Use This County Probate Reference Before You File
This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Clerk of the Circuit or Superior Court contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Putnam County.
Local Fee Schedule
Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.
Court Rules and Orders
Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.
Clerk and Filing Logistics
Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.
Putnam County Clerk of the Circuit or Superior Court Guide
Putnam County judicial circuit (Putnam Circuit Court, Putnam Superior Court, and a Magistrate Court) · Clerk of the Circuit or Superior Court information · Updated July 2026
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Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Source ↗Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Formal Administration Standard probate for larger estates | $177 |
Note: Indiana probate filing costs are set statewide by statute and are the same in every county: a $120 probate costs fee for each probate action (Ind. Code 33-37-4-7(a)) plus statutory add-on fees under Ind. Code 33-37-5 (document storage, automated record keeping, public defense administration, judicial insurance adjustment, judicial salaries, court administration, and pro bono legal services fees), for a uniform $177 total to open a decedent's estate, whether supervised or unsupervised. Costs are not graduated by estate value and Indiana charges no probate tax. A $28 sheriff service of process fee (Ind. Code 33-37-5-15) is added only if sheriff service is requested. No costs fee is charged for offering a will for probate alone, for filing a small-estate closing statement under Ind. Code 29-1-8-4, or for a petition to open a safe deposit box (Ind. Code 33-37-4-7(c)). The small estate affidavit under Ind. Code 29-1-8-1 is presented directly to the holder of the property, so no court filing fee applies. Amounts follow the Indiana State Board of Accounts fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. The Putnam County Clerk's published Circuit Court filing fee schedule lists Estate Supervised at $177.00 and Estates Unsupervised at $177.00, matching the statewide statutory total. Verify the current total with the Clerk before filing.
Indiana probate filing costs are set statewide by statute and are the same in every county: a $120 probate costs fee for each probate action (Ind. Code 33-37-4-7(a)) plus statutory add-on fees under Ind. Code 33-37-5 (document storage, automated record keeping, public defense administration, judicial insurance adjustment, judicial salaries, court administration, and pro bono legal services fees), for a uniform $177 total to open a decedent's estate, whether supervised or unsupervised. Costs are not graduated by estate value and Indiana charges no probate tax. A $28 sheriff service of process fee (Ind. Code 33-37-5-15) is added only if sheriff service is requested. No costs fee is charged for offering a will for probate alone, for filing a small-estate closing statement under Ind. Code 29-1-8-4, or for a petition to open a safe deposit box (Ind. Code 33-37-4-7(c)). The small estate affidavit under Ind. Code 29-1-8-1 is presented directly to the holder of the property, so no court filing fee applies. Amounts follow the Indiana State Board of Accounts fee schedule effective July 1, 2025. The Putnam County Clerk's published Circuit Court filing fee schedule lists Estate Supervised at $177.00 and Estates Unsupervised at $177.00, matching the statewide statutory total. Verify the current total with the Clerk before filing.
Required Documents
- Original Will
The original signed will, if one exists, presented to the court for probate. A will generally may not be probated more than three years after death (IC 29-1-7-15.1(g)).
- Petition for Probate of Will and Issuance of Letters (or Appointment of Administrator)
Filed with the clerk of the circuit or superior court with probate jurisdiction. Contents are prescribed by IC 29-1-7-5. The court issues letters testamentary (with a will) or letters of administration (without). Unsupervised administration may be requested under IC 29-1-7.5.
- Small Estate Affidavit
Affidavit under IC 29-1-8-1 to collect estate property 45 days after death when the estate is within the date-of-death-banded limit ($100,000 for deaths after June 30, 2022). Presented directly to the holder of the property; many counties and the state publish template forms (the BMV vehicle version is State Form 18733). Verify the preferred form with the institution or county.
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Source ↗Records portal
Check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.
Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- Verify locally
- Creditor Claims
- 3 months
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first published notice to creditors
- Statute
- IC 29-1-14-1; IC 29-1-7-7
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Sources (9)
- https://co.putnam.in.us/clerk
- https://co.putnam.in.us/clerk/courts/circuit-court/circuit-court-filing-fee-schedule
- https://iga.in.gov/laws/2025/ic/titles/29
- https://iga.in.gov/laws/2025/ic/titles/33
- https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/
- https://www.in.gov/counties/putnam-courts/
- https://www.in.gov/courts/efiling/
- https://www.in.gov/courts/selfservice/
- https://www.in.gov/sboa/files/2025-Court-Costs-and-Fees-by-Case-Type.pdf