For most Josephine County homeowners, the house is what drags an estate into probate. A transfer-on-death deed or a living trust keeps it out—here is how to set up either one and record it locally.
For a Josephine County property owner, the biggest probate risk is the home itself. Real estate is what forces most families into the Circuit Court. The two tools that keep a Josephine County home out of probate are a transfer-on-death deed recorded with the County Clerk & Recorder, and a revocable living trust that holds title to the property.
Skipping this planning step means the Circuit Court decides who receives the property: a simple Oregon probate takes 4+ months and opens with $278 in court filing fees.
A transfer on death deed names a beneficiary who receives Josephine County property automatically at the owner's death, without probate. It is recorded with the County Clerk & Recorder during the owner's lifetime and can be revoked at any time.
Before recording, an Oregon transfer on death deed is signed with notary acknowledgmentORS 93.948 to 93.979Verified Aug 24, 2026View source. The deed takes effect only if it is recorded before the owner's deathORS 93.948 to 93.979Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Deeds and other real property documents for Josephine County are recorded with the County Clerk & Recorder, led by County Clerk & Recorder Rhiannon Henkels, at 500 NW 6th Street, Room 170, Grants Pass, OR 97526. Phone: 541-474-5240. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.
The County Clerk & Recorder charges $91 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page. A 2-page transfer on death deed costs $96 to record in Josephine County.
Josephine County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Josephine County · County Clerk & Recorder · Rhiannon Henkels
Address
Phone
Hours
E-recording
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $91 |
| Each additional page | $5 |
ORS 205.320(1)(d)(A); ORS 205.323(1)
Verified September 8, 2026 · Source
FirmMedford, OR
Stark and Hammack, PC has served Southern Oregon since 1970 from its Medford office, focusing on estate planning, wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships alongside real estate and general business law. Three-attorney practice with deep roots in the Rogue Valley.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 4 more
FirmGrants Pass, OR
Day, Driver, Fournier & Reinhart LLP has served the Grants Pass and Southern Oregon community for over 50 years. The firm helps clients create estate plans including wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and transfer-on-death deeds, and handles probate and trust administration.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily LawLitigation
FirmGrants Pass, OR
Sorenson, Ransom & Ferguson is a civil law firm in Grants Pass whose four attorneys routinely assist clients with estate planning, probate and trust administration, elder law, guardianships and conservatorships, and other general civil legal matters throughout Southern Oregon.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
Solo PracticeKlamath Falls, OR
Diana Jean Bettles Attorney at Law provides estate law services in Klamath Falls, Oregon, including estate planning, estate administration, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. The office serves clients throughout Klamath County.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateFamily Law
Solo PracticeKlamath Falls, OR
The Law Offices of Melinda M. Brown PC provides estate planning and probate services from fully staffed offices in Klamath Falls and Albany, Oregon. The firm handles living wills, estates, guardianships, powers of attorney, advance medical directives, estate administration, and conservatorships. Melinda Brown is licensed in Oregon, Washington, and California.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipFamily Law
FirmKlamath Falls, OR
Serves Klamath, Jackson, Lake, Josephine, Curry, Coos, and Douglas counties from Klamath Falls, with virtual appointments for the outlying counties. Handles wills and trusts, probate, and deed preparation, alongside a consumer bankruptcy practice that matters when an estate carries more debt than assets. Free initial consultation for estate planning matters.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateWills
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 Oregon statutes and official state code. How we research.
Estate planning articles for Oregon.
Forms and tools for property owners in Josephine County.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Create a free, state-specific will with witness and notarization requirements included.
Transfer assets to your existing trust. State execution requirements included.
Transfer real property to a beneficiary upon your death without probate.
Designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf.
Designate someone to manage your financial affairs.
Answer questions about your estate size, real estate ownership, marital status, and family situation to see how a revocable trust compares to a will alone. Includes estimated probate costs for your state.
Answer questions about your property type, ownership structure, and estate plan to see if a TOD deed is the right approach. Includes state-specific availability, signing requirements, and recording fees.
Compare trusts vs wills for your specific situation. See probate costs, trust administration expenses, and whether your estate qualifies for simplified procedures based on your state and estate value.
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
Compare the cost of creating a revocable living trust. See how SimplyTrust, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, and attorneys compare over 5 years including life events.
Estate planning articles for Oregon.
