What to Do When Someone Dies in Fulton County, New York
Probate in Fulton County runs through the Surrogate's Court: 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 Fulton County, settling their estate runs through the Surrogate's Court. 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
Surrogate's Court
Fulton County · 4th Judicial District
Address
Fulton County Office Building, 223 West Main StreetJohnstown, NY 12095
Paper filing availableE-filing required for attorneysSelf-filing allowed
Accepted paymentCredit card. Credit card via NYSCEF (no administrative fee) or payment at the court. A filing is not complete until the fee is paid. Fees calculated under SCPA § 2402.
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 Fulton County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at Fulton County Office Building, 223 West Main Street, Johnstown. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District.
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 York intestacy law when there is no will.
Most New York estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. The 7 monthsSCPA § 1802Verified Sep 8, 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 Fulton County
What probate costs in Fulton County, New York 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 Fulton County Office Building, 223 West Main Street, Johnstown. The court is part of the 4th Judicial District.
New York charges $45 - $1,250 (based on estate value)N.Y. SCPA § 2402(1), (2), (7)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
E-filing is mandatory for attorneys filing at the Surrogate's Court (https://iappscontent.courts.state.ny.us/NYSCEF/live/protocols/surrogates/protocolFulton.pdf). Self-represented filers can request a paper-filing exemption.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in New York are negotiated, typically 2.5%SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is also statutory in New York. Family executors 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%SCPA §§ 710, 801, 805Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in New York typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Surrogate's Court
If you're handling probate yourself in Fulton County, New York, you can file at the Surrogate's Court in person or by mail. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys but families filing without one are exempt and can use paper forms. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person or by mail. While attorneys are required to e-file in Fulton County, families handling probate themselves are exempt and can file on paper.
E-Filing Also Available
If you prefer, you can file electronically through the state's online system. This is optional for families filing without an attorney.
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Surrogate's Court is realistic.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Request for Surrogate's Court Action required as first document
The Request for Surrogate's Court Action form must be the first document uploaded with each filing, filed as a stand-alone document. Prepare a new form for each subsequent filing.
Original will submitted directly with Affidavit of Comparison
E-file an Affidavit of Comparison with a copy of the original will and/or codicils attached. Original wills and codicils must be submitted directly to the court. Do not remove staples; if staples are removed, include an affidavit regarding their removal when filing the original.
Provide stamped self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for document returns. Without one, the court will direct pickup at the Clerk's Office during regular business hours.
Credit card. Credit card via NYSCEF (no administrative fee) or payment at the court. A filing is not complete until the fee is paid. Fees calculated under SCPA § 2402.
What to Bring
To file at the Surrogate's Court 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 Fulton 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 County Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Fulton County are recorded with the County Clerk, led by County Clerk Leisa D'Amore, at 223 W. Main Street, Johnstown, NY 12095. Phone: (518) 736-5555. Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM; no recordings after 4:30 PM. July & August: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM; no recordings after 3:30 PM.
The County Clerk charges $45 per document plus $5 for every page.
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Fulton 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 New York are based on reasonable compensation — typically 2.5%SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Fulton 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.
Utica (Oneida County) firm handling probates and trust administration — proving the will and distributing property and assets under the will through a court-supervised process it puts at seven months to several years, and following a trust's instructions after the grantor's death without court oversight. Also covers wills and trusts, powers of attorney and health care proxies, Medicaid and long-term-care planning, and special-needs planning and guardianships for adults with a disability.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 4 more
Glens Falls firm on Warren Street serving Warren, Washington, Fulton, and Montgomery counties, working clients through probate to appointment as executor or administrator, settling the estate's debts, and distributing assets. Also drafts wills and trusts and handles real estate for the southern Adirondack region. Before New York's courts since 1977.
Capital Region trusts and estates practice in Latham, with offices in New York City, Garden City, Hudson and Lake Placid and more than 280 years of combined attorney experience. Handles estate and trust administration, probate, estate and trust litigation, guardianship under Article 81 and 17-A, Medicaid and special needs planning, and tax planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationTrust Litigationand 5 more
Binghamton (Broome County) general-practice firm on Front Street handling probate alongside civil litigation, real estate, banking and credit union law, commercial transactions, and labor relations. Represents business, banking, institutional and individual clients across New York State and in Pennsylvania. Holds an AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Binghamton (Broome County) firm tracing its lineage to 1898, with seven New York offices from Ithaca to Walton. Its trusts, estates and elder law group counsels executors, administrators and trustees through estate and trust administration, obtains Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration, and litigates disputed executor appointments in Surrogate's Court.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 8 more
New York elder law and estate planning firm working from twelve offices — Albany, five on Long Island, three in the Mid-Hudson Valley, New City and White Plains, and Staten Island. Guides executors and families through probate and estate administration, and handles trusts built to keep an estate out of Surrogate's Court, Medicaid asset protection, Medicaid applications and estate tax savings. Nine lawyers and seventeen paralegals and support staff, practicing since 1991; consultations are no-cost, virtual or in person, and the firm takes uncontested probate only.
PracticesEstate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateand 5 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.
Living trust assets, and accounts with a named beneficiary or surviving joint owner. These skip probate; some states charge the court fee only on what remains.
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Probate fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value, or net property after debts. This calculator provides educational estimates only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Actual costs vary significantly by county, attorney, and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
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Fulton County Guides
Step-by-step tools for families in Fulton County, New York.
