Somerset County Probate Statistics

Use this county view to check filing-fee patterns, e-filing access, and timing signals before you rely on a probate cost estimate or start preparing a petition.

Published: January 15, 2026Updated: July 29, 2026Data quality: Medium

What This County Snapshot Covers

This page is meant to answer the fast operational questions first: what the county charges to open common probate proceedings, whether e-filing is available, how long creditor claims may run, and where to verify the court record.

Fee Rows Captured

Yes

E-Filing Available

9 mo

Creditor Claim Period

Medium

Data Quality

Official Sources to Verify

Court Forms or Filing Portal

Review the county or court forms page tied to this probate workflow.

Case Search

Use the county case-search tool when you need live docket or estate-case status information. Search results may not include every probate record.

New Jersey has NO statewide online index of Surrogate estate records. The Judiciary's Find a Case page covers Superior Court matters, which includes actions filed in the Chancery Division, Probate Part (contested probate, caveats litigated after filing, formal accountings, and adult guardianships), and its civil search asks you to register before searching case jackets. It does NOT list the ordinary uncontested estates that are opened over the counter with a county Surrogate. Those are indexed county by county. Somerset advertises a Probate Search tool, but the public-view search it points to does not currently return a usable page to outside requests, so no county index URL is stored here. The office charges a $10.00 record search fee per estate under N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30. Confirm any estate detail with the Somerset County Surrogate before relying on it.

Open case search

Surrogate's Court Website

Go straight to the Surrogate's Court website for clerk notices and local instructions.

Filing Fee Schedule

Petition for Probate	$100
Formal Administration	$125
Small Estate Affidavit	$50

Filing Options

in person

by mail

E-filing portal: https://www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/elected-officials/surrogate/probate-an-estate

Filing Deadlines

Creditor Claim Period9 months

Surrogate's Court Information

Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Probate Part (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren Vicinage)

Somerset County Courthouse, 20 North Bridge Street, Somerville, NJ 08876

Phone: 908-332-7700

Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Surrogate's Court Website →

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Somerset County probate fees on this page the full cost of the case?

Not necessarily. Filing fees are only one part of probate cost. Publication charges, certified copies, appraisal expenses, attorney fees, and other estate-administration costs may still apply.

What does e-filing status mean for Somerset County probate cases?

E-filing status tells you whether the county accepts online filing and, when available in the dataset, whether attorneys are required to use it. "Not verified" means the county dataset does not record filing methods either way. In every case, check the current clerk instructions before filing.

Why might a fee or deadline be missing?

Some counties publish fees in fragmented schedules, update procedures without a clean machine-readable source, or handle certain deadlines in local instructions rather than a simple statewide field. Use the county reference page and Surrogate's Court website to verify anything missing.

Information current as of July 29, 2026

Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in New Jersey can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.