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Fulton County Probate Court Guide

Thirty Ninth Judicial District of Pennsylvania probate court information · Updated May 2026

717-485-4212County Clerk
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Not sure if you need probate?

Many estates can avoid probate entirely. Assets with beneficiary designations, joint accounts, and trust assets may pass automatically without court involvement.

Check If You Need ProbateView Filing Checklist

First: Get Death Certificates

Required for everything

Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records

Cost:$20/copy
Get:10 copies

Secure the Property

  • Lock the residence and secure valuable items
  • Forward mail to a responsible family member
  • Make a list of what you find (don't throw anything away yet)

Locate Important Documents

Will or trust documents
Property deeds
Bank/investment statements
Insurance policies
Vehicle titles
Tax returns (last 3 years)

County filing checklist

Fulton County probate filing checklist

Use this checklist to confirm the local Pennsylvania Register of Wills or Orphans' Court office, compare common probate paths, gather starting documents, and verify county packet instructions before filing. This is an informational checklist, not legal advice, a court-approved packet, or a replacement for county Register of Wills instructions.

Where to verify locally

Court
Fulton County Court of Common Pleas - Orphans' Court Division
Clerk
Fulton County Prothonotary
Address
Fulton County Courthouse, 201 N. Second Street, McConnellsburg, PA 17233
Phone
717-485-4212
Official clerk or court site

Common filing paths

Formal administration

Formal estate administration is handled through the Fulton County Prothonotary acting as Register of Wills. Confirm appointment, original-document, and fee requirements with the office.

Small estate affidavit

Pennsylvania small-estate petitions use statewide law and Orphans' Court procedure. Fulton County's Orphans' Court fee schedule includes a settlement-of-small-estate petition fee.

Threshold:
$50,000 gross personal property, subject to statutory exclusions
Payments Without Letters

20 Pa.C.S. Section 3101 allows limited payment of certain wages, deposit accounts, patient-care accounts, life-insurance amounts payable to an estate, and unclaimed property without letters when the statute's amount, relationship, and documentation requirements are met.

Starting documents to verify

Statewide starting documents
  • County Register of Wills probate or administration petition packet (County ROW packet)
  • Certified death certificate
  • Original will and codicils if applicable
  • Petition details for letters
  • Renunciations, consents, or bond papers if applicable
  • Short certificate or certified-copy request if applicable

Filing links

Fee signals

  • Fulton County publishes Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court fee schedules effective November 14, 2025. The Register of Wills fee schedule includes estate-value tiers, inheritance-tax filings, inventory, renunciation, short certificate, claims, releases, and related fees. The Orphans' Court fee schedule includes accounts, guardianship, marriage, miscellaneous filings, settlement of small estates, and petition fees. Confirm exact totals with the office before quoting filing fees.

Deadline signals

  • Creditor claims period: 12 months.

Help resources

Choose your next step

If you are not sure probate is required, start with the free assessment. If you are ready to organize a filing, use the county-aware plan handoff.

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Checklist details combine county source links with Pennsylvania statutory and state-default source records. Confirm final packet forms, fees, and filing instructions with the county office before filing.

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