What to Do When Someone Dies in Wicomico County, Maryland
Probate in Wicomico County runs through the Register of Wills: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Wicomico County, settling their estate runs through the Register of Wills. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate Court Record
Register of Wills
Wicomico County
Address
Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Room 102Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone
Fax
410-334-3440
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Paper filing availableWalk-ins acceptedSelf-filing allowed
Toll-free: 888-786-0018. Located in Courthouse. Mailing: PO Box 787, Salisbury, MD 21803-0787. Eastern Shore. Serving since November 1994.
Verified June 2, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Wicomico County
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 Wicomico County, probate runs through the Register of Wills at Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Room 102, Salisbury.
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 Maryland intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Maryland estates take 9 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 5-601Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to 12 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 5-601Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to move through this process. The 6 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 8-103Verified Jun 19, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Wicomico County
What probate costs in Wicomico County, Maryland 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 Register of Wills at Courthouse, 101 North Division Street, Room 102, Salisbury.
Local procedures at this court: Staff recommends calling ahead to discuss your situation so they can determine your needs before visiting in person. These are county-specific and not posted on the statewide court site.
Maryland charges $0 - $10,000+ (based on estate value)Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Maryland are negotiated, typically 2%Md. Est. & Trusts § 7-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to 4%Md. Est. & Trusts § 7-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is also statutory in Maryland. Family executors who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Maryland requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Md. Est. & Trusts § 6-102Verified Jun 19, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Maryland typically runs 9 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 5-601Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to 12 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 5-601Verified Jun 19, 2026View source, and costs accrue throughout. The 6 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 8-103Verified Jun 19, 2026View source creditor claim window is the single biggest driver of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of estate complexity.
How to File Probate at the Register of Wills
Probate cases in Wicomico County are filed at the Register of Wills. File in person during business hours or by mail.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Register of Wills is realistic.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Wicomico County Self-Filing Assessment.
Wicomico County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Staff recommends calling ahead to discuss your situation so they can determine your needs before visiting in person
SourceBefore You Go
Walk-ins accepted
You can file in person without an appointment. Staff available by phone M-F 8:30 AM-4:30 PM; call to discuss your situation so they can determine your needs before visiting.
What to Bring
To file at the Register of Wills you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Wicomico County
Clearing title to real estate after a death—recording a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order—happens at the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Recording Office Record
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Wicomico County
Address
101 North Division Street, Room 105Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
E-recording
Available via SimplifileE-recording info →
Recording fees
| Base recording fee | $60 |
baseRecordingFee of $60.00 is the all-in cost to record a typical deed of 9 pages or less: $20.00 recording fee (Real Property § 3-601) + $40.00 statewide surcharge on every recorded instrument (2020 Md. Laws ch. 538). An instrument of 10 pages or more (other than one solely involving a principal residence) is $75.00 + $40.00 surcharge = $115.00. A release of 9 pages or less is $10.00 + surcharge. Plats are $5.00 per page. There is no per-page fee for deeds. State recordation tax is collected by the Clerk at recording in most counties, but by the county treasurer in some (e.g., Frederick) prior to presentation.
Md. Code, Real Property § 3-601 (recording fee); 2020 Md. Laws ch. 538 ($40 surcharge)
Transfer tax
State recordation tax: rate is set by each county and Baltimore City (no single statewide rate), applied per $500 of consideration (Md. Code, Tax-Property § 12-103); e.g., Frederick County is $7.00 per $500. State transfer tax: 0.5% of consideration (Md. Code, Tax-Property § 13-203); first-time Maryland homebuyers pay 0.25%. State; Counties and Baltimore City set their own recordation tax rates and may impose additional county transfer taxes (Md. Code, Tax-Property § 12-103, § 13-203). Rates vary widely by jurisdiction; some counties (e.g., Frederick) impose no county transfer tax. local. Transfer-on-death deeds are generally exempt (No consideration exchanged at recording. Recordation tax (Md. Code, Tax-Property § 12-108 exemptions) and transfer tax (§ 13-207 exemptions) apply only when consideration is paid. A TOD deed recorded during the owner's lifetime involves no transfer of title or consideration, so these taxes do not apply at recording. Taxes may apply when the deed takes effect at death if applicable.). Maryland also imposes an agricultural land transfer tax in some jurisdictions (Md. Code, Tax-Property § 13-301 et seq.), which does not apply to TOD deed recordings since no conveyance occurs at the time of recording.
Verified June 3, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Wicomico County
Maryland uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Wicomico County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Maryland are based on reasonable compensation — typically 2%Md. Est. & Trusts § 7-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source to 4%Md. Est. & Trusts § 7-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Jun 19, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Wicomico County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Register of Wills, 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.
Eastern Shore Firms
Long Badger LLC
FirmLong Badger LLC (formerly Long Badger & Sheller LLP) in Salisbury, Maryland has extensive experience in the probate and estate administration process serving the Eastern Shore. Operating since 1969.
Location
124 East Main StreetSalisbury, MD 21801
Phone
(410) 749-2356
Established
1969
Service Area
4 counties
Estate PlanningProbate AdministrationWills TrustsTrust Administration
Visit site
MacDonald Law Office, LLC
FirmMacDonald Law Office offers estate planning and probate representation at offices in Salisbury and Ocean City and in probate courts throughout the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Both attorneys are former Wicomico County prosecutors.
Location
208 Calvert StreetSalisbury, MD 21801
Phone
(410) 348-7809
Service Area
3 counties
Estate PlanningProbate AdministrationWills Trusts
Free consultationVisit site
Marvel & Emche, P.A.
FirmMarvel & Emche, P.A. has over 60 years of combined experience and serves clients in Ocean City, Cambridge, and Princess Anne for wills and estate administration.
Location
108 E Market StreetSalisbury, MD 21801
Phone
(443) 335-2765
Service Area
4 counties
Estate PlanningWills TrustsProbate AdministrationTrust Administration
Visit site
Widdowson and Dashiell, P.A.
FirmWiddowson and Dashiell, P.A. in Salisbury handles preparation of simple wills to more complex estate planning including revocable trust agreements, advance medical directives and powers of attorney for the Eastern Shore.
Location
312 W Main Street, Suite A-SouthSalisbury, MD 21801
Phone
(410) 936-3683
Service Area
4 counties
Estate PlanningWills TrustsProbate AdministrationTrust Administration
Visit site
Statewide Practices
Shulman Rogers
FirmServes clients statewide from Potomac, with a second office in Baltimore. Its personal-services group handles trust and estate planning, estate and trust administration, probate, elder law, and guardianship across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Location
12505 Park Potomac Avenue, Floor 6Potomac, MD 20854
Phone
(301) 230-5200
Service Area
Statewide
Estate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate AdministrationElder LawGuardianship
Visit site
Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC
FirmServes Montgomery and Frederick counties from Rockville, with additional offices in Takoma Park and Frederick. Its Estates, Trusts & Probate group handles estate planning, estate and trust administration, and probate, along with pre- and post-nuptial agreements.
Location
1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700Rockville, MD 20852
Phone
(301) 340-2020
Service Area
Statewide
Estate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate AdministrationWills TrustsSpecial Needs Planning
Visit site
Stouffer Legal
FirmStouffer Legal is a law firm in Towson, Maryland focused on Estate Planning, Probate Administration and Elder Law including Probate, Asset Protection, and Medicaid support for Nursing Home services in and around Baltimore and Annapolis.
Location
658 Kenilworth Drive, Suite 203Towson, MD 21204
Phone
(443) 470-3599
Service Area
Statewide
Estate PlanningProbate AdministrationElder LawAsset ProtectionMedicaid Planning
Visit site
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.
Legal Sources
- Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 2-206(b)(2)
- Md. Est. & Trusts § 5-601
- Md. Est. & Trusts § 6-102
- Md. Est. & Trusts § 7-602 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- Md. Est. & Trusts § 8-103
Data sourced from Maryland statutes and official state code. How we research.
Frequently Asked Questions
You open probate by filing a petition with the Register of Wills in Wicomico County, attaching the original will (if any), the death certificate, and the filing fee (about $200). Once the court issues letters, the personal representative can act.
Total probate costs usually run 3–8% of the estate value. For Wicomico County, that means filing fees (about $200 to open), attorney fees, executor compensation, publication costs, and possibly a bond. The calculator on this page runs the math for your estate size.
Wicomico County typically requires in-person or mail filing for probate petitions. Check the court's website for the latest procedures — some counties have added e-filing for specific document types.
Not every estate needs one. Simple estates, small estates under the affidavit threshold, and states with informal probate can often be handled without counsel. Contested wills, out-of-state property, and business interests usually need an attorney. The Maryland self-filing assessment scores whether this estate can be handled without one.
A simple Maryland probate typically closes in 6–9 months; average estates run 9–12 months. The mandatory creditor-claim period accounts for much of that, so even uncontested estates rarely close quickly.
A revocable living trust skips probate entirely — no filing fee, no attorney schedule, no executor commission. The cost of setting up the trust is typically recovered many times over compared to what probate would cost the estate. Create a revocable trust online and keep the estate out of Wicomico County probate.
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
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