What to Do When Someone Dies in Salt Lake County, Utah
Probate in Salt Lake County runs through the District Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Salt Lake County, settling their estate runs through the District Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate Court Record
District Court
Salt Lake County · 3rd Judicial District
Address
450 S State StSalt Lake City, UT 84114Mailing: P.O. Box 1860, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1860
West Jordan District Court · 8080 S Redwood Rd., Ste. 1701, West Jordan, UT 840881-801-233-9700
The court is in the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse. Its parking garage closed to the public on January 1, 2026; drivers with a valid disability placard or plate may still use it after added security screening. Nearby options are the 500 South surface lot, the WaFed Building garage at 405 S. Main Street, the lot at 175 East 400 South and metered street parking.
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 Salt Lake County, probate runs through the District Court at 450 S State St, Salt Lake City. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial District. Salt Lake County shares the 3rd Judicial District with Summit and Tooele.
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 Utah intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Utah estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. The 3 monthsUtah Code § 75-3-801Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Salt Lake County
What probate costs in Salt Lake County, Utah 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 District Court at 450 S State St, Salt Lake City. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial District.
Beside its main number, the court lists separate lines for Probate, New Case Filing, Accounting and Criminal Collections, and Civil/Domestic.
Utah charges $375Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a) (Verified 2026-10-17)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
E-filing is mandatory for attorneys filing at the District Court (https://www.utcourts.gov/en/self-help/legal-help/procedures/filing/efiling/district.html). Self-represented filers can request a paper-filing exemption.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Utah are negotiated, typically 2.2%Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Probate in Utah typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the District Court
If you're handling probate yourself in Salt Lake County, Utah, you can file at the District Court in person or by mail. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys but families filing without one are exempt and can use paper forms. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial District.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Probate, New Case Filing, Accounting and Criminal Collections, and Civil/Domestic.
The statewide Self-Help Center serves every Utah county by phone, email and text. Its staff attorneys answer questions about the law and court process and help with court forms; they do not give legal advice or represent anyone in court. The text line is 801-742-1898.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person or by mail. While attorneys are required to e-file in Salt Lake County, families handling probate themselves are exempt and can file on paper.
E-Filing Also Available
Attorneys and licensed paralegal practitioners must e-file every pleading and paper in a probate case. A self-represented party may file by email, by mail or in person instead, and the courts' MyCase portal does not take probate filings.
•Self-represented parties may file by email, mail or in person
•A Demand for Notice may be filed on paper when no probate case exists yet
•Paper wills may be submitted for safekeeping
•Documents in sealed cases are filed on paper
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the District Court is realistic. Salt Lake County has a self-help center that assists people filing without an attorney.
You can file in person without an appointment. The clerk's office takes papers in person during business hours. A filer must be at the counter before the office closes, and some courts stop taking filings shortly before closing.
What to Bring
To file at the District Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Salt Lake 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 Salt Lake County are recorded with the County Recorder at 2001 South State Street, Suite N1-600, Salt Lake City, UT 84190. Phone: 1-385-468-8145. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $40 flat, regardless of page count.
Salt Lake County accepts electronic recording.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Salt Lake County
Address
2001 South State Street, Suite N1-600Salt Lake City, UT 84190
Utah allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Salt Lake County without hiring an attorney. 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 Utah are based on reasonable compensation — typically 2.2%Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Salt Lake County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the District 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.
Bountiful firm serving Davis, Salt Lake, and Weber counties, with a practice built around people with disabilities and their families. Handles probate for personal representatives, estate litigation over wills, trusts, and a personal representative's actions, and guardianship and conservatorship petitions. Also files Social Security Disability claims and drafts special needs trusts.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigationand 3 more
Salt Lake City estate planning practice of attorney James P. Alder, with offices in Sugarhouse and Bountiful. Handles probate and estate and trust administration: opening the estate, presenting the will, inventorying assets, and paying creditors, alongside guardianships, conservatorships, and Medicaid planning. Initial calls and consultations can be held by telephone or Zoom.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more
Salt Lake City firm of nearly 100 lawyers, founded in 1991 and now part of Dentons, with Utah offices in Lehi, St. George, and Ogden. Its Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation lawyers handle probate proceedings, estate and trust administration and accountings, guardianships, estate and gift tax returns, and family settlement agreements.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 2 more
Office
111 South Main Street, Suite 2400Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Salt Lake City firm in the Judge Building on East Broadway, known mainly for divorce and family law. Guides executors and trustees through probate and trust administration and resolves conflicts that arise during an estate, alongside drafting wills and revocable and irrevocable trusts. Two of its attorneys practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFamily Law
Office
8 East Broadway, Suite 740Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Salt Lake City firm with offices downtown, in Lehi and in St. George, plus Boise. Its probate and trusts attorneys handle informal and formal probate, petitions to determine heirs, small-estate affidavits, and trust litigation over trustee breaches and distributions; the estate planning group advises trustees and is often asked to serve as trustee or co-trustee.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 8 more
Office
50 E South Temple, Suite 400Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Salt Lake City office serving Salt Lake City and Park City. Guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration, including accountings, creditor payments and ancillary probate, advises trustees on their fiduciary duties, and represents beneficiaries in disputes with a trustee. Attorney Penniann Schumann administered trusts in Utah and Idaho as a national-bank trust officer.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more
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 Utah statutes and official state code. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Utah
Free tools for settling an estate in Utah: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines, and inheritance taxes.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Utah: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysUtah Code §§ 75-3-705, 75-3-706, 75-3-707Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsUtah Code §§ 75-3-801, 75-3-803, 75-3-805, 75-3-806Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
Get Plan
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Utah happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeUtah Code Title 75B, Chapter 2 (Uniform Trust Code)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysUtah Code § 75B-2-811 (formerly § 75-7-811; renumbered eff. 5/7/2025)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
Get Plan
Can I Self-File Probate?
Utah has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableUtah Code § 75-3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
Enter the estate value to see Utah attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
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.
$
See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Utah 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.
