Free District of Columbia Petition for Probate

How to open probate in District of Columbia: petition the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Probate Division and request Letters of Administration. D.C. Code §§ 20-301 to 20-312.

Progress0%

Step 1 of 4

You & the Will

District of Columbia 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*

FREE & PRIVATE: This form is free—no account or credit card required. Your document contents and generated PDF never leave your browser—SimplyTrust does not transmit or store them. Contact details you provide (name, email, phone, state) are transmitted only to send the updates you agree to receive at download. You are responsible for saving your completed document.

SELF-HELP SERVICE: SimplyTrust provides a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice, select forms for you, or tell you how to complete forms. Our role is limited to providing a platform where you input your own information into document templates.

NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Frequently Asked Questions About District of Columbia Probate Petitions

In District of Columbia, you file a petition with Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Probate Division to open probate. Register of Wills issues Letters of Administration once the court grants the appointment. See how appointment works in District of Columbia.

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 District of Columbia.

Yes. District of Columbia publishes a statewide fillable form, which this tool completes for you. After downloading, review and sign it, then file it with Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Probate Division.

District of Columbia requires a bond by default before Letters issue, unless the will waives it or the beneficiaries waive it in writing. D.C. Code § 20-502

District of Columbia offers probate e-filing. E-filing is mandatory for parties represented by counsel but optional for self-represented filers. The opening filing is PAPER regardless: Superior Court Administrative Order 13-15 (PEF Procedure 6(a)) excludes from eFiling "(1) Wills and codicils; (2) Initial pleadings that open a Probate Division case ... (4) Bonds", and the File Online page repeats that initial pleadings opening a new Probate Division case "may not be eFiled and must be filed in paper with the clerk." So the Petition for Probate, the will, and the bond go to the Probate Division in person (515 Fifth Street NW, Room 314); a self-represented fiduciary may then elect to e-file subsequent documents. Forms must be typewritten and filed at one time in person, with original signatures. A small-estate filer brings the petition packet to the Legal Branch in person.

Along with the petition, District of Columbia typically requires: Original will and any codicils, with the Certificate of Filing Will; Abbreviated Probate Order; Statement of acceptance of the duties of the office and written consent to D.C. personal jurisdiction; Bond, or waivers of bond, or some combination, unless excused; Personal Identification Information.

Opening Probate in District of Columbia

Before anyone can act for a District of Columbia estate, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Probate Division must appoint a personal representative and issue Letters. Letters are the court's output — you can't fill them out. The document you file is the petition for probate and for Letters (D.C. Code §§ 20-301 to 20-312).

District of Columbia 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. District of Columbia requires a bond before Letters issue unless it is waived by the will or by the beneficiaries. The court reviews the petition and, if it is in order, grants it and directs that Letters issue.

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 more

District of Columbia Estate Planning Resources

In-depth guides covering District of Columbia probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions About District of Columbia Probate Petitions

District of Columbia requires a bond by default before Letters issue, unless the will waives it or the beneficiaries waive it in writing. D.C. Code § 20-502

Opening Probate in District of Columbia

Free District of Columbia Petition for Probate

You & the Will

Frequently Asked Questions About District of Columbia Probate Petitions