How probate works in Logan County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Logan County
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About the court
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Logan County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 101 South Main Street, Bellefontaine.
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 Ohio intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Ohio estates take 9 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 monthsR.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the date of death.
What probate costs in Logan County, Ohio 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 Probate Court at 101 South Main Street, Bellefontaine.
Ohio's statute caps the general advance deposit at $125, but each county probate court sets its own full-administration deposit on top of itemized fees and special-fund surcharges, commonly $200 to $300. Cuyahoga asks $250, Hamilton $260, Summit $275 and Franklin $125 with $250 recommended. The deposit is drawn down as costs accrueORC § 2101.16 (as amended by HB 96, 136th GA, eff. 9/30/2025)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Ohio are negotiated, typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (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.
Ohio sets executor compensation by statute — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 3.0%ORC § 2113.35Verified 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 ORC §§ 2109.04, 2109.09Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Ohio typically runs 9 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate cases in Logan County are filed at the Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Family Court Main Line, Court Assignment Commissioner, and Fiscal Office.
In Ohio, informal probate is not availableORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)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 Logan County Self-Filing Assessment.
Filed with the opening petition at the Probate Court: Certified copy of the death certificate (standard county Probate Court filing requirement); If there is a will: the original will plus a SEPARATE Application to Probate Will (Form 2.0) [R.C. 2107.11, 2107.18, 2107.19] — the will must be admitted before letters testamentary can issue (R.C. 2113.05), and Form 4.0 only offers the checkbox "Decedent's Will has been admitted to probate in this Court"; Application for Authority to Administer Estate (Form 4.0), with the names/addresses of the surviving spouse and next of kin and a statement of estate value (R.C. 2113.07)R.C. 2113.05/2113.06 (grant of letters); R.C. 2109.02, 2109.07 (acceptance & application for authority); R.C. 2113.07 (application contents); Ohio Civ.R. 73.2 (standard probate forms), 73.11 (application for letters of authority; notice)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Ohio a death is registered locally, and in Logan County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Logan County Health District, Vital Statistics as well as by Ohio Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Logan County · Logan County Health District, Vital Statistics
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| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Logan County · Logan County Coroner
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Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
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 Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Logan County are recorded with the County Recorder at 100 South Madriver Street, Bellefontaine, OH 43311. Phone: 1-937-599-7201. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $34 for the first 2 pages plus $8 for each page beyond 2.
Recording Office Record
Logan County
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Recording fees
| Base fee (first 2 pages) | $34 |
| Each page beyond 2 | $8 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
ORC 317.32(A)(1); ORC 317.36(A)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Ohio uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Logan 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 Ohio are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Logan County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate 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.
FirmBellefontaine, OH
Smith, Smith, Montgomery & Chamberlain has served the Bellefontaine and Logan County area since 1932. The firm handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, real estate, and business law. Multiple generations of attorneys have practiced at the firm over its 93-year history.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmMansfield, OH
Brown, Bemiller, Murray & Haring provides legal representation to clients in Richland County and North Central Ohio in probate and estate planning, covering wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, guardianships, conservatorships, estate litigation, will contests, and federal estate tax preparation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianship
FirmSidney, OH
Elsass, Wallace, Evans & Co. has served Shelby County and the Sidney area for over 40 years with estate and financial planning, probate and trust administration, and tax law. Both named partners hold perfect Martindale-Hubbell 5.0/5.0 ratings, and the firm has been repeatedly voted Best Law Firm by Sidney Daily News readers.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planning
Solo PracticeBucyrus, OH
Eyer Law serves families throughout Crawford County and North Central Ohio with estate planning, elder law, probate, and Medicaid planning. Attorney Tani Eyer specializes in helping clients protect assets from Medicaid spend-down requirements.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawGuardianshipand 2 more
FirmAshland, OH
Kick & Gilman serves Ashland County from offices in Ashland and Loudonville. The firm focuses on estate planning, Medicaid planning, asset protection, and estate administration, helping individuals, families, and businesses build and protect their assets. Voted Best Law Firm in Ashland County 2025.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateAsset ProtectionMedicaid Planning
FirmMount Vernon, OH
Kidwell, Cunningham & Abrams serves Knox and Morrow counties from offices in Mount Vernon and Marengo. The firm handles estate planning, probate, real estate closings, title services, and small business formation. Founded in 2004, the practice has grown through partner additions.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
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 Ohio statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Ohio: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Ohio.
Settling an estate in Ohio: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysR.C. §§ 2115.02, 2115.06, 2113.69Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsR.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
Settling a trust in Ohio happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeORC § 5801.01 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysR.C. §§ 5808.13, 5810.05Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
In Ohio, informal probate is not availableORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Browse vetted Ohio attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Ohio attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
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.
Enter the estate value to see whether Ohio 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.
