Appointment requiredIn-person business is by appointment only; call 856-853-3282 to schedule and arrive on time. Papers may also be mailed, and original documents may be left in the secure drop box near the rear entrance.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe New Estate Information Form can be emailed, mailed or faxed to the office before the appointment, with a copy of the death certificate and the will. The forms page also carries the caveat, renunciation, notice of probate and refunding bond forms.
Accepted payment
At the counterCash, Check, Credit card.Visa, Mastercard and Discover, check or cash. Checks are payable to "The Gloucester County Surrogate", and a returned check carries a $20 processing fee.
Mail
P.O. Box 177
Woodbury, NJ 08096
Fax
1-856-853-3311
Departments
Document searches1-856-853-3286Document search appointments are scheduled in two-hour intervals, and searchers follow the Surrogate's public search policy.
About the court
TTY: 856-232-9543. Parking for the office is in the lot behind the building near Woodbury High School; the lot closest to the building is reserved for court staff, and accessible spaces are near the rear entrance.
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 Gloucester County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 17 North Broad Street, Woodbury.
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 Gloucester County
What probate costs in Gloucester 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 17 North Broad Street, Woodbury.
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 Gloucester County are filed at the Surrogate's Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Document searches.
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.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Waiting periods after the death
A will may be offered for probate any time after the death, but the Surrogate cannot issue a short certificate until the eleventh day after it. Administration cannot be issued until the sixth day after the death, though the process can start sooner.
Bring the original will and any codicils, the original death certificate with its raised seal, government identification, a form of payment, the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and immediate next of kin, and a list and value of the assets in the decedent's name alone.
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 Gloucester County
In Gloucester 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
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
Mail
Vital Record Mail Services
Attn: New Jersey Vital Records
P.O. Box 222130
El Paso, TX 79913
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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Gloucester County are recorded with the County Clerk at 1 North Broad Street, Woodbury, NJ 08096. Phone: 1-856-853-3237. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 129, Woodbury, NJ 08096.
The County Clerk charges $30 for the first page plus $10 for each additional page.
Gloucester County accepts electronic recording through ERXchange.
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 a Gloucester 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.
Bookbinder Law is a Marlton elder law and estate planning practice serving Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Mercer counties, founded in 1996 by Dana E. Bookbinder, a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation. The firm assists executors and families with probate and estate administration, special needs planning, and guardianships across South Jersey.
Flanagan Law offers customized wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and probate services throughout Southern New Jersey. Founder Brian T. Flanagan also runs a Chapter 7 bankruptcy practice, and the firm's free consultations are stated for bankruptcy matters only.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrustsWills
Office
1120 South Main Street, Suite AWilliamstown, NJ 08094
Price & Price is a father-and-son elder law and estate planning firm founded in 1973 in Haddonfield. With over 50 years of experience, the firm focuses on elder law matters and serves clients across seven South Jersey counties. Carl Ahrens Price is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and Casey Price holds a Master of Laws in Taxation.
Puff, Sierzega & MacFeeters has served Gloucester and Camden County families from Woodbury since 1978, a short walk from the Gloucester County Surrogate. Jeffrey V. Puff leads an estate group that handles estate administration and probate, will and trust disputes, executor and power-of-attorney roles, and special needs and disability planning. The firm also keeps offices in Pitman and Haddonfield.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateTrust LitigationElder Lawand 2 more
Simeone & Raynor is a Cherry Hill firm in Camden County, with a second office in Medford, serving South Jersey. The firm handles estate planning, estate administration, and estate litigation, and its attorneys routinely appear in probate courts and serve as court-appointed administrators across the region.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
Bratton Law Group focuses exclusively on elder law, estate planning, life care planning, asset protection, and Medicaid planning. The firm's attorneys and care coordinators work together to identify both legal issues and care needs for clients and their families throughout South Jersey.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 3 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 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.
Enter the estate value to see New Jersey 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.
$
See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether New Jersey 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.
