Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Source ↗Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Small Estate Affidavit For estates under threshold (no court filing needed) | $10 |
Note: Pike County probate is a $101.25 flat fee at filing (covers the petition for grant of letters, oath, death certificate, renunciations, and bond); a graduated grant-of-letters fee is then collected with the inheritance tax return based on total gross assets: $20 (up to $1,000), $30 ($1,001 to $5,000), $40 ($5,001 to $10,000), $50 ($10,001 to $20,000), $60 ($20,001 to $30,000), $70 ($30,001 to $40,000), $80 ($40,001 to $50,000), $90 ($50,001 to $75,000), $100 ($75,001 to $100,000), $130 ($100,001 to $200,000), rising to $370 ($900,001 to $1,000,000), then per $100,000 above. A small estate affidavit is $10, and a short certificate is $5. Confirm current amounts on the county fee schedule. Source: Pike County Register of Wills fee schedule, 2026.
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
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
Advertising the grant of letters
Frequency: Once a week for three successive weeks
- One newspaper of general circulation published at or near the decedent's residence, or near where letters were granted for a nonresident decedent
- The legal periodical designated by rule of court for legal notices, if any
The notice must include the personal representative's name and address and request claims and debts to be presented or paid without delay.
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Pike County Tax Claim Bureau
506 Broad Street, Milford, PA 18337
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Pike County Tax Claim page says the bureau collects delinquent real estate taxes for 3 school districts and 13 townships or boroughs. It says all real estate taxes are delinquent if not paid by December 31 of the current year, unpaid taxes are returned to the bureau in January, a $25 fee per claim is applied, and interest accrues at 9% annually. It offers an online delinquent-tax search by last name or business name but says it is not a certified search and certified tax searches require contacting the office. It also links an online delinquent-tax payment page. Use this as delinquency and payment-routing context, not certified payoff or title reporting.
Sources for this page (5)
The facts above come from these official sources. Verify current details with the office before filing.
- pikepa.orghttps://www.pikepa.org/courts___law/register_of_wills/index.php
- pikepa.orghttps://www.pikepa.org/Document%20Center/Courts%20%26%20Law/Register%20Of%20Wills/Pike%20County%20Register%20of%20Wills%20Fee%20Schedule%202026.pdf
- pikepa.orghttps://www.pikepa.org/Document%20Center/Courts%20%26%20Law/Register%20Of%20Wills/PETITIION%20FOR%20PROBATE%20AND%20GRANT%20OF%20LETTERS.pdf
- infoconcountyaccess.comhttps://www.infoconcountyaccess.com/
- pacourts.ushttps://www.pacourts.us/forms/for-the-public/orphans-court-forms