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Erie 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.

Data 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.

2

Fee Rows Captured

Yes

E-Filing Available

7 mo

Creditor Claim Period

Medium

Data Quality

Official Sources to Verify

County Fee Schedule

Check the live filing-fee source before relying on a county average or cached amount.

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.

The Erie Surrogate's Court page includes WebSurrogate updates and a public-access flyer. Erie County WebSurrogate access is limited, including post-02/19/2014 document image limits for internet users, so records must be verified with the court. Direct WebSurrogate domain URLs are not used as product-facing links without terms review.

Open case search

Surrogate's Court Website

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

Filing Fee Schedule

Voluntary Administration$1
Small Estate Affidavit$1

Filing Options

in person
mail
e file where NYSCEF is available for the county and proceeding

E-filing portal: NYSCEF

Filing Deadlines

Creditor Claim Period7 months

Surrogate's Court Information

Erie County Surrogate's Court

92 Franklin Street, 2nd Floor, Buffalo, NY 14202

Phone: (716) 845-2560

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Surrogate's Court Website →

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Erie 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 Erie 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 June 3, 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 York can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.