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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, Register of Probate contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Suffolk 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.

Suffolk County Register of Probate Guide

Probate and Family Court Department, Massachusetts Trial Court · Register of Probate information · Updated July 2026

(617) 788-8301Register of Probate

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Filing & Fees

Fee Schedule Signals

Probate Filing Fees

Filing TypeFee
Formal Administration
Standard probate for larger estates
$390

Note: Massachusetts sets Probate and Family Court filing fees STATEWIDE by pleading type, not by county and not by estate value, so this county charges the same amounts as the other 13. The first paper in either informal or formal probate (petition for formal probate of a will, adjudication of intestacy and appointment of a personal representative, OR petition for informal probate and/or appointment) is $375 under M.G.L. c. 262, § 40 plus the $15 surcharge under M.G.L. c. 262, § 4C, for a $390 total. A Statement of Voluntary Administration (the small-estate path) is $100 + $15 = $115. Depositing a will for safekeeping is $75. Each citation ($15), each summons ($5), and newspaper publication are separate costs the petitioner pays. Schedule: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/probate-and-family-court-filing-fees (statute: M.G.L. c. 262, §§ 40, 4C). Confirm the current amount with the Register of Probate before filing.

Massachusetts sets Probate and Family Court filing fees STATEWIDE by pleading type, not by county and not by estate value, so this county charges the same amounts as the other 13. The first paper in either informal or formal probate (petition for formal probate of a will, adjudication of intestacy and appointment of a personal representative, OR petition for informal probate and/or appointment) is $375 under M.G.L. c. 262, § 40 plus the $15 surcharge under M.G.L. c. 262, § 4C, for a $390 total. A Statement of Voluntary Administration (the small-estate path) is $100 + $15 = $115. Depositing a will for safekeeping is $75. Each citation ($15), each summons ($5), and newspaper publication are separate costs the petitioner pays. Schedule: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/probate-and-family-court-filing-fees (statute: M.G.L. c. 262, §§ 40, 4C). Confirm the current amount with the Register of Probate before filing.

E-Filing & Filing Methods

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Filing Methods: in person, mail, efiling

Timelines & Proceedings

Deadlines & Creditor Claims

Key Deadlines

Will Deposit
30 days
Creditor Claims
12 months

Creditor Claims

Period Starts
date of death
Statute
M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-803

Publication Requirements

Related Proceedings

Property Recording

Source ↗

Recording Fees

First Page
$100.00
Additional Pages
$0.00
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