How Do I File for Probate in Oregon?
Oregon publishes no statewide petition or Letters form — the Oregon Judicial Department's only statewide estate forms are the Simple Estate packet and a Claim Against Estate form, and its probate FAQ says the court "does not offer or provide any other probate forms." Self-represented filing is permitted, but the petition for appointment and the limited judgment must be typed to the requirements of ORS 113.035, and Multnomah County requires a judge to approve a self-represented fiduciary first (SLR 9.085).
Opening an estate in Oregon
Oregon is not a Uniform Probate Code state and offers no informal/registrar track — every appointment runs through the probate court on a petition for appointment of a personal representative and a proposed limited judgment of appointment. The Oregon Judicial Department publishes NO statewide petition form and NO statewide Letters form: its Forms Center "Estate" category contains only the Simple Estate packet and a Claim Against Estate form, the Multnomah probate FAQ states the court "does not offer or provide any other probate forms," and OJD Guide & File (the statewide interactive-forms system) has no decedent-estate interview — no probate of a will and no appointment of a personal representative. The petition and limited judgment are typed pleadings drafted to ORS 113.035, with bond/notice judgment calls and per-court Supplementary Local Rules layered on top — and in Multnomah, the state's largest county, SLR 9.085 sends a self-represented would-be fiduciary to a judge who "will decide if you are competent to represent yourself." The one statewide official layperson estate form, the Simple Estate Affidavit (ORS 114.505-114.560), is a FLAT print-only packet and explicitly does NOT result in appointment or Letters. A form-fill product for the appointment/Letters track is therefore not viable in Oregon.
A simpler path may apply
Oregon offers a small-estate or summary procedure that can transfer property without a full grant of Letters when the estate qualifies. This is often the honest self-service path where full administration is not.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Oregon permits a self-represented person to open an estate and apply for Letters. What we do not do is produce the document for you here: oregon publishes no statewide petition or Letters form — the Oregon Judicial Department's only statewide estate forms are the Simple Estate packet and a Claim Against Estate form, and its probate FAQ says the court "does not offer or provide any other probate forms." Self-represented filing is permitted, but the petition for appointment and the limited judgment must be typed to the requirements of ORS 113.035, and Multnomah County requires a judge to approve a self-represented fiduciary first (SLR 9.085).
Oregon offers a small-estate or summary procedure that can transfer property without a full grant of Letters when the estate qualifies. The Simple Estate Affidavit (ORS 114.510(1)(a) limits: <= $75,000 personal property other than manufactured homes and <= $200,000 real property/manufactured homes; the OJD instructions restate this as a $275,000 total, and ORS 114.515(3) bars filing until 30 days after death) is the only OJD OFFICIAL statewide layperson estate form. It is a flat, print-only packet, and it makes no appointment, so no Letters issue. For a full estate the filer needs a typed petition under ORS 113.035 and a limited judgment of appointment; the court then issues Letters Testamentary (testate) or Letters of Administration (intestate) under ORS 113.125 after any required bond is filed — ORS 113.125(3)-(4) print the statutory text of each.
Circuit Court handles decedents' estates in Oregon. Circuit court clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration after the court grants the petition.
Letters Testamentary are issued when there is a will (to the executor); Letters of Administration are issued when there is no will (to an administrator). They give the personal representative authority to act for the estate.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Named as Executor
What an executor actually does: getting appointed, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and where personal liability starts.
Learn more
Death of a Parent
A step-by-step guide to what happens after a parent dies: the documents to find, the certificates to order, and whether probate is even required.
Learn more
Loss of a Spouse
What a surviving spouse needs to do: death certificates, survivor benefits, whether probate is even required, and the tax election that expires.
Learn moreMore tools for settling this estate
Calculators and checklists for navigating probate and estate administration.
Notice to Creditors
Prepare the creditor notice for an estate — the official state form or a notice typeset to statute, plus mailed notices for known creditors.
Small Estate Affidavit
Prepare the affidavit that collects a small estate's property without probate — the official state form or an affidavit drafted to statute, plus a presentation letter for each holder.
Estate Inventory
Prepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, composed to your state's statute, with the state's filing or delivery instructions.
Estate Closing
Prepare the paperwork that closes the estate — the state's closing statement, petition for discharge, or final account, with the state's closing instructions and the optional federal forms.
Letter of Instruction
Prepare the letter of instruction a bank or insurer requests during estate settlement.
Digital Assets Recovery Letter
Prepare a letter requesting a deceased person's digital-account assets from the program that holds them.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
Do I Need Probate?
Answer a few questions to find out if an estate needs full probate, qualifies for simplified probate, or can avoid probate entirely with a small estate affidavit.
Hire a Oregon Probate Attorney
Browse 72 probate firms in Oregon with addresses, contact info, and practice details.
