Rose & Zucker serves Hudson County from Bayonne, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate at 595 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, with a second office in Summit for Union and Essex County clients. The firm walks executors and successor trustees through probate and estate administration and pairs it with Medicaid applications, asset protection, and special needs planning.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Essex County, New Jersey
How probate works in Essex County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Essex County Surrogate's Court
Essex County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
495 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Newark, NJ 07102
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe office posts its probate, administration and trust forms on its Wills & Estates page; call or visit the office to learn which forms a situation needs. It does not provide self-represented forms for guardianship of an incapacitated adult.
Fax
1-973-621-2647
About the court
- Bilingual English and Spanish staff are on site. Adult guardianship records are confidential and are not public records.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Essex 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 Essex County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 495 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Newark.
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 New Jersey intestacy law when there is no will.
Most New Jersey estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 9 monthsN.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the date of death.
What Probate Costs in Essex County
What probate costs in Essex County, New Jersey 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 Surrogate's Court at 495 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Newark.
New Jersey charges $100N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30Verified Oct 17, 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 New Jersey are negotiated, typically 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): 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.
New Jersey sets executor compensation by statute — about $20,500 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 4.1%N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
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 N.J.S.A. 3B:15-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in New Jersey typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Surrogate's Court
Probate cases in Essex County are filed at the Surrogate's Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
New Jersey has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Essex County Self-Filing Assessment.
Essex County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
What to bring to probate a will
Bring photo identification, a certified copy of the death certificate and the original will, together with the executor it appoints. The office keeps the original will and gives the executor a copy once it is probated.
SourceRecords Access
Records request fees
A written search for an estate or will costs $10 per name, paid by check or money order to "Essex County Surrogate's Court", and copies of a found file cost $3 a page. Searching in person in the Surrogate's vault is free, and public computers for searching the records (other than adoption and guardianship cases) are available during business hours.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Surrogate's Court: Original will and any codicils (lodged with the Surrogate for probate); Certificate of death, or other competent proof of death — the requirement may be dispensed with for good cause, and does not apply to an application for substitutionary letters (County Surrogates in practice ask for a certified copy with a raised seal); Application identifying the heirs / next of kin and persons entitled to letters, with their addresses and relationshipsN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17 (probate of will & grant of letters), 3B:3-22 (10-day wait), 3B:10-1, 3B:10-2, 3B:10-13 (letters of administration)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Essex County
In Essex County certified copies of the death certificate come from the Local Registrar of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry.
Vital Records Office Record
New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
Essex County · State vital records office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM (except state holidays)
Office
140 East Front Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Website
Certified copies
From the Local Registrar of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New Jersey Department of Health - Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
Vital Record Mail Services
Attn: New Jersey Vital Records
P.O. Box 222130
El Paso, TX 79913
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $2 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
District Medical Examiner
Essex County · Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Office
325 Norfolk Street, Newark, NJ 07103
Website
Serves this county
Northern Regional Medical Examiner Office (Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties)
Release of remains
1-973-648-4500 · 24-hour line · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Essex County
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 Register of Deeds and Mortgages.
Deeds and other real property documents for Essex County are recorded with the Register of Deeds and Mortgages at Hall of Records, Room 130, 465 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Newark, NJ 07102. Phone: 1-973-621-4960. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (last transaction 4:15 PM).
The Register of Deeds and Mortgages charges $30 for the first page plus $10 for each additional page.
Essex County accepts electronic recording through the New Jersey County Recording portal.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds and Mortgages
Essex County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (last transaction 4:15 PM)
Office
Hall of Records, Room 130, 465 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Newark, NJ 07102
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $30 |
| Each additional page | $10 |
| Deed Abstract FeeRequired with most deeds | $10 |
| RTF-1 Affidavit of Consideration for Use by Seller | $10 |
| RTF-1EE Affidavit of Consideration for Graduated Percent Fee | $10 |
| GIT/REP-1, GIT/REP-3, GIT/REP-4 Seller's Residency Certification / ExemptionRequired with most deeds | $10 |
| County Homelessness Housing Trust Fund SurchargeRequired with most deeds | $5 |
| Missing Cover Sheet / Electronic Synopsis Fee | $20 |
| Indexing Fee (names beyond 5) | $6 |
N.J.S.A. 22A:4-4.1 (L.1965, c.123, s.2; last amended L.2007, c.144)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Essex County
New Jersey allows independent administrationN.J.S.A. 3B:14-23 (fiduciary powers without court authorization); 3B:16-2 (inventory only if the court requires it); 3B:17-2 (accounting only if required)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 New Jersey are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask an Essex County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Surrogate's 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.
Brach Eichler's trusts and estates practice, based in Roseland in Essex County, advises individuals and business owners on inter-generational wealth transfer, business succession, and estate and gift tax planning. The group also handles estate and trust administration for executors and trustees throughout northern New Jersey.
CSG Law is a New Jersey and New York firm headquartered in Roseland in Essex County. Its Trusts & Estates group advises business owners and families on estate and succession planning and wealth preservation, and handles probate and trust and estate administration for executors and trustees.
Connell Foley's Taxation and Estate Planning team works from the firm's Roseland home office in Essex County, with a second Bergen County office in Hackensack and two in Jersey City. The group handles estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable planning, and related tax matters, and litigates disputes between beneficiaries and fiduciaries. Partner Anthony F. Vitiello leads it.
Lasser Hochman is a Roseland firm founded in 1954 serving Essex County and northern New Jersey. Its estate planning and administration attorneys handle wills and trusts, probate and estate administration, and related tax planning, drawing on the firm's depth in real property and taxation.
Mandelbaum Barrett, founded in 1930 and based in Roseland in Essex County, expanded through its January 2026 merger with Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara. Its trusts and estates attorneys handle estate planning, estate and trust administration, elder law, and asset-protection matters for New Jersey families.
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
(10)·
- N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30
- N.J.S.A. 3B:14-23 (fiduciary powers without court authorization); 3B:16-2 (inventory only if the court requires it); 3B:17-2 (accounting only if required)
- N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14
- N.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-17 (probate of will & grant of letters), 3B:3-22 (10-day wait), 3B:10-1, 3B:10-2, 3B:10-13 (letters of administration)
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)
- N.J.S.A. 22A:4-4.1 (L.1965, c.123, s.2; last amended L.2007, c.144)
- Essex County Surrogate's Court, official page
- Essex County Register of Deeds and Mortgages, official page
- Essex County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from New Jersey 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 New Jersey
Free tools for settling an estate in New Jersey: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in New Jersey: creditors have 9 monthsN.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33Verified 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 New Jersey happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeN.J.S.A. 3B:31-1 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
New Jersey has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not availableN.J.S.A. 3B:3-17, 3B:3-19; 2B:14-1 (Surrogate is the Judge and Clerk of the Surrogate's Court — no non-judicial/registrar track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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