ProbateUS
Probate Court

Lorain County

Ohio

440-329-5175

Phone

440-329-5175

Fax

440-328-2157

Website

Official Site →

Email

LCProbate@loraincounty.us

In Lorain County, Ohio, you file a probate case with the Lorain County probate court at 225 Court Street, Room 611, Elyria, OH 44035. You can reach the court at 440-329-5175. Below you'll find 24 filing fees, 118 downloadable forms and the office hours.

Court details last updated

Court Location & Contact

Address

225 Court Street, Room 611, Elyria, OH 44035

Fax

440-328-2157

Visit Official Court Website

Filing Fees

Lorain County, Ohio

Fee TypeAmount
Filing of Application for Letters of Authority to Administer Estate (with or without will)$300.00
Application for Estate Relieved (with or without a will)$182.00
Summary Release from Administration$134.00
Affidavit and Application for Estate Relieved (Assets of $2,000.00 or less)$80.00
Application for Certificate of Transfer only$107.00
Filing of Will with no Application to Probate Court$74.00
Tax Filing only$5.00
Application to Probate Will only$103.00
Application for Wrongful Death$125.00
Filing of Authenticated or Exemplified Copies$38.00
Affidavit of Inheritance$81.00
Application to Bar Claims$125.00
Disclaimer of Interest in Real Property$80.00
Filing of Trust Estates$200.00
Disposal of Minor's Estate$103.00
Application for Appointment of Guardian-Minor (person only or estate only)$250.00
Application for Appointment of Guardian-Incompetent (person and estate)$300.00
Application for Appointment of Guardian-Incompetent (person only)$300.00
Application for Settlement Claim of a Minor$165.00
Appointment of a Conservator$175.00
Complaint-Civil Actions (land sale, surviving spouse to purchase, completion of land contract, determination of heirship, declaratory judgment, concealment of assets, presumption of death, will contest and disinterment)$250.00
Adoption Petition for One Child$200.00
Petition for Foreign Adoption$200.00
Petition for Adoption Placement$130.00

Judges & Officers

JT
James T. Walther

Required Forms

Form 1.0 Surviving Spouse, Children, Next of Kin, Legatees and Divisees

Probate Forms Library

118 fillable forms. Scroll the list to see them all.

Every Lorain Countyform, with a short summary and the official source →
57.7 — “Filed” Stamped CopiescountyDownload
66.04 — (Reserved)countyDownload
2019 Lorain County Probate Court RulescountyDownload
66.20 — Additional Cost DepositcountyDownload
75.2 — AdoptionscountyDownload
66.11A — Affidavit of IndigencycountyDownload
22.3B — Annual Verification of Funds With Restricted AccesscountyDownload
75.7A — Application for Entry of Safe Deposit BoxcountyDownload
78.11 — Application for Unclaimed InheritancescountyDownload
60.2A — Application of Non-Resident Fiduciary to Deposit Assets With a Custodian In Lieu of BondcountyDownload
66.02 — Application of RulescountyDownload
65.2 — Approval of DescriptioncountyDownload
71.1 — Attorney FeescountyDownload
64.6 — BondcountyDownload
73.1A — Calculation of Guardian CompensationcountyDownload
74.1A — Calculation of Trustee CompensationcountyDownload
57.3 — Case NumbercountyDownload
59.2B — Certificate for Deposit of WillcountyDownload
13.9A — Certificate of Service of Account and Notice of HearingcountyDownload
78.2A — Certificate of Service of Inventory and Notice of HearingcountyDownload
78.3 — Certificate of Transfer of Real EstatecountyDownload
78.9 — Civil Case Management ProcedurescountyDownload
71.4A — Consent to Attorney FeescountyDownload
65.4 — Consent to Power to Sell Real EstatecountyDownload
8.1 — Court AppointmentscountyDownload
26.1 — Court Records Management and RetentioncountyDownload
57.13 — Decedent's NamescountyDownload
66.01 — DefinitionscountyDownload
67.1 — Dispense With GuardianshipcountyDownload
55.1 — Examination of Probate Records - PhotocopiescountyDownload
57.1 — Facsimile FilingscountyDownload
57.5 — Fiduciary SignaturecountyDownload
4.0A — Fiduciary's AcceptancecountyDownload
64.1 — Fiduciary's SignaturecountyDownload
73.1 — Guardian's CompensationcountyDownload
66.10A — Guardian's Credibility SupplementcountyDownload
64.9 — Hearing, Certificates, and ServicecountyDownload
53.1 — Hours of the CourtcountyDownload
60.3 — Identification With Photograph RequiredcountyDownload
66.17 — Indigent WardscountyDownload
22.3A — Initial Verification of Receipt and/or Deposit of CustodiancountyDownload
75.13 — Motions/BriefscountyDownload
66.11 — Next of Kin for Guardianship of Incompetent AdultscountyDownload
78.7 — Non-Oral Insolvency HearingscountyDownload
75.0A — Notice of Change of AddresscountyDownload
75.9 — Ohio Estate Tax Return (for Persons Dying Prior to January 1, 2013)countyDownload
58.2 — Publication CostscountyDownload
65.3 — Report of DistributioncountyDownload
75.7B — Report on Entry of Safe Deposit BoxcountyDownload
1.1A — Request for Summons or Notice In Civil ActioncountyDownload
69.2 — Responsibility For Deposit Of FundscountyDownload
68.3 — Responsibility For Deposit Of FundscountyDownload
67.3 — Responsibility For Deposit Of FundscountyDownload
69.1 — Separate Case NumbercountyDownload
68.2 — Separate Case NumbercountyDownload
66.01 — Series NumberingcountyDownload
60.5 — Spousal Citation and Summary of RightscountyDownload
69.3 — Structured Settlements For Adult WardcountyDownload
65.1 — Title EvidencecountyDownload
78.8 — Unclaimed InheritancescountyDownload
66.18 — Veterans' GuardianshipscountyDownload
13.7A — Waiver of Notice of Hearing and Consent to AccountcountyDownload
78.2B — Waiver of Notice of Hearing and Consent to InventorycountyDownload
59.2A — Will for DepositcountyDownload
59.2 — Will for DepositcountyDownload
75.10 — Withdrawal And Substitution Of CounselcountyDownload
58.3 — Witness FeescountyDownload
1041 — Accumulation Distribution for Certain Complex TrustsfederalDownload
1041-T — Allocation of Estimated Tax Payments to BeneficiariesfederalDownload
1041 — Alternative Minimum Tax — Estates and TrustsfederalDownload
Application For Burial BenefitsfederalDownload
SSA-4 — Application for Child's Insurance BenefitsfederalDownload
SF 2800 — Application for Death Benefits (CSRS)federalDownload
SF 3104 — Application for Death Benefits (FERS)federalDownload
Application For DIC, Survivors Pension And/Or Accrued BenefitsfederalDownload
SS-4 — Application for Employer Identification NumberfederalDownload
706 — Application for Extension of Time To File a Return and/or Pay U.S. Estate TaxesfederalDownload
SSA-10 — Application for Widow's or Widower's Insurance BenefitsfederalDownload
1041 — Beneficiary's Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.federalDownload
1041 — Capital Gains and Losses (Estates and Trusts)federalDownload
706-CE — Certification of Payment of Foreign Death TaxfederalDownload
FE6 — Claim for Death Benefits (FEGLI)federalDownload
VA40-1330 — Claim For Standard Government Headstone Or MarkerfederalDownload
SF 2818 — Continuation of Life Insurance Coverage as AnnuitantfederalDownload
FE7 — Designation Of Beneficiary (FEGLI)federalDownload
SF 2823 — Designation Of Beneficiary Federal Employees' Group Life InsurancefederalDownload
FS 5336 — Disposition of Treasury Securities Belonging to a Decedent's Estate Being Settled Without AdministrationfederalDownload
8855 — Election To Treat a Qualified Revocable Trust as Part of an EstatefederalDownload
1041 — Estimated Income Tax for Estates and TrustsfederalDownload
706 — Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax (Form 706)federalDownload
706-GS — Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Return for DistributionsfederalDownload
706-GS — Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Return for TerminationsfederalDownload
8971 — Information Regarding Beneficiaries Acquiring Property From a DecedentfederalDownload
56 — Notice Concerning Fiduciary RelationshipfederalDownload
706-GS — Notification of Distribution From a Generation-Skipping TrustfederalDownload
1041-V — Payment Voucher (Estate or Trust)federalDownload
I-360 — Petition For Amerasian, Widow(er), Or Special ImmigrantfederalDownload
2848 — Power of Attorney and Declaration of RepresentativefederalDownload
FS 1455 — Request By Owner or Person Entitled to Payment for Reissue of United States Savings BondsfederalDownload
706 HAS — Request for Discharge From Personal Liability Under IRC 2204 or 6905federalDownload
4810 — Request For Prompt Assessment Under Internal Revenue Code Section 6501(d)federalDownload
FS 1522 — Special Form of Request for Payment of United States Savings and Retirement SecuritiesfederalDownload
SSA-721 — Statement of Death by Funeral DirectorfederalDownload
1310 — Statement of Person Claiming Refund Due a Deceased TaxpayerfederalDownload
706-NA — U.S. Estate Tax Return for Nonresident Not a Citizen of the U.S.federalDownload
706-QDT — U.S. Estate Tax Return for Qualified Domestic TrustsfederalDownload
1041 U — U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and TrustsfederalDownload
1041-A — U.S. Information Return Trust Accumulation of Charitable AmountsfederalDownload
706-A — United States Additional Estate Tax ReturnfederalDownload
706 UNITED — United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax ReturnfederalDownload
709 — United States Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax ReturnfederalDownload
12.0 — Probate Form 12.0: Application for Certificate of TransferOhio Supreme CourtstateDownload
13.1 — Probate Form 13.1: Receipts and DisbursementsOhio Supreme CourtstateDownload
Probate Form 2.2Ohio Supreme CourtstateDownload
4.3 — Probate Form 4.3: Waiver of Right to AdministerOhio Supreme CourtstateDownload
4.5 — Probate Form 4.5: Entry Appointing FiduciaryOhio Supreme CourtstateDownload
5.1 — Probate Form 5.1: Assets and Liabilities of Estate to be ...Ohio Supreme CourtstateDownload
Probate Form 5.2Ohio Supreme CourtstateDownload

How Probate Works in Lorain County

Probate in Lorain County, Ohio

The Lorain County Probate Court handles all matters related to the estates of deceased persons, including the validation of wills, appointment of executors and administrators, and the supervised distribution of assets. If you need to file for probate in Lorain County, OH, this guide covers what you need to know.

What Is Probate?

Probate is the legal process of settling a deceased person's estate. It involves validating the will (if one exists), identifying and inventorying assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining property to heirs and beneficiaries. In Ohio, the probate court in each county oversees this process.

When Is Probate Required in Ohio?

Probate is generally required when:

  • The deceased owned real estate solely in their name

  • The estate contains assets above Ohio's small estate threshold

  • There are disputes among heirs or creditors

  • Assets are not held in a trust or joint tenancy

Steps to File for Probate in Lorain County

  1. Locate the will (if one exists) and gather the death certificate

  2. File a petition with the Lorain County Probate Court to open probate

  3. Notify heirs and creditors as required by Ohio law

  4. Inventory the estate — identify all assets, debts, and liabilities

  5. Pay debts and taxes — settle outstanding obligations from estate funds

  6. Distribute remaining assets — according to the will or state intestacy laws

  7. Close the estate — file a final accounting with the court

How Long Does Probate Take?

In Ohio, probate typically takes 6 to 18 months depending on the complexity of the estate. Simple estates with no disputes may be resolved faster, while contested wills or complex asset distributions can take longer.

Do You Need a Probate Attorney?

While Ohio does not always require an attorney for probate, it is strongly recommended, especially for estates with significant assets, real estate, business interests, or potential disputes. A local probate attorney familiar with Lorain County Probate Court procedures can help navigate the process efficiently.

Resources

For more information about the probate process, visit the Lorain County Probate Court directly or consult with a local probate attorney. You can also explore tools like EverSettled for step-by-step estate settlement guidance.

Funeral homes near the Lorain County probate court

Additional Notes

The Lorain County Probate On-Line Records Search is updated every Saturday with the previous week's information. The search database contains all Probate related records since 1990. Records are available from 1824 to the present.

Office Hours

Monday-Friday8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Common Questions

Where do I file for probate in Lorain County, OH?

Probate petitions for estates in Lorain County are filed at the Lorain County Probate Court. Contact the court directly for filing instructions and office hours.

How much does probate cost in Lorain County?

Probate filing fees in Lorain County, Ohio vary based on the estate value and type of petition. Contact the probate court clerk for the current fee schedule.

How long does probate take in Ohio?

Probate in Ohio typically takes 6 to 18 months. Timeline depends on estate complexity, creditor claims, and whether the will is contested.

Can I avoid probate?

Assets held in trusts, joint tenancy, or with designated beneficiaries (like life insurance and retirement accounts) can pass outside of probate. Consult with an estate planning attorney for strategies specific to your situation.

Do I need a lawyer for probate in Lorain County?

While not always legally required in Ohio, a probate attorney is recommended for most estates, especially those involving real estate, business interests, or potential disputes among heirs.

What happens if someone dies without a will?

When someone dies intestate (without a will) in Ohio, their assets are distributed according to state intestacy laws. The Lorain County Probate Court will appoint an administrator to manage the estate.

Probate Attorneys

The closest we list to this court

Erica McGregor

Tucker Ellis LLP

Cleveland · 23 mi

Susan Racey

Tucker Ellis LLP

Cleveland · 23 mi

Charitable PlanningFiduciary Litigation+3

Kimberly Stein

UB Greensfelder LLP

Cleveland · 23 mi

Chad Makuch

Baker & Hostetler LLP

Cleveland · 23 mi

Charitable PlanningGeneral Trust & Estate+1

Patrick Saccogna

Thompson Hine LLP

Cleveland · 23 mi

See more attorneys near Lorain County→

Related Resources

OhioProbate Guide →All OhioCourts →Lorain CountyProbate Forms →Ohio executor fee calculator→Ohio small estate checker→Ohio creditor claim deadlines→Banks and Insurers to Notify →