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What to Do When Someone Dies in Scioto County, Ohio
How probate works in Scioto County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Scioto County Probate Court
Scioto County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
602 7th Street, Room 201, Portsmouth, OH 45662
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys file probate cases only through the court's CourtView eFiling system, after registering on the eServices site (Local Rule 37.2). A new case filed electronically is paid by credit card in the system, and the original will is still delivered to the court. Self-represented filers present original documents in person or by mail, since the court does not accept other filings by fax or internet (Local Rule 37.1). On paper: Self-represented filers file on paper; Original wills are delivered to the court.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-representation is permitted under Local Rule 75, and a self-represented filer signs and files a self-representation acknowledgement (FC Form 75.1) with the initial filings. The judge, magistrate and employees do not give legal advice or select or prepare forms, and the court does not answer legal questions in person, by phone or by email.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.The court accepts cash, check, money order, credit card or debit card for any fee, and card payments carry an added fee from the payment processor (Local Rule 32.1).
Fax
1-740-353-9453
Departments
- Marriage License1-740-355-8360 · 602 7th Street, Room 201 · Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-3:30 PMMarriage licenses are issued by appointment only, and only the two applicants attend.
- Juvenile Court1-740-355-8306 · juvenilecourt@sciotojpc.net
About the court
- The Probate Court is the Probate Division of the Scioto County Court of Common Pleas, in Room 201 at 602 Seventh Street, and is closed on all major holidays. File-stamped copies are returned by mail only when copies and a postage-paid, self-addressed envelope are provided.
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Scioto 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 Scioto County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 602 7th Street, Room 201, Portsmouth. Scioto County runs probate e-filing through sciotocountycpcourt.org, its own system rather than a shared statewide portal.
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 Scioto County
What probate costs in Scioto 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 602 7th Street, Room 201, Portsmouth.
The Probate Court charges $200ORC § 2101.16 (as amended by HB 96, 136th GA, eff. 9/30/2025)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. 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 cases in Scioto County, Ohio are filed at the Probate Court. It is one of at least 6 Ohio counties where probate e-filing is mandatory rather than optional.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Marriage License and Juvenile Court.
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 Scioto County Self-Filing Assessment.
What 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 Scioto County
In Ohio a death is registered locally, and in Scioto County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Scioto County Health Department, Vital Statistics as well as by Ohio Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Scioto County · Scioto County Health Department, Vital Statistics
Phone
1-740-355-8358 (option 1)
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
612 6th Street, Suite D, Portsmouth, OH 45662
Website
Fax
1-740-354-8623
City registration districts
- Portsmouth · Portsmouth City Health Department, Office of Vital Statistics1-740-353-5153 · 605 Washington Street, Portsmouth, OH 45662 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Local rule
- The office holds deaths in Scioto County outside the Portsmouth city limits, from 1931. Deaths inside the city are held by the Portsmouth City Health Department.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Scioto County · Scioto County Coroner's Office
Phone
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Scioto 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 Scioto County are recorded with the County Recorder at 602 Seventh Street, Room 110, Portsmouth, OH 45662. Phone: 1-740-355-8304. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $39 for the first 2 pages plus $8 for each page beyond 2.
Scioto County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Scioto County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
602 Seventh Street, Room 110, Portsmouth, OH 45662
Website
E-recording
Fees
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); Scioto County Recorder, Recording Information
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 Scioto County
Ohio uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Scioto 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 Scioto 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.
A family-run practice in Gallipolis, across from the Gallia County Courthouse, serving Gallia, Jackson, and Meigs counties since 1908. Attorney David C. Evans handles estate administration and probate, wills, guardianships, powers of attorney, and living wills.
Kincaid, Taylor & Geyer is the oldest continuously practicing law firm in Muskingum County, with roots tracing to 1895. The firm provides estate planning and administration services ranging from simple wills and powers of attorney to complex estate and tax planning for families that own businesses.
MDS Law Ohio was founded in 2022 by Matthew D. Scott, who has prepared over 2,500 estate plans across California, Ohio, and West Virginia. The firm provides estate planning, wills, trusts, probate administration, elder law, and business succession services to families in Washington County and the greater Marietta area.
Rutherford Law Office was established in 1998 in Chillicothe and serves Ross County and surrounding Southeast Ohio communities. Attorney Sherri K. Rutherford is a member of the OSBA committees on Elder Law and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. The firm handles wills, trusts, probate, and Medicaid planning.
Serves Jackson County and southeast Ohio from Jackson. Attorney Richard M. Lewis handles estate planning and probate, including wills, trusts, and the settlement of estates through probate court. In practice for over four decades.
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); Scioto County Recorder, Recording Information
- Scioto County Probate Court, official page
- Scioto County Recorder, official page
- Scioto 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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