Malone (Franklin County) firm serving the North Country for over 75 years, with offices in Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake. Handles probate administration and contested wills — undue influence, capacity and executor-misconduct disputes — and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies and special needs trusts. Estate consultations are free.
What to Do When Someone Dies in St. Lawrence County, New York
How probate works in St. Lawrence County: the Surrogate's Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
St. Lawrence County Surrogate's Court
St. Lawrence County · 4th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
St. Lawrence County Courthouse, 48 Court Street, Canton, NY 13617
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysE-filing through NYSCEF is mandatory for new probate, administration and voluntary administration proceedings commenced on or after May 26, 2021; adoptions and lifetime trusts are filed on paper, and guardianship e-filing is optional. A case begun on paper stays on paper to its end. Self-represented filers are exempt and may file on paper or choose to e-file. On paper: Self-represented filers; Adoption proceedings; Lifetime trusts; Guardianship proceedings (consensual).
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers may file on paper at the court.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCredit card.Card payment is made through NYSCEF at filing, with a 2.99% non-refundable card service fee, or the fee is paid at the court. A filing paid at the court is deleted if the fee is not paid within 10 days.
Fax
1-315-379-2372
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence County, probate runs through the Surrogate's Court at St. Lawrence County Courthouse, 48 Court Street, Canton. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District. St. Lawrence County uses webfiles.nycourts.gov for probate e-filing, while most New York counties file through iappscontent.courts.state.ny.us.
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 St. Lawrence County
What probate costs in St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence County Courthouse, 48 Court Street, Canton. 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 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 St. Lawrence County, New York are filed at the Surrogate's Court. The court sits in the 4th 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 St. Lawrence County Self-Filing Assessment.
St. Lawrence 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 a paper proceeding or another will is on file.
SourceRequest for Surrogate's Court Action as the first document
The Request for Surrogate's Court Action is the first document uploaded with each filing, as a stand-alone document, and a new one is prepared for each later filing. The return method for letters and certificates is marked on it.
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 death certificate within 2 business days
The original will or codicil and the attesting witnesses' affidavits are filed with the court within two business days of e-filing, or mailed with a postmark inside that window; the original death certificate follows the same rule. Staples stay in the will when it is scanned, or a staple affidavit is included.
SourceOther Requirements
Prepaid return envelopes kept on file
The court keeps a filer's prepaid self-addressed envelopes on file for returning requested documents. Letters and certificates are requested and paid for in advance through NYSCEF and are mailed.
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 Coroner in St. Lawrence County
In St. Lawrence 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
St. Lawrence 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
Coroner
St. Lawrence County · Coroner Program, St. Lawrence County Public Health Department
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
80 State Highway 310, Suite 2, Canton, NY 13617-1476
Website
Mail and offices
Fax
1-315-386-2744
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence County are recorded with the County Clerk at 48 Court Street, Canton, NY 13617. Phone: 1-315-379-2237. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The County Clerk charges $45 per document plus $5 for every page.
St. Lawrence County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN and Indecomm.
Recording Office Record
County Clerk
St. Lawrence County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
48 Court Street, Canton, NY 13617
Website
Fax
1-315-379-2302
Recording fees
| Document fee (per document) | $45 |
| Each page | $5 |
| TP-584 Combined Real Estate Transfer Tax ReturnNot required for a TOD deed | $5 |
| 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 |
| Residential Deed Owner-Notice Fee (RPL § 291)Required with most deeds | $10 |
| 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 St. Lawrence County
New York uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in St. Lawrence 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 St. Lawrence 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.
Canton firm working estates through the St. Lawrence County Surrogate's Court on Court Street, a block from its own office, with satellite offices in Massena and Gouverneur. The practice takes an executor from filing the petition and original will through Letters Testamentary, creditor and beneficiary notice, marshalling assets, the formal accounting, and final distribution, and handles will contests brought on capacity, undue influence or improper execution.
Watertown practice founded in 1985, serving Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in the North Country. Assists fiduciary clients with all aspects of estate and trust administration: preparing court documents, marshalling assets, opening bank accounts, bookkeeping, tax returns, accounting and closure. Home visits offered when needed.
Canton (St. Lawrence County) general practice founded in February 2022 by three attorneys with a long history in the town — Gerald J. Ducharme, Scott B. Goldie and Thomas R. Adams. Its wills, trusts and estates work covers drafting wills and trusts and representing clients in probate and the administration of estates, alongside real estate transactions, family law and municipal law.
Plattsburgh (Clinton County) general practice with over 35 years in the North Country. Handles probate and estate administration, wills and trusts, powers of attorney and guardianship, and real estate, alongside personal injury, workers' compensation, and Social Security disability.
Utica firm with offices in Boonville and Lowville whose post-death side handles probate and trust administration, staffed by a dedicated probate paralegal alongside the attorneys. Its planning side covers wills, powers of attorney and health care proxies, revocable and asset-protection trusts, nursing-home and Medicaid planning, tax planning, and special-needs planning. Partner Robert K. Hilton III has helped over 600 families protect assets or qualify for Medicaid and has prevailed in over 50 Medicaid fair hearings.
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
- St. Lawrence County Surrogate's Court, official page
- St. Lawrence County Clerk, official page
- St. Lawrence 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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