Required for attorneysProbate filings are e-filed through eFileIL by attorneys and self-represented filers alike. An original will cannot be e-filed and is filed with the clerk on paper. A self-represented filer without home internet access, an email account, or a credit card or bank account can file on paper after filing the Certification for Exemption From E-filing. On paper: Original wills, which are filed with the clerk on paper (Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1)).
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe clerk's Decedent Estate Packet carries the Twelfth Circuit forms to open and administer an estate, from the petitions for letters to the inventory, claim and final report. A new estate is filed electronically; an original will can be filed by mail with no fee, and clerks at the courthouse kiosks help a filer e-file.
Accepted payment
At the counterCash, Credit card, Money order.Cashier's checks and certified checks payable to "Clerk of the Circuit Court" are accepted; personal checks are not.
Self-help center
Law Library, 3rd Floor1-815-727-8619 · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PMThe legal self-help center is in the law library on the third floor of the courthouse, which also has an e-filing kiosk and eight public computers. Library staff are not lawyers and give legal information only; scanning is free and copies are paid in cash.
River Valley Justice Center3200 West McDonough Street, Joliet, IL 60431This limited-service clerk window takes guardianship filings only and closes from noon to 1:00 PM; estate filings go to the main courthouse.
About the court
Probate (case type PR) is filed through the civil division at the main courthouse, where the clerk's office is on the first floor. The clerk does not accept faxed or emailed filings. Case records are on the Twelfth Circuit public access portal.
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Will County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet. The court sits in the 12th Judicial Circuit.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Illinois intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Illinois estates take 9 months to 14 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Will County
What probate costs in Will County, Illinois comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court at 100 West Jefferson Street, Joliet. The court is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: The representative accounts within 30 days after one year from the issuance of letters, unless the court waives it; Will filing: free. Estate accounting: $25.00. Letters of Office: $2.00. Claims under $150: no fee; $150.01-$499.99: $20.00; $500-$9,999.99: $40.00; $10,000+: $60.00.
The Circuit Court charges $284705 ILCS 105/27.1b(a)(2) (Clerks of Courts Act, as last amended by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26); former 705 ILCS 105/27.3f repealed by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Illinois are negotiated, typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Illinois allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay755 ILCS 5/27-1 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Illinois requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under 755 ILCS 5/12-2 (bond required), 5/12-4 (security excused by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Illinois typically runs 9 months to 14 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Will County, Illinois are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 12th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for River Valley Justice Center.
The legal self-help center is in the law library on the third floor of the courthouse, which also has an e-filing kiosk and eight public computers. Library staff are not lawyers and give legal information only; scanning is free and copies are paid in cash.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
A proposed order is e-filed alone in its own envelope under the "Proposed Order for Judge" filing code.
The order goes to the judge who heard the case, dated the day it was heard, and an agreed order is filed no earlier than 72 hours before the hearing. The filer still gives notice of the order's entry to every party.
An inventory is filed with the circuit clerk and need not be presented in open court.
It describes each item of real and personal estate clearly enough to identify it. A claim based on a written instrument is filed with a copy of the instrument (Twelfth Circuit Rules 10.09 and 10.10).
Where letters of administration with the will annexed are sought, the will is admitted only after the notice the Probate Act requires. Supplemental proceedings, such as a will contest or construction, carry the estate's file number and are heard by the judge assigned to the estate (Twelfth Circuit Rules 10.03 and 10.06).
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Copy of the death certificate, which the Cook County Clerk asks for when the will is filed; the Probate Act and the court rules do not require one, and a plain copy serves; Original will and any codicils, filed with the clerk on paper (755 ILCS 5/6-1 "Immediately upon the death of the testator any person who has the testator's will in his possession shall file it with the clerk of the court of the proper county"; Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1) excepts original wills from e-filing entirely — they "may not be electronically filed")755 ILCS 5/6-2, 5/6-8 (admit will & issue letters testamentary); 755 ILCS 5/9-3, 5/9-4 (letters of administration & preference); 755 ILCS 5/12-2 to 12-5 (oath & bond); 755 ILCS 5/28-2 (independent administration); 755 ILCS 5/6-13, 5/9-1 (who may act)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Will County
In Illinois a death is registered locally, and in Will County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Will County Clerk's Office, Vital Records as well as by Illinois Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
County Clerk
Will County · Will County Clerk's Office, Vital Records
Will County Clerk's Office
Attn: Vital Records
302 North Chicago Street
Joliet, IL 60432
Fax
1-815-740-4699
Local rule
Most walk-in requests are filled within a few minutes, and an emailed request is paid by card over the phone. The Will County Health Department, where deaths are filed, also issues certified copies at 501 Ella Avenue in Joliet.
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Will County are recorded with the County Recorder at 158 North Scott Street, Joliet, IL 60432. Phone: 1-815-740-4637. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $90 flat, regardless of page count.
Will County accepts electronic recording through Hopdox, Indecomm, CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
Illinois allows independent administration755 ILCS 5/28-1, 5/28-2 (independent administration granted unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Illinois are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Will County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Joliet practice on North Chicago Street serving Will County families. Attorney Adam C. Gynac counsels executors through probate of a family member’s estate and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and special needs trusts, alongside minor guardianships and family law. Free consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipand 3 more
Naperville firm serving DuPage County and the western Chicago suburbs since 1979. Guides families through Illinois probate, where the court identifies heirs, appraises assets, pays valid debts, and distributes what remains, and prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Residential real estate and business formation round out the practice.
Aurora firm on West Galena Boulevard probating estates in Kane, Kendall, DuPage, Will, DeKalb, and Cook counties. Advises executors, administrators, and trustees through independent administration, trust reformation petitions, and estate and gift tax issues, and represents clients in will contests. Brings nearly 50 years of estate and farm succession planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
Office
2000 W. Galena Boulevard, Suite 209Aurora, IL 60506
Oakbrook Terrace firm serving DuPage, Cook, Will, and Kane counties. Represents trustees and named beneficiaries in opening, administering, and closing estates — probate court appearances, property management, final tax returns, small estates, and will contests. Attorneys Ausaf Farooqi and Naveed Husain also draft Islamic wills and trusts.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTax Planningand 3 more
Office
2 Trans Am Plaza Drive, Suite 160Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Naperville firm on South Washington Street serving DuPage County and Chicagoland since 1978. Handles estate administration, small estate administration with bond in lieu of surety, guardianships, and trust administration after a death, and drafts wills, revocable and special needs trusts, and transfer-on-death instruments.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 4 more
Office
552 S. Washington Street, Suite 100Naperville, IL 60540
Lisle practice on Warrenville Road serving DuPage County families, where Cindy Hutchins has twice chaired the DuPage County Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Committee. Represents executors, administrators, and beneficiaries in probate and handles will contests and contested trusts and estates. Adds Medicaid planning, special needs trusts, and adult and minor guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Illinois statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Illinois
Free tools for settling an estate in Illinois: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Illinois.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Illinois: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 days755 ILCS 5/14-1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Illinois happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code760 ILCS 3/101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 90 days760 ILCS 3/813.1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Enter the estate value to see Illinois attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Illinois lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
