Heban, Murphree & Lewandowski combines over 100 years of collective expertise in probate, estate planning, and litigation. Founded in 2010, the firm serves clients throughout northwest Ohio from Rossford, handling probate administration, estate litigation, wills and trusts, and inheritance disputes. Licensed in both Ohio and Michigan.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Lucas County, Ohio
How probate works in Lucas County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Lucas County Probate Court
Lucas County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
700 Adams Street, Suite 200, Toledo, OH 43604
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalThe court accepts email filings sent to info@lucasprobate.org and fax filings to 419-213-4764 as originals, including signatures (Local Rule 5.3). Initial case filings are filed as originals with payment of the costs, and accounts may be emailed, faxed or dropped off. On paper: Initial case filings, which are filed as originals with the costs.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court posts its forms by case type, including estate, relief from administration and will forms. The court's Public Education Program videos are on its website.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order.Costs for an initial case filing are paid by cash, check or money order. Marriage license applications are made online and paid by debit or credit card.
Fax
1-419-213-4764
Departments
- Marriage License1-419-213-4750 · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM and 1:30 PM-4:00 PMThe marriage counter takes in-person visits from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays.
About the court
- The court is on the second floor at 700 Adams St. It does not call about warrants or ask for payment over the phone.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Lucas 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 Lucas County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 700 Adams Street, Suite 200, Toledo. Probate e-filing in Lucas County goes through lucasprobate.org, a county-specific system.
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 Lucas County
What probate costs in Lucas 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 700 Adams Street, Suite 200, Toledo.
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.
How to File Probate at the Probate Court
Probate documents in Lucas County can be filed in person at the Probate Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available. Electronic probate filing sets Lucas County apart — only at least 32 Ohio counties accept it, with the rest filing on paper.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Marriage License.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
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 Lucas County Self-Filing Assessment.
Lucas 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
Pleadings that open a new case or require payment of court costs are filed by 4:15 p.m.
SourceDocument Requirements
If the death certificate is not reasonably available at the initial estate filing, a published obituary or a funeral home letter stating the date of death and the decedent's residence address may accompany the application. The death certificate is still filed once available, and no assets are distributed or transferred before it is filed without a specific court order.
SourceWhat to Bring
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.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Lucas County
In Ohio a death is registered locally, and in Lucas County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, Office of Vital Statistics as well as by Ohio Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Lucas County · Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, Office of Vital Statistics
Phone
1-419-213-4100 (ext. 5)
Hours
Monday-Wednesday 8:00 AM-3:45 PM; Thursday 9:00 AM-3:45 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-3:45 PM
Office
635 North Erie Street, Toledo, OH 43604
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Order online
Fax
1-419-213-4621
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Lucas County · Lucas County Coroner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
2595 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43614
Website
Release of remains
1-419-245-3142 · After hours: Toledo Police Department, ask for the investigator
Mail and offices
Fax
1-419-213-3941
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Lucas 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 Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Lucas County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1 Government Center, Suite 700, Toledo, OH 43604. Phone: 1-419-213-4400. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Recorder charges $39 for the first 2 pages plus $8 for each page beyond 2.
Lucas County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Lucas County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1 Government Center, Suite 700, Toledo, OH 43604
Website
E-recording
Fax
1-419-213-4284
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 2 pages) | $39 |
| Each page beyond 2 | $8 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
ORC 317.32(A)(1)(a)-(b); ORC 317.36(A); Lucas County Recorder fee notice (April 1, 2026)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Lucas County
Ohio uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Lucas 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 Lucas 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.
Serves Toledo and northwest Ohio, including Lucas, Wood, and Fulton counties. The trusts and estates group prepares wills, trusts, and guardianships, and on the settlement side assists executors with collecting, valuing, and distributing estate assets and defends beneficiary rights in Ohio probate court. Founded 1991.
Mockensturm, Ltd. is a team of attorneys and CPAs providing business- and tax-related legal services throughout the Toledo area and northern Ohio. Founded in 1999 by Mark Mockensturm, the firm brings combined legal and accounting expertise to estate planning, probate, trusts, and tax matters.
Eastman & Smith is among the oldest companies in Toledo and one of the oldest law firms in Ohio, founded in 1844. Their Estate Planning, Trust and Probate attorneys provide estate planning, charitable planned giving, probate administration, trust administration, and business succession planning services.
Semro Henry is an estate planning and probate firm in Toledo serving Northwest Ohio. The firm includes two OSBA Board Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law and serves clients across Ohio and Michigan.
Middleton Law Offices has served families in northwestern Ohio from Bowling Green for over 100 years. Three generations of Middleton attorneys have practiced at the firm. The firm focuses on estate planning, probate avoidance, elder law, and residential and commercial real estate, serving Wood, Henry, Lucas, and Hancock counties.
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)·
- ORC § 2101.16 (as amended by HB 96, 136th GA, eff. 9/30/2025)
- ORC § 2113.35
- ORC §§ 2107.18, 2113.05 (probate court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk track)
- R.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25
- 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)
- ORC 317.32(A)(1)(a)-(b); ORC 317.36(A); Lucas County Recorder fee notice (April 1, 2026)
- Lucas County Probate Court, official page
- Lucas County Recorder, official page
- Lucas County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Ohio 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 Ohio
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.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
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.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
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.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
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.
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