Tooele estate planning practice of founder Bryan Cowley, serving Tooele, Grantsville, Stansbury Park and Stockton. Handles trust administration alongside revocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney and healthcare directives. Consultations are offered in person, online or by telephone.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Tooele County, Utah
How probate works in Tooele County: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Tooele County District Court
Tooele County · 3rd Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
74 South 100 East, Suite 14, Tooele, UT 84074
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys 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. On paper: 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.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedThe 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.
Self-represented filing
AllowedAnyone may file a probate case in Utah without a lawyer. A self-represented filer delivers papers to the clerk's office, mails them, or emails them to the court's filing address. A mailed filing includes a check for the filing fee; for an emailed filing the court sends instructions on how to pay.
Self-help center
- Self-help service1-888-683-0009 · selfhelp@utcourts.gov · Monday-Friday 11:00 AM-5:00 PM · Assistance in Spanish in addition to EnglishThe 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.
Fax
1-435-833-8058
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Tooele 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 Tooele, probate runs through the District Court at 74 South 100 East, Suite 14, Tooele. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial District. The same 3rd Judicial District also serves Salt Lake and Summit.
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. Creditors have 3 monthsUtah Code §§ 75-3-801, 75-3-803, 75-3-805, 75-3-806Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Tooele County
What probate costs in Tooele 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 74 South 100 East, Suite 14, Tooele. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial District.
Utah charges $375Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a)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 Utah are negotiated, typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Utah Code § 75-3-718 (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.
Utah allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payUtah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. 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
Probate cases in Tooele County, Utah are filed at the District Court. The court sits in the 3rd Judicial District.
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.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
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.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Tooele County Self-Filing Assessment.
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the District Court: Official death certificate, submitted with the probate paperwork (Utah Courts instruction — not a statutory requirement); The will and any codicils (where there is a will): the original held by the court, or a copy filed while the applicant keeps the original (Utah Code 75-3-301(3)(a)); Utah District Court Cover Sheet for Probate Actions (1158XX); Acceptance of Appointment as Personal Representative (1008ES) — required before Letters issue (Utah Code 75-3-601); Waiver of Notice (1003ES) and, from a person with equal or higher priority, Renunciation or Nomination (1004ES)Utah Code 75-3-301 (informal application to registrar); 75-3-401, 75-3-402 (formal testacy & appointment petition); 75-3-103, 75-3-601 (qualification & Letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Tooele County
In Utah a death is registered locally, and in Tooele County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Tooele County Health Department Vital Records as well as by Utah Office of Vital Records and Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Tooele County · Tooele County Health Department Vital Records
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-noon
Office
151 North Main Street, Suite 100, Tooele, UT 84074
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
Tooele County Health Department
Attn: Vital Records
151 North Main Street
Tooele, UT 84074
Local rule
- The office issues certificates for Utah deaths after July 2006; records of earlier deaths come from the State Office of Vital Records.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $35 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $10 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
State Medical Examiner
Tooele County · Office of the Medical Examiner
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4451 South 2700 West, Taylorsville, UT 84129
Website
Serves this county
Utah Office of the Medical Examiner
Mail and offices
Fax
1-801-964-1240
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Tooele 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 Tooele County are recorded with the County Recorder at 47 South Main Street, Tooele, UT 84074. Phone: 1-435-843-3180. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $45 flat, regardless of page count.
Tooele County accepts electronic recording through Tyler Portico.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Tooele County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
47 South Main Street, Tooele, UT 84074
Website
E-recording
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $45 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
Utah Code 17-71-407 (formerly 17-21-18.5)
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Tooele County
Utah allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Tooele 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, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Tooele 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.
Salt Lake City firm, founded in 2004, serving Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Summit and Tooele Counties. Guides personal representatives through opening the case, notice to heirs and creditors, creditor claims and final distribution, files the necessary tax returns, and litigates will challenges and other probate disputes. The firm practices mainly family law alongside its estate work.
Provo estate planning practice of attorney Marne Pehrson, with offices in Lehi, Sandy, Salt Lake City, Park City and Heber City, serving Duchesne, Uintah and Daggett counties through virtual meetings and in-person appointments. Drafts wills and trust-based estate plans for parents and homeowners, including guardian nominations for minor children, at flat fees set at the first planning meeting.
Brigham City practice of attorney Zenock Bishop in Box Elder County, with a second office in Layton. Handles probate from the opening petition through notice to heirs and creditors, and litigates will contests, trust disputes, and contested probate, alongside guardianships, conservatorships, and special needs trusts. Offers 20% off to first responders, military members, and veterans.
Estate planning firm with offices in Park City and Cottonwood Heights, serving Summit County and the Salt Lake Valley. Assists trustees and personal representatives after a death, with or without a trust: asset inventory and valuation, re-titling, qualified disclaimers, Form 706 filings and distribution. Works with blended families, special-needs children and noncitizen family members.
Lehi estate planning group of Parsons Behle & Latimer, with a second office in downtown Salt Lake City, serving Utah and Salt Lake counties. Guides successor trustees through trust administration and personal representatives through probate, alongside wills, trusts, asset protection, and tax planning. Marianne Ludlow has chaired the Utah State Bar Estate Planning Section.
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)·
- Utah Code § 75-3-301
- Utah Code § 75-3-718 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- Utah Code § 78A-2-301(1)(a)
- Utah Code §§ 75-3-801, 75-3-803, 75-3-805, 75-3-806
- Utah Code 75-3-301 (informal application to registrar); 75-3-401, 75-3-402 (formal testacy & appointment petition); 75-3-103, 75-3-601 (qualification & Letters)
- Utah Code 17-71-407 (formerly 17-21-18.5)
- Tooele District Court, official page
- Tooele County Recorder, official page
- Tooele County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Utah 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 Utah
Free tools for settling an estate in Utah: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Utah.
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.
See the Steps
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.
See the Steps
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.
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