Quick answer: Pennsylvania probate is filed with each county's Register of Wills, and the probate fee scales with the estate's value — roughly $100 to $500+ for most estates, plus per-page and certification charges. It's a modest cost next to the executor fee, attorney fee, and the inheritance tax. Fees differ by county, so confirm with your local Register of Wills.
How Pennsylvania probate fees work
Probate is opened at the Register of Wills in the county where the person lived — Philadelphia, Allegheny (Pittsburgh), Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster and the rest of the 67 counties. Each county sets its own fee schedule, generally graduated by the gross value of the estate: a small estate pays a low flat fee, a larger estate more. The fee covers granting Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration under 20 Pa.C.S. ch. 31.
| Estate value (typical bands) | Register of Wills fee (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Under $100,000 | ~$100–$200 |
| $100,000 – $500,000 | ~$200–$350 |
| $500,000 – $1,000,000 | ~$350–$500 |
| Over $1,000,000 | $500+ (county-specific) |
Approximate ranges; each county's Register of Wills sets its own graduated schedule. Confirm the exact fee with your county before filing.
Other Register of Wills costs
- Certified copies of Letters (short certificates) — needed by banks and title; a few dollars each, several usually needed.
- Advertising the grant of Letters — a required newspaper notice to creditors; ~$100–$300 by county.
- Bond premium — if a bond is required (not waived by the will); ~0.5% of the estate per year.
- Inheritance-tax filing — the return is filed with the PA Department of Revenue via the Register of Wills; the tax itself (0%–15%) is the main cost.
The real cost is the inheritance tax
The Register of Wills fee is small next to the executor fee, attorney fee, and especially the inheritance tax (0% spouse, 4.5% children, 12% siblings, 15% others). See the whole picture in the Pennsylvania probate cost breakdown, learn about attorney fees, or estimate your total with the Pennsylvania probate cost calculator.