Appointment requiredThe office is open to the public by appointment only. Request one through the online appointment form, which asks for the decedent's details and a copy of the death certificate.
Self-represented filing
AllowedA lawyer is not required to probate an estate. The document library carries the will and administration information sheets and self-represented packets for Probate Part complaints, motions and guardianship motions.
Fax
1-201-795-5488
About the court
The office moved to Room 1-4000 of the Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex on July 15, 2026. It closes for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., and bilingual English and Spanish staff are available.
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 Hudson County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex, 24 Central Avenue, Room 1-4000, Jersey City.
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 Hudson County
What probate costs in Hudson 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 Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex, 24 Central Avenue, Room 1-4000, Jersey City.
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 Hudson 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.
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 file
With a will: the original death certificate of a Hudson County resident, the original will and any codicils, the information sheet, a photocopy of the executor's ID and the filing fee. Without a will: the original death certificate, an affidavit of assets, the information sheet, a photocopy of the applicant's ID, any renunciations or consents from next of kin, and the filing fee.
Record searches are booked in one-hour slots, one per searcher per day, and a late arrival keeps the original slot. Cell phones, photography, food and drink are not allowed in the computer area, and copies cost $3 a page.
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 Hudson County
In Hudson 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 Register of Deeds and Mortgages.
Deeds and other real property documents for Hudson County are recorded with the Register of Deeds and Mortgages at 257 Cornelison Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Phone: 1-201-395-4760. Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-2:00 PM (cashier's window).
The Register of Deeds and Mortgages charges $30 for the first page plus $10 for each additional page.
Hudson County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
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 Hudson 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.
Bogart Keane Ryan serves Hudson County executors and beneficiaries from Jersey City, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate's Court. The firm guides executors through probate, asset transfer, estate valuation, and estate tax payment, and litigates will contests to challenge or defend a will when beneficiaries dispute it. It also handles living trusts and guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Carolann M. Aschoff is a long-established Jersey City practice serving Hudson County, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate's Court in Jersey City. The office handles probate and estate administration for executors and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and guardianships.
Freeman Law Center serves Hudson County from Jersey City, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate's Court in Jersey City. The firm handles probate, will drafting, and will-contest litigation for executors and beneficiaries, along with living wills and powers of attorney. It offers free initial consultations, available weekdays, evenings, or weekends.
The Law Office of Frank Marciano serves Hudson County families from Hoboken, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate's Court in Jersey City. The practice handles probate of estates after death and intestate succession where there is no will, and drafts last wills, living wills, and living trusts structured to avoid probate.
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawSpecial Needs Planningand 2 more
A Jersey City-based firm serving Hudson County with a focus on estate planning, probate, and trust law. They create customized estate plans including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives.
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.
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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.
