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 Wills and Orphans' Court contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Erie 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.
Erie County Register of Wills and Orphans' Court Guide
Erie County Court of Common Pleas · Register of Wills and Orphans' Court information · Updated May 2026
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Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Source ↗Probate Filing Fees
Specific fee amounts are not available for this county. Erie County grant-of-letters (probate) fees are graduated on the gross estate value: $50 ($0 to $25,000), $100 ($25,001 to $50,000), $150 ($50,001 to $100,000), $250 ($100,001 to $200,000), $300 ($200,001 to $300,000), plus $50 for each additional $100,000. A $41.25 Judicial Computer Project fee and a $5 automation fee also apply. Probate of a will without letters is $25, a small estate affidavit is $25, and a short certificate is $5. Confirm current amounts on the county fee schedule. Source: Erie County Register of Wills schedule of fees, effective December 1, 2025.
Erie County grant-of-letters (probate) fees are graduated on the gross estate value: $50 ($0 to $25,000), $100 ($25,001 to $50,000), $150 ($50,001 to $100,000), $250 ($100,001 to $200,000), $300 ($200,001 to $300,000), plus $50 for each additional $100,000. A $41.25 Judicial Computer Project fee and a $5 automation fee also apply. Probate of a will without letters is $25, a small estate affidavit is $25, and a short certificate is $5. Confirm current amounts on the county fee schedule. Source: Erie County Register of Wills schedule of fees, effective December 1, 2025.
Required Documents
- County Register of Wills probate or administration petition packet(County ROW packet)
Opening forms are county-specific. Use the current Register of Wills packet for the county where probate or administration is being opened.
- Certified death certificate
Registers of Wills commonly require a certified death certificate for opening letters; confirm copy count and accepted format with the county office.
- Renunciations, consents, or bond papers
Whether these are needed depends on the will, priority to serve, bond requirements, and county packet instructions.
- Short certificate or certified-copy request
Request after appointment when banks, title companies, agencies, or other holders need certified proof of authority.
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Source ↗Records portal
Check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record. An account may be required.
Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- Verify locally
- Creditor Claims
- 12 months
- Known Creditor Notice
- 60 days
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first complete advertisement of grant of letters
- Statute
- 20 Pa.C.S. Section 3532
Publication Requirements
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Erie County Revenue and Tax Claim Bureau
Erie County Courthouse, 140 West Sixth Street, Room 110, Erie, PA 16501
Official county tax-claim pages describe delinquent property tax collection and online payment workflow. Online payments carry fees and do not replace certified tax-claim verification with the bureau.
Sources (5)
- https://courts.eriecountypa.gov/index.php/departments/clerk-of-records/register-of-wills/
- https://courtpro.eriecountypa.gov/
- https://courts.eriecountypa.gov/index.php/departments/clerk-of-records/record-information/
- https://courts.eriecountypa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SCHEDULE-OF-FEES-RW1.pdf
- https://www.pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public