Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans Court

 REGISTER OF WILLS & CLERK OF THE ORPHANS’ COURT 

REOPENING ON JUNE 1, 2021


Many of our services are now on line. If you need to appear personally at the Register's Office, please call (610)278-3400 or email us at ROWSupport@montcopa.org to make an appointment. Be sure to put APPOINTMENT in the subject line.


PROBATE

While the County is reopening for in-person services, we continue to have limited accessibility. We remain unable to accommodate walk-ins, and in-person probates are by appointment only. The available appointment slots are extremely limited, so we encourage you to use our online e-filing probate program at https://webapp.montcopa.org/ROWEFiling, which is quick and convenient. 


MARRIAGE LICENSES

All marriage license applications must be completed online at https://courtsapp.montcopa.org/psi3/marriagelicense. We will only accommodate in-office marriage license appointments for 3-day waivers. Appropriate documentation must be presented at the time of the in-office appointment.


ORPHANS’ COURT FILING

All filers are encouraged to e-file all documents at https://webapp.montcopa.org/ROWEFiling. Only emergency Orphans’ Court petitions, including emergency guardianship petitions and emergency end-of-life or medical decision-making petitions, will be accepted over the counter.


ORPHANS’ COURT Hearings

Beginning June 1, 2021, Orphans' Court is returning to some in-person proceedings. Protocols for in-person proceedings can be found HERE and stipulation for virtual attendance can be found HERE. Protocols for virtual proceedings can be found HERE. 

INHERITANCE TAX FILING

The Register’s Office reminds those who are filing Inheritance Tax forms or making making payments that the Register accepts, FOR INHERITANCE TAX MATTERS ONLY, a United States Postal Service postmark as the date of filing. Use of the United States Postal Service trackable mailing services are encouraged.


The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court has a dropbox in the lobby of One Montgomery Plaza for inheritance tax, probate, Orphans’ Court filings, and certified copy requests. 

No appointments or walk-ins after 3:30 PM.  

Marriage licenses


probate

For information on how to E-File an estate (Probate), follow this link.

Initial Probates may be filed at https://webapp.montcopa.org/ROWEFiling.


  Duties of the Register


Welcome to the Montgomery County Register of Wills / Orphans’ Court website. Our office probates wills and processes intestate estates (estates without wills). The office is also agent for the commonwealth in the collection of inheritance taxes.

Accounts by personal representatives of estates are filed with our office. Certificates necessary for the transfer of estate assets are also issued by our office.

As clerk of the Orphans’ Court, our office issues marriage licenses and has charge of the Orphans’ Court dockets. Petitions for adoptions are filed in our office. The register of wills also keeps the records of all persons born in Montgomery County between 1893 and 1915. Birth records of persons born after 1915 are kept on file with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

About Our Site


On this site you will find documents and forms for many of our services, as well as the contact information for the staff, should you have any questions. Thank you for visiting the register of wills / Orphans’ Court website.

About the Register of Wills


The register of wills has jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the granting of letters of administration. The office is also agent for the state in the collection of inheritance taxes, averaging more than $80 million annually.

Accounts of administrators and executors are received by the register of wills. Certified copies of wills and short certificates for the transfer of certain securities are issued as required by law.

Resources

Fees 

 

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 LOCAL RULES 

 GUARDIAN INFORMA​TION RESOURCES