Required for attorneysPierce County takes e-filings through its own LINX system rather than eFileWA. Attorneys must e-file, while self-represented parties may file on paper or request a free LINX account from the Clerk, and a kiosk in the Clerk's Office files and schedules hearings. Original wills and codicils are filed on paper. On paper: Self-represented parties (e-filing optional); Original wills and codicils; Certified records for appeal; Foreign and out-of-state adoption documents under seal; Out-of-state judgments; New cases filed with an in forma pauperis or GR 34 request.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedA self-represented filer opens a probate case at the Clerk's counter in Room 110 without an appointment. The Clerk names 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. as the best hours to file a new probate case.
Self-represented filing
AllowedTo open a probate case on paper, a self-represented filer brings the petition, the proposed order, the original will if there is one, a notarized oath and one set of copies to the Clerk. The Clerk's probate page points to the Washington Probate forms site and to self-help form packets sold by the Pierce County Law Library.
Accepted payment
At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Debit card.The Clerk takes the probate filing fee in cash, by debit card, money order or cashier's check. Personal checks are not accepted.
Hearing schedule
Probate and trust motions are heard on the afternoon probate/trust calendar in Civil Division A, and agreed orders and initial appointments go to the Ex Parte Department.
County Clerk1-253-798-7455 · Room 110 · pcclerk@piercecountywa.gov · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PMProbate cases are filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court in Room 110 of the County-City Building. The Clerk answers the phone until 3:30 p.m., and the counter stays open until 4:30 p.m.
Commissioner Services1-253-798-6697Commissioner Services schedules the Ex Parte Department, which sits in Courtroom 129 on weekdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
About the court
The Superior Court and the Clerk are in the County-City Building in Tacoma, the court in Room 334 and the Clerk in Room 110.
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 Pierce County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 334, Tacoma. Probate e-filing in Pierce County goes through linxonline.co.pierce.wa.us, which no other Washington county uses.
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 Pierce County
What probate costs in Pierce 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 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 334, Tacoma.
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 cases in Pierce County, Washington are filed at the Superior Court. E-filing here is required, not optional — true in only 5 Washington counties.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for County Clerk and Commissioner Services.
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.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Personal representative reports address changes within 30 days
A personal representative or administrator files a notice of change of address within 30 days of the change. A bond is signed by the principal and gives the surety's address, and the representative's name on the oath matches the order.
Probate hearings are set by a Note for Commissioner's Calendar
A probate hearing is set by filing a Note for Commissioner's Calendar through LINX or the Clerk's kiosk at least seven court days before the hearing. Each side files a Civil Hearing Information Form (Form U) with the proposed orders by noon two court days before the hearing. The first order appointing a personal representative may be presented to the Court Commissioner in the Ex Parte Department.
When the order appointing a personal representative is filed, the Clerk sets a court review hearing about three months out, and a second review follows at 36 months with nonintervention powers or 12 months under court supervision. A status report filed by the close of business seven court days before the hearing excuses attendance unless the court directs otherwise.
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 Medical Examiner in Pierce County
In Washington a death is registered locally, and in Pierce County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records as well as by Washington State Department of Health - Center for Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Pierce County · Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
Vital Records
3629 South D Street
Tacoma, WA 98418-6813
Fax
1-253-649-1390
Local rule
The office holds deaths in Tacoma from 1907, elsewhere in Pierce County from 1926 and most electronically filed Washington deaths from 2005. A long-form certificate needs proof of being a spouse, parent, child or executor of the estate, and a will is not accepted as that proof.
Burial and cremation permits
Issued byTacoma-Pierce County Health Department Vital Records
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 Pierce County are recorded with the County Auditor at 2401 South 35th Street, Room 200, Tacoma, WA 98409. Phone: 1-253-798-7440. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Auditor charges $304 for the first page plus $1 for each additional page.
Pierce County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
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
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 a Pierce 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.
Tacoma firm on Pacific Avenue founded in 1949, with an estate group that handles probate and the administration of estates, estate litigation, and gift and estate tax planning. Planning work covers wills and trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives. The estate group works alongside the firm's business, real estate, and employment practices.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTax Planningand 2 more
Serves Pierce, King, and Thurston counties from offices in Tacoma, Seattle, and Olympia. Represents personal representatives in formal and summary probate and in estate and trust administration, and represents beneficiaries in will contests, undue influence claims, and trust litigation, including challenges to the actions of an executor or trustee. Also handles guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
Multi-state firm with Washington offices in Seattle, University Place, Olympia, Spokane, Richland, Kennewick, and Dayton. Guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration, from gathering assets and paying debts to transferring ownership, and handles elder law matters including Medicaid planning and guardianship. Consultations are available by phone or video.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawConservatorshipand 4 more
Serves South King County from Kent, taking matters from Auburn, Covington, Enumclaw, Federal Way, Renton, and Tukwila as well as Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma. The wills and probate department represents family members in probate actions and guides administrators of existing estate plans, and drafts wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 4 more
Tacoma general practice firm on Market Street, in practice since 1979, serving Tacoma and Pierce County. Helps families through probate and drafts wills and trusts. Estate work sits alongside the firm's family law, personal injury, and civil litigation practices.
Tacoma solo practice of James A. Jones. After a death it opens the probate estate with the court, notifies beneficiaries and creditors, handles creditor claims, transfers estate assets, and files estate and income tax returns; it also handles elder law and Medicaid planning. Free initial consultations in the office, by telephone, or by video.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 3 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 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.
Enter the estate value to see Washington 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 Washington 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.
