Wenatchee firm, serving the Wenatchee Valley since 1925, that works across Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, and Kittitas counties. After a death, its attorneys guide personal representatives and heirs through probate and address probate problems that arise; the estate practice also covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, community and separate property agreements, and gift planning.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Okanogan County, Washington
How probate works in Okanogan County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Okanogan County Superior Court
Okanogan County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Office
149 3rd Avenue North, Okanogan, WA 98840
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
OptionalThe Clerk takes filings through eFileWA, and paper filing remains open. A new case needs a cover sheet, and a filing made after 4:00 p.m. is filed the next judicial day. Ex parte orders are paid through Point and Pay and emailed as a PDF with the payment receipt to exparteonly@okanogancounty.gov by 4:00 p.m. On paper: Writs of garnishment, restitution/execution, and habeas corpus; Trial exhibits; Ex parte orders (sent by email after payment).
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedThe Clerk's counter is open for filing without an appointment, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Clerk's office keeps the court record and gives no legal advice.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court's local forms are family law and trial-setting forms, with none for probate. The Family Law Facilitator works with self-represented parties in family law cases only.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card, Debit card.A check must have the payer's name and address printed on it, and counter checks are not taken. Cards carry a third-party convenience fee and are not taken by phone; the online payment portal handles Superior Court cases only.
Hearing schedule
- Agreed orders are heard on the Thursday morning Agreed Orders calendar at 8:30 a.m., and contested civil motions on the Thursday morning Civil Law and Motion calendar.
P.O. Box 112
Okanogan, WA 98840-0072
Fax
1-509-422-7133
Departments
- County Clerk1-509-422-7275 · Room 301 · clerk@okanogancounty.gov · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PMProbate cases are filed with the County Clerk, on the third floor at the north end of the courthouse. The Clerk answers the phone from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Court Administration1-509-422-7264
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Okanogan 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 Okanogan, probate runs through the Superior Court at 149 3rd Avenue North, Okanogan. Probate e-filing in Okanogan County goes through efilewa.tylertech.cloud, a system used by 10 Washington counties.
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 Washington intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Washington estates take 6 months to 9 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsRCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Okanogan County
What probate costs in Okanogan County, Washington 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 Superior Court at 149 3rd Avenue North, Okanogan.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Counter checks not accepted.
Washington charges $290RCW 36.18.020(2)(f), (5)(c), (6)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 Washington are negotiated, typically 2.2%Modeled estimate under RCW 11.48.210 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under RCW 11.48.210 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Washington allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payRCW 11.48.210 (reasonable compensation set by the court; no statutory percentage; compensation provided in the will controls unless renounced in writing before qualifying)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
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 RCW 11.28.185Verified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Washington typically runs 6 months to 9 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Superior Court
Probate documents in Okanogan County can be filed in person at the Superior Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for County Clerk and Court Administration.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Washington 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 Okanogan County Self-Filing Assessment.
Okanogan County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
New e-filed cases require a cover sheet
A new case filed through eFileWA needs a cover sheet, and a filing made after 4:00 p.m. is filed the next judicial day.
SourceDocument Requirements
Wills may be admitted on declarations
A will may be admitted and a personal representative appointed on oral testimony or on affidavits or declarations. A copy of the death certificate is filed with the Social Security number redacted unless the court orders otherwise.
SourceCourt Appearances
Agreed orders heard Thursday mornings
Agreed orders, including those in probate and guardianship cases, are heard on the Agreed Orders calendar on Thursday mornings at 8:30 a.m.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court: Death certificate — county clerk intake practice, NOT a statutory requirement, and not uniformly a certified copy. Nothing in Title 11 RCW or the Superior Court rules requires a death certificate to open probate or obtain Letters. Several counties ask for one anyway and word it differently: Thurston lists "Death Certificate (certified copy)"; Whatcom's official packets list only "Death Certificate". The largest counties do not list it at all — King, Pierce and Kitsap each publish a minimum-documents list that omits it. Confirm with the county Superior Court clerk before assuming a certified copy is neededRCW ch. 11.28 (letters testamentary & of administration); RCW 11.28.110 (petition contents, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 1), 11.28.120 (priority, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 2), 11.28.170 (oath), 11.28.185 (bond, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 3); RCW 11.68.011 (nonintervention powers, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 9)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Okanogan County
In Washington a death is registered locally, and in Okanogan County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Okanogan County Public Health District as well as by Washington State Department of Health - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Okanogan County · Okanogan County Public Health District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1240 South 2nd Avenue, Okanogan, WA 98840
Website
Certified copies
At the counter; copies are not issued the same day
Order online
1234 South 2nd Avenue
Okanogan, WA 98840
Local rule
- The office issues Washington deaths from late 2014 on; older ones come from the state office. Certificates are generally available one to two business days after the application is processed.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $25 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Okanogan County · Okanogan County Coroner's Office
Phone
Office
123 5th Avenue North, Room 108, Virginia Grainger Building, Okanogan, WA 98840
Website
Release of remains
1-509-422-7232 · Emergency, through dispatch
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Okanogan 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 Auditor.
Deeds and other real property documents for Okanogan County are recorded with the County Auditor at 149 3rd Avenue North, Room 104, Okanogan, WA 98840. Phone: 1-509-422-7240. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 1010, Okanogan, WA 98840.
The County Auditor charges $304 for the first page plus $1 for each additional page.
Okanogan County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC and ePN.
Recording Office Record
County Auditor
Okanogan County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Office
149 3rd Avenue North, Room 104, Okanogan, WA 98840
Website
E-recording
available via Simplifile, CSC and ePN
P.O. Box 1010
Okanogan, WA 98840
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $303.5 |
| Each additional page | $1 |
| Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit$5 state technology fee on every transfer, plus $5 more when no tax is due because an exemption is claimed; $10 minimum in fee(s) and/or tax (RCW 82.45.180). Paid to the county treasurer, not the auditor. Not required for a TOD deed | |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
RCW 36.18.010; RCW 36.22.170; RCW 36.22.175; RCW 36.22.240; RCW 36.22.250; RCW 36.22.185
Verified October 17, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Okanogan County
Washington allows independent administrationRCW 11.68Verified Sep 9, 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 Washington are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask an Okanogan County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior 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.
Serves Okanogan County from the Baines Building in downtown Okanogan, and succeeded Miller & Chase, PLLC in 2024. Handles estate and probate matters, including TEDRA proceedings, and drafts wills, trusts, and durable powers of attorney, alongside family law, real property, civil litigation, and criminal defense. Meets by phone or Zoom for clients who cannot manage the stairs to the second-floor office.
Wenatchee firm founded in 1986, serving Chelan, Douglas, Okanogan, Grant, and Kittitas counties. Assists personal representatives with probate and estate administration, represents clients in contested probate proceedings, and helps trustees fulfill their duties. Also handles specialized trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and Medicaid planning.
Walla Walla firm, formerly Burkhart and Burkhart, representing families, farms, and businesses. Handles probate and trust administration, including supporting successor trustees who distribute a deceased person's assets, and litigates estate and trust disputes, including will contests. Accepts clients throughout Washington State.
Wenatchee firm, doing business as Northwest Estate Plans, that handles Washington probate and trust administration for families after a death, starting with a free Executor Guidance Meeting to review the options. Also prepares wills and revocable living trusts. Meetings, signings, and notarization can be completed over Zoom for clients anywhere in Washington, or in person at the Wenatchee office.
Serves King and Snohomish counties from Redmond, covering Bellevue, Kirkland, Issaquah, Sammamish, and Woodinville, and works with clients remotely across Washington. Handles wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, probate, and tax planning for estates; planning is sold as flat-fee packages and probates are billed hourly. Intake starts with a free telephone consultation.
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)·
- RCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110
- RCW 11.48.210 (reasonable compensation set by the court; no statutory percentage; compensation provided in the will controls unless renounced in writing before qualifying)
- RCW 11.68
- RCW 36.18.020(2)(f), (5)(c), (6)
- RCW ch. 11.28 (letters testamentary & of administration); RCW 11.28.110 (petition contents, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 1), 11.28.120 (priority, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 2), 11.28.170 (oath), 11.28.185 (bond, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 3); RCW 11.68.011 (nonintervention powers, as amended by 2026 c 204 s 9)
- RCW 36.18.010; RCW 36.22.170; RCW 36.22.175; RCW 36.22.240; RCW 36.22.250; RCW 36.22.185
- Okanogan Superior Court, official page
- Okanogan County Auditor, official page
- Okanogan County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Washington 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 Washington
Free tools for settling an estate in Washington: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Washington: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysRCW 11.44.015; RCW 11.44.025Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsRCW 11.40.020, 11.40.040, 11.40.051, 11.40.100, 11.76.110Verified 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 Washington happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteRCW 11.98.005 et seq.; RCW 11.103 (revocable trusts)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysRCW 11.98.072; RCW 11.96A.070Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Washington has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Get the Answer
Hire a Washington Probate Attorney
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