Free North Dakota Petition for Probate

How to open probate in North Dakota: petition the District Court and request Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration. N.D.C.C. ch. 30.1-14.

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You & the Will

North Dakota provides an official fillable petition; we complete it for you.

Opening probate?The whole estate, start to finish.

State Where the Estate Will Be Probated*

The state where the decedent was domiciled. Only states where a self-represented filer can prepare this document are listed.

Did the decedent leave a will?*

Yes — there is a will (request Letters Testamentary)No — there is no will (request Letters of Administration)

Your First Name*

Middle Name

Your Last Name*

Your Relationship to the Decedent*

How you are related to the person who died. Being named executor in the will is asked separately.

Your Street Address*

City*

ZIP Code*

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Frequently Asked Questions About North Dakota Probate Petitions

In North Dakota, you file a petition with District Court to open probate. Clerk of District Court / the court — informal letters issue within 10 working days of a complete application issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (no will) once the court grants the appointment. See how appointment works in North Dakota.

You cannot fill out Letters — they are issued by the court. The document you prepare and file is the petition (or application) for probate and for Letters. This tool prepares that petition for North Dakota.

Yes. North Dakota publishes a statewide fillable form, which this tool completes for you. After downloading, review and sign it, then file it with District Court.

North Dakota offers probate e-filing. E-filing runs through the Odyssey system and is optional for self-represented litigants, who may file on paper. Those who choose to e-file must register for Odyssey. Informal probate requires no court appearance or hearing.

Along with the petition, North Dakota typically requires: Certified copy of the death certificate; Original will; Statement of Informal Probate and Appointment of Personal Representative; Waiver of Right of Appointment; Notice and Information to Heirs & Devisees.

Opening Probate in North Dakota

To settle an estate in North Dakota, the court must first appoint a personal representative — an executor when there is a will, an administrator when there is none — and issue Letters. You apply by filing a petition with District Court; Clerk of District Court / the court — informal letters issue within 10 working days of a complete application (N.D.C.C. 30.1-14-07); no separate 'registrar' (North Dakota amended that UPC term out) issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration once the court grants it.

North Dakota publishes an official statewide petition form. This tool completes that form for you from a few questions about the decedent, the estate, and the heirs or beneficiaries. After downloading, you sign it and file it with the court in the county where the decedent lived.

You file the petition together with the supporting documents the court requires — typically a certified death certificate and, where there is a will, the original will. North Dakota does not require a bond by default before Letters issue. The court reviews the petition and, if it is in order, grants it and directs that Letters issue.

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Frequently Asked Questions About North Dakota Probate Petitions

Yes. North Dakota publishes a statewide fillable form, which this tool completes for you. After downloading, review and sign it, then file it with District Court.

Opening Probate in North Dakota

Free North Dakota Petition for Probate

You & the Will

Frequently Asked Questions About North Dakota Probate Petitions