Rye Brook (Westchester County) firm serving Westchester, Putnam and Rockland families, including Carmel and Brewster. Handles probate administration, estate administration, trust administration and guardianship, alongside wills, trusts, Medicaid and long-term-care planning, and special-needs planning. Its two founders hold nearly six decades of combined experience.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Rockland County, New York
How probate works in Rockland County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Rockland County Surrogate's Court
Rockland County · 9th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
1 South Main Street, New City, NY 10956
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory when the filer has a lawyer, for new probate, administration, small estate, accounting and miscellaneous proceedings; guardianship e-filing is optional. A case begun on paper stays on paper unless the clerk directs otherwise. Self-represented filers are exempt and may file on paper or choose to e-file. On paper: Self-represented filers; Guardianship proceedings (consensual); Bonds and instruments for recording (filed on paper).
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers may file on paper at the court.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCredit card, Check.Card payment is made through NYSCEF at filing, or the fee is paid at the court; a filing paid at the court is deleted if the fee is not paid within 5 business days. Bonds and instruments for recording are paid by check delivered with the original.
County forms
- 9JD Surrogate's Court Forms and E-Filing InformationForms for the Ninth Judicial District Surrogate's Courts, including sample wrongful death petitions, the small estate checklist and each county's e-filing protocol.
Fax
1-914-358-8067
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Rockland 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 Rockland County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at 1 South Main Street, New City. The court sits in the 9th Judicial District. The same 9th Judicial District also serves Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Westchester.
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. Creditors have 7 monthsSCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in Rockland County
What probate costs in Rockland 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 1 South Main Street, New City. The court is part of the 9th Judicial District.
New York charges $45 - $1,250 (based on estate value)N.Y. SCPA § 2402(1), (2), (7)Verified 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 York are negotiated, typically 2.5%Modeled estimate under SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 4%Modeled estimate under SCPA § 2110 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): 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 York sets executor compensation by statute — about $19,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.8%SCPA § 2307Verified 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 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
Probate cases in Rockland County, New York are filed at the Surrogate's Court. The court sits in the 9th Judicial District.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In New York, informal probate is not availableSCPA § 1408 (court must inquire into all facts before admitting a will to probate)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Rockland County Self-Filing Assessment.
Rockland 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
Search NYSCEF for the decedent before filing
Before an initial filing, run a NYSCEF search on the decedent's last name with the first initial, and call the court to ask whether another will is on file for safekeeping.
SourceInitiating document for probate with trusteeship or preliminary letters
A probate petition that also asks for letters of trusteeship, or for preliminary letters testamentary, is filed with "probate petition" as the initiating document. Choosing "probate petition with testamentary trust" adds a fee, and a "preliminary probate" initiating document is removed.
SourceNo Request for Surrogate's Court Action
The Request for Surrogate's Court Action is not filed in Rockland County.
SourceBonds and recorded instruments go on paper
An original bond, or an original instrument for recording, is delivered to the court with a check for the filing fee rather than e-filed; an instrument for recording also needs a self-addressed stamped envelope. The court uploads each to NYSCEF once signed or recorded.
SourceCase name entered as signed on the will
The case name is entered exactly as the signature on the will, without punctuation or spaces. A different name on the death certificate is entered as an AKA.
SourceDocument Requirements
Original will and certified death certificate within 3 business days
The original will is scanned without removing the staples, and the paper original is delivered within three business days of e-filing with a copy of the e-filing confirmation. The certified death certificate follows the same rule; a proceeding may be dismissed if either is not submitted.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Surrogate's Court: Death certificate — one must be filed on any application for letters testamentary, letters of administration, or voluntary administration; alternate evidence of death may be accepted in the court's discretion (22 NYCRR 207.15(b)); Original will and any codicils (filed with the Petition for Probate) (SCPA Art. 14); Estimate of gross estate value (personal and real property, gross rents for 18 months, and any wrongful-death/personal-injury cause of action) in the petition (22 NYCRR 207.16(a)(2))N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act Art. 14 (§§ 1401-1424, probate; § 1402 who may propound will/contents of petition; § 1414 letters testamentary); Art. 10 (§ 1001 et seq., administration); Art. 13 (§§ 1301-1312, small estate)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Rockland County
In Rockland County certified copies of the death certificate come from the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section.
Vital Records Office Record
New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section
Rockland County · State vital records office
Phone
Website
Certified copies
From the Registrar of Vital Statistics of the town or city where the death occurred, or from New York State Department of Health - Vital Records Section
New York State Department of Health
Vital Records Certification Unit
P.O. Box 2602
Albany, NY 12220-2602
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $30 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Rockland County · Rockland County Medical Examiner, Department of Health
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Rockland 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 Rockland County are recorded with the County Clerk at 1 South Main Street, Suite 100, New City, NY 10956. Phone: 1-845-638-5070. Hours: Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM-6:00 PM; Friday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Clerk charges $45 per document plus $5 for every page.
Rockland County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC and ePN.
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
Rockland County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM-6:00 PM; Friday 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
1 South Main Street, Suite 100, New City, NY 10956
Website
E-recording
Fax
1-845-638-5647
Recording fees
| Document fee (per document) | $45 |
| Each page | $5 |
| TP-584 Combined Real Estate Transfer Tax ReturnNot required for a TOD deed | $6 |
| RP-5217 Real Property Transfer Report (Residential/Agricultural)Not required for a TOD deed | $125 |
| RP-5217 Real Property Transfer Report (Commercial/Other)Not required for a TOD deed | $250 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
CPLR § 8021(a)(4) (county-adjustable); RPL § 333(3)(ii) (RP-5217 filing fee); county-published fee schedules
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Rockland County
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Rockland 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, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Rockland 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.
New City firm handling Rockland County probate and administration proceedings in the Surrogate's Court, where an executor is appointed under a will or an administrator when someone dies intestate. Also carries trust planning and administration, guardianship petitions for incapacitated adults, and Medicaid asset-protection trusts. Charles G. Davis is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation.
White Plains firm serving Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. Submits a recently deceased relative's estate for probate or administration in the Surrogate's Court and carries the transfer of assets through, then litigates will contests and other estate disputes, using alternative dispute resolution where a probate fight would drain the estate. Drafts wills, powers of attorney, health care proxies and living wills alongside the firm's employment and civil-rights practice.
Nyack general practice serving Rockland, Dutchess, and Westchester, whose wills and probate side guides executors and administrators through settling an estate and shields the fiduciary from personal liability. Handles intestate administrations, where the fiduciary allocates real and personal property by statute, and probate disputes, including offering a copy of a lost will for probate under SCPA 1407.
Brewster firm representing Lower Hudson Valley families across Putnam, Dutchess, Westchester and Rockland counties. Carries executors and administrators through every stage of estate administration — the probate court filings, the deadlines and the disputes among beneficiaries — and litigates will disputes and accounting disputes, alongside Article 81 guardianship petitions and trust administration for trustees. Principal Andres D. Gil is a combat veteran and former assistant district attorney.
Orangeburg firm representing Rockland and Orange County executors and administrators through the Surrogate's Court, with a second office in Suffern. Handles heirship searches, the inventory of assets, liquidating a decedent's house, distributing to heirs and filing the estate accounting, and defends fiduciaries accused of breach of duty. Consultations are free and the office has Spanish-speaking staff.
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
(9)·
- N.Y. SCPA § 2402(1), (2), (7)
- N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act Art. 14 (§§ 1401-1424, probate; § 1402 who may propound will/contents of petition; § 1414 letters testamentary); Art. 10 (§ 1001 et seq., administration); Art. 13 (§§ 1301-1312, small estate)
- SCPA § 1408 (court must inquire into all facts before admitting a will to probate)
- SCPA § 2307
- SCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5
- CPLR § 8021(a)(4) (county-adjustable); RPL § 333(3)(ii) (RP-5217 filing fee); county-published fee schedules
- Rockland County Surrogate's Court, official page
- Rockland County Clerk, official page
- Rockland County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from New York 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 York
Free tools for settling an estate in New York: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for New York.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in New York: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 270 days22 NYCRR 207.20Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 7 monthsSCPA 1802, 1803, 1810, 1811; EPTL 11-1.5Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 7 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in New York happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteN.Y. EPTL Article 7Verified 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?
In New York, informal probate is not availableSCPA § 1408 (court must inquire into all facts before admitting a will to probate)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Get the Answer
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