Estate Planning & Probate in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Dauphin County estate questions split two ways—planning so your family skips probate, or settling an estate that is already in it. This page points you to the right path—planning ahead, or settling an estate at the Orphans' Court.
The Probate Process in Dauphin 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 Dauphin County, probate runs through the Orphans' Court at Dauphin County Courthouse, 101 Market Street, Room 103, Harrisburg. Dauphin County runs probate e-filing through dauphincounty.gov, its own system rather than a shared statewide portal.
Full Dauphin Countyprobate guide: cost, how to file & attorneys →Probate Court Record
Orphans' Court
Dauphin County
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording Deeds & Property Documents
Recording Office Record
Recorder of Deeds
Dauphin County · Recorder of Deeds · James M. Zugay
Address
Phone
Hours
E-recording
$87.75 for the first 4 pages plus $2 for each page beyond 4; transfer tax may need separate review.
Full recording details →Verified September 8, 2026 · Source
Local Procedures at the Orphans' Court
Dauphin County offers virtual probate and e-filing services for estate matters. Northern Dauphin Human Services Center, 295 State Drive, Elizabethville, PA 17023, 717-905-2700 ext. 2507. Open first and third Wednesdays, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Pennsylvania Estate Planning Articles
Articles about estate planning, probate, and trusts relevant to families in Dauphin County.
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