How probate works in Multnomah County: the Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Multnomah County · 4th Judicial District
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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 Multnomah County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 1200 Southwest 1st Avenue, Portland. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District.
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 Oregon intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Oregon estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsORS §§ 113.155, 115.003, 115.005, 115.125Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What probate costs in Multnomah County, Oregon 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 Circuit Court at 1200 Southwest 1st Avenue, Portland. The court is part of the 4th Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: An estate account's bank statements with check images back the accountings, and a successor personal representative files an itemization of assets within 90 days (SLR 9.071, 9.073); A fee waiver or deferral application in a probate case goes to the Fee Waiver and Deferral Clerk (SLR 9.017); Conservatorship and adult guardianship cases carry a Court Visitor fee set by the court.
Oregon charges $278 - $1,176 (based on estate value)ORS 21.170(1)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 Oregon are negotiated, typically 2%Modeled estimate under ORS 116.183 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.2%Modeled estimate under ORS 116.183 (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.
Oregon sets executor compensation by statute — about $10,630 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.1%ORS 116.173 (7% first $1K, 4% $1K-$10K, 3% $10K-$50K, 2% over $50K, on property subject to the court’s jurisdiction; 1% of other property reportable for estate tax; extraordinary services)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Oregon requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
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 ORS 113.105Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Oregon typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate cases in Multnomah County, Oregon are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 4th Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Records Department, Civil, and Collections and Financial Matters.
Oregon has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Multnomah County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Proposed orders and judgments go to the Probate Department for staff review before a judge sees them.
Every matter needing a judge's approval or signature is first presented to the Probate Department for review, and probate matters are prescheduled rather than taken to a judge directly. Most orders and judgments are reviewed and signed within a week.
SourceA petition to open an estate states each heir's relationship to the decedent and supports any bond waiver with consents (SLR 9.031).
The petition gives the petitioner's full legal name, the relation of each heir to the decedent, and whether any devisee's gift will fail. A request to waive bond explains why waiver is proper in light of the known assets and creditors and is filed with consents from the distributees whose interest the waiver affects.
SourceThe court provides a small set of probate forms, at the Probate Department and the Legal Resource Center.
The court's probate forms are the small estate affidavit, minor guardianship, guardian's report and acknowledgment of restricted assets, available in the Probate Department on the fourth floor and the Legal Resource Center on the second floor of the Central Courthouse. The court provides no other probate forms.
SourceA personal representative who appears without a lawyer gives the court notice and proof of competency (SLR 9.085).
A personal representative or conservator who intends to proceed without an attorney gives the court notice and is scheduled to meet with a judge, who decides whether the fiduciary can represent themselves. A fiduciary who cannot explain the steps of the case may be required to retain a lawyer or be removed.
SourceA non-professional personal representative registers for the court's fiduciary class within 15 days and completes it within 60 days of appointment (SLR 9.076).
The certificate of completion is filed with the Probate Department. A waiver for good cause is requested by motion within 15 days of the court's notice, and the class fee is a cost of administration of the estate.
SourceFiled with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Original will and any codicils, with an affidavit of attesting witness or affidavit of genuine signature (ORS 113.055); Petition for appointment of personal representative stating decedent, venue, heirs/devisees, and nominee (ORS 113.035) — typed pleading, no statewide form; Proposed limited judgment of appointment of personal representative; Bond unless waived by the will or because the PR is the sole heir/devisee (ORS 113.105)ORS 113.035 (petition for appointment), 113.105 (bond), 113.125 (issuance of letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Oregon a death is registered locally, and in Multnomah County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Multnomah County Vital Records as well as by Oregon Health Authority - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Multnomah County · Multnomah County Vital Records
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| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Multnomah County · Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office
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Verified November 1, 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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Multnomah County are recorded with the County Clerk at 501 Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, Suite 175, Portland, OR 97214. Phone: 1-503-988-2273. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 5007, Portland, OR 97208-5007.
The County Clerk charges $86 for the first page plus $5 for each additional page.
Multnomah County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Simplifile, ePN, Indecomm, Hopdox and ValueCheck.
Recording Office Record
Multnomah County
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| Base fee (first page) | $86 |
| Each additional page | $5 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
ORS 205.320(1)(d)(A); ORS 205.323(1)
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Oregon allows independent administrationORS 114.275Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Oregon are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Multnomah County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit 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.
FirmHillsboro, OR
Hillsboro Law Group is a full-service Washington County firm serving Oregon clients since 1973. Estate planning, probate, and trust administration are core practice areas, handled by a multi-attorney team alongside business, real estate, and family law.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 4 more
Solo PracticeTigard, OR
Kirkendall Law, LLC is the Tigard solo practice of attorney Valerie Ingram Kirkendall, who holds a certificate of mastery in Taxation and has over 20 years of Oregon practice. The firm focuses on estate planning, wills, trusts, probate administration, guardianships, and conservatorships.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 2 more
Solo PracticeOregon City, OR
The Law Office of Wendell L. Belknap is a solo practice in downtown Oregon City handling probate, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance directives, alongside real estate, family law, and personal injury matters for Clackamas County clients.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily Lawand 2 more
FirmPortland, OR
Caress Law offers a full suite of probate and trust administration services, including trust and estate administration, asset distribution, and tax returns for Portland area clients.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmPortland, OR
Gevurtz Menashe has been at the forefront of estate planning in the Pacific Northwest for more than four decades, counseling countless clients to ensure their affairs are in order. The firm serves clients in Portland and Vancouver.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Law
FirmPortland, OR
Kell, Alterman & Runstein has provided personalized and effective trust and estate counsel to a diverse clientele in Portland, Oregon, and nationally for more than 80 years.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation
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. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Oregon: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Oregon.
Settling an estate in Oregon: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysORS 113.165, ORS 113.175Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsORS §§ 113.155, 115.003, 115.005, 115.125Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
Settling a trust in Oregon happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeORS 130.001 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
Oregon has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Browse vetted Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon 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.
