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Finding a will or probate case in New York

Who holds it: Surrogate's Court in each county (probate records kept since 1787)1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. Fees
  2. Related records in New York
  3. Probate and wills in New York counties with a full guide
  4. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  5. Sources

Copy fee

Certified copy of a will or any paper on file: $6.00 per page; authentication additional $20; record search and certificate $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)2

How to search

Ask the Surrogate's Court in the county; WebSurrogate (via eCourts) provides online case information3

Fees

Filing fee
Probate filing fee is based on the value of the estate4
Courts: court system
Unified state court system (New York State Unified Court System, administered by the Office of Court Administration); records are kept by the clerk of each court or by the County Clerk, who acts as clerk/archive for Supreme and County Court files5
Courts: statewide case search
eCourts (free): WebCivil Supreme (all 62 counties, active and disposed), WebCivil Local, WebCriminal (pending cases with future dates, selected courts), WebFamily, WebSurrogate; NYSCEF guest search for e-filed Supreme Court cases3
Courts: fees
Court clerks charge County Clerk rates under CPLR 8019(f) via Judiciary Law § 255 (copy 65 cents/page, min $1.30; prepare-and-certify $1.25/page, min $5); statewide criminal history search (CHRS) $955
Death certificates: who holds it
Outside NYC: NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar where the death occurred. NYC: NYC DOHMH (deaths after 1951 via DOHMH; older via Municipal Archives)6
Death certificates: fee
NYS DOH: $30 by mail; $45 plus vendor processing fee online/phone. NYC DOHMH: $15 per certificate plus processing fee6

Probate and wills in New York counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Albany CountyAlbany County Surrogate's Court7——
Bronx CountyBronx County Surrogate's Court8—Certified copy of a will or other paper: $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)9
Broome CountyBroome County Surrogate's Court10——
Chautauqua CountySurrogate's Court, Chautauqua County Courthouse11——
Clinton CountyClinton County Surrogate's Court, 137 Margaret Street, Suite 315, Plattsburgh; (518) 536-383512——
Dutchess CountySurrogate Court13——
Erie CountyErie County Surrogate's Court14—Certified copy of will or paper on file $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)15
Kings CountyKings County Surrogate's Court17Search16Certified copy of a will or other paper: $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)18
Monroe CountyMonroe County Surrogate's Court19—Certified copy of a will or any paper on file $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)20
New York CountyNew York County Surrogate's Court21—Certified copy of a will or paper on file $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)22
Oneida CountySurrogate's Court, Oneida County Building, 800 Park Ave., Utica; (315) 266-455023—Statewide SCPA 2402: certified copy $6.00 per page; search $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)24
Onondaga CountyOnondaga County Surrogate's Court25——
Orange CountyOrange County Surrogate's Court26——
Queens CountyQueens County Surrogate's Court28Search27Certified copy of a will or other paper: $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)29
Rensselaer CountyRensselaer County Surrogate's Court, Rensselaer County Courthouse, 80 Second Street, Troy, NY 1218030——
Richmond CountyRichmond County Surrogate's Court31—Certified copy of a will or other paper: $6.00 per page (SCPA 2402)32
Saratoga CountySurrogate's Court, Saratoga County33—Certified copy of a will or any paper on file: $6.00 per page; authentication additional $20; record search and certificate $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)34
Schenectady CountySchenectady County Surrogate's Court36Search35—
Suffolk CountySuffolk County Surrogate's Court37—Certified copy of a will or any paper on file: $6.00 per page; authentication additional $20; record search and certificate $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)38
Sullivan CountySullivan County Surrogate's Court, LHC Sullivan County Courthouse, Monticello; phone 845 791-350039——
Ulster CountyUlster County Surrogate's Court40——
Westchester CountySurrogate's Court in each county (probate records kept since 1787)41—Certified copy of a will or any paper on file: $6.00 per page; authentication additional $20; record search and certificate $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)42

For any other county, see the county list on the New York guide.

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any New York office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: probate records and wills in every state. Everything else in New York: New York public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  2. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  3. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  4. Probate (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  5. FOIL - Court RecordsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  6. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  7. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 7, 2026
  8. 12th Judicial District (Bronx County courts)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  10. County Clerk: Wills, Estates & Probate FAQsBroome County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  11. Chautauqua County courtsNY Unified Court Systemchecked November 8, 2026
  12. Department DirectoryClinton Countychecked November 4, 2026
  13. NY Courts - Dutchess County courts indexNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 7, 2026
  14. Erie County Surrogate's CourtNYS Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  15. SCPA 2402 Fees of the clerk of the surrogate's courtNew York State Senate (Consolidated Laws)checked November 4, 2026
  16. Kings County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  17. 2nd Judicial District (Kings County courts)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  19. Home - Monroe County (court locations)NYS Unified Court System, 7th Judicial Districtchecked November 4, 2026
  20. SCPA 2402 Fees of the clerk of the surrogate's courtNew York State Senate (Consolidated Laws)checked November 4, 2026
  21. New York County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  22. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  23. Vital Records - Birth, Death, MarriageOneida County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  24. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  25. 5JD Onondaga County HOME (court addresses and phone numbers)NYS Unified Court System, 5th Judicial Districtarchived copychecked November 4, 2026
  26. Orange County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  27. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  28. Queens County Surrogate's CourtNYS Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  29. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  30. Rensselaer County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 7, 2026
  31. Richmond County Surrogate's CourtNYS Unified Court System (nycourts.gov)checked November 4, 2026
  32. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  33. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  34. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  35. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  36. Schenectady County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 7, 2026
  37. Surrogate's Court - Suffolk CountyNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  38. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  39. 2026 Sullivan County Directory (PDF)Sullivan County Legislative Officechecked November 4, 2026
  40. Ulster County Surrogate's CourtNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 7, 2026
  41. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  42. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026