration: the consent shortcut
Between the affidavit and full probate sits summary administration: a petition asking the court to distribute an estate of $100,000 or less without full administration, available when every heir and legatee agrees. It sees less use than the affidavit because it still means a court case; its niche is the estate that needs a court order but not a running administration.
Where the official sources live
The approved statewide standardized forms and the court forms hub live on illinoiscourts.gov, each Circuit Court clerk posts local requirements, and the Probate Act itself, 755 ILCS 5, is on the General Assembly's site. The Illinois probate guide covers the process these filings belong to, and the probate timeline shows when each lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I download Illinois probate forms?
The statewide standardized forms are on illinoiscourts.gov and clerks post local versions, but the estate petitions and accounts are drafted documents in most counties.
What does it cost to file?
Filing fees are set by each Circuit Court clerk, so check the county's fee schedule; depositing the will is free.
Is there an official small estate affidavit?
Yes, the statutory form of 755 ILCS 5/25-1(b), plus the Secretary of State's RT OPR 31 for vehicle titles.
Do I need a lawyer to file these?
No statute requires one, but many Probate Divisions expect an attorney of record for an opened estate. The affidavit lane needs no lawyer and no court, which our probate without a lawyer guide covers.
Related Guides
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get Illinois probate forms?
What form opens a probate case in Illinois?
Does the Illinois small estate affidavit have an official form?
What is summary administration in Illinois?
Related Illinois Resources
Illinois Probate Forms List: What You Actually File
The Illinois probate filings by stage: opening petitions, creditor notices, the inventory and closing report, the small estate affidavit, and RT OPR 31.
Illinois Probate Deadlines: Twelve Clocks That Are Law
Illinois runs twelve statutory probate clocks, from filing the will immediately to the two-year absolute claims bar. Each one cited, plus the pacing advice.
Illinois Letters of Office
Illinois letters of office prove an executor's or administrator's authority. See who issues them, what the term covers, and the out-of-state executor rules.
How to Avoid Probate in Illinois
How to avoid probate in Illinois: the transfer on death instrument, POD and TOD accounts, joint tenancy, the $150,000 small estate affidavit, and living trusts.