Appointment requiredProbate is by appointment only; call 304-265-1401 (Option 4) to schedule.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe County Clerk's Probate/Estate Administration page lists what to bring for an estate with and without a will and carries a full probate overview and timeline, the appraisement form, small-estate affidavits, ancillary-administration affidavits, and waivers for appointment of an administrator or executor.
Accepted payment
At the counterCash, Check.Bring cash or a check for the recording fees, and for the surety company where one is bonding the fiduciary.
County Clerk - Probate / Fiduciary1-304-265-1401 · 128 West Main Street, Annex 2 · (option 4) · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PMProbate is a County Clerk function, not a Circuit Court matter.
About the court
Taylor County shares the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit with Barbour 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 Taylor County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at Taylor County Courthouse, 214 West Main Street, Room 104, Grafton. The court sits in the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit. Taylor County shares the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit with Barbour.
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 West Virginia intestacy law when there is no will.
Most West Virginia estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. Creditors have 2 monthsW. Va. Code §§ 44-1-14a, 44-2-4, 44-2-21, 44-2-26Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Taylor County
What probate costs in Taylor County, West Virginia 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 Circuit Court at Taylor County Courthouse, 214 West Main Street, Room 104, Grafton. The court is part of the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Fiduciary commissioner for larger estates with more than one beneficiary.
The Circuit Court charges $76 - $226 (based on estate value)W. Va. Code §§ 44-3A-42, 59-1-10, 5A-8-15, 44-2-1Verified Oct 17, 2026 to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in West Virginia are negotiated, typically 1.6%Modeled estimate under W.Va. Code § 44-4-12 (attorney fees as reasonable expenses of the fiduciary, allowed by the fiduciary commissioner; no statutory schedule); § 44-3A-42(c) (fee vouchers); § 44-2-1(a) ($300 ceiling): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 9, 2026View source to 2.6%Modeled estimate under W.Va. Code § 44-4-12 (attorney fees as reasonable expenses of the fiduciary, allowed by the fiduciary commissioner; no statutory schedule); § 44-3A-42(c) (fee vouchers); § 44-2-1(a) ($300 ceiling): 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.
West Virginia sets executor compensation by statute — about $20,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 4.0%W.Va. Code § 44-4-12a(a) (5% first $100K, 4% to $400K, 3% to $800K, 2% above $800K, on personal estate and real estate sold); §§ 44-4-12a(b) (unsold real estate 1%), 44-4-12a(d), 44-4-12a(f)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
West Virginia requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
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 W.Va. Code § 44-1-6 (bond required unless excused by § 44-1-8); § 44-1-7 (penalty at least the full value of the personal estate); § 44-1-8 (will may direct no bond; no surety for a sole distributee)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in West Virginia typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Taylor County are filed at the Circuit Court. File in person during business hours or by mail. The court sits in the Twenty-Third Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for County Clerk - Probate / Fiduciary.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
West Virginia has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableW.Va. Code § 44-12-1 (clerk of the county commission admits wills and qualifies executors and administrators in vacation, ex parte); § 44-1-4(a) (the county commission or its clerk during recess)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Probate handled by County Clerk, not Circuit Court
In West Virginia, the County Commission has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, and its clerk can admit a will to probate without notice to anyone. A will contest is a separate complaint filed in the Circuit Court of the county where probate was allowed or denied, within six months of the County Commission's order.
Bond in place before an administrator or executor is appointed
Where the will does not waive bond, and in every estate without a will, a surety bond must be in place before probate can begin in Taylor County. The bond comes from a surety company or from a person who owns real estate in Taylor County, and whoever is bonding the fiduciary comes to the appointment.
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Certified copy of the death certificate (W. Va. Code §44-1-30); Original will and any codicils, delivered to the clerk of the county commission within 30 days after the death is known to the custodian (W. Va. Code §41-5-1); Oath of executor (W. Va. Code §44-1-3) or oath of administrator (W. Va. Code §44-1-6), signed at qualification; Affidavit showing heirs, distributees, devisees, and legatees (W. Va. Code §44-1-13); Fiduciary bond unless waived (W. Va. Code §§ 44-1-6, 44-1-8)W. Va. Code §§ 44-1-1 to 44-1-14 (qualification, oath, bond, letters); § 44-1-31 (oath/bond may be taken before any officer authorized to administer oaths); §§ 41-5-1 et seq. (admission of wills to probate); § 44-1-4 (intestate administration & priority)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Taylor County
In West Virginia a death is registered locally, and in Taylor County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Taylor County Clerk as well as by West Virginia Department of Health - Vital Registration Office.
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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Taylor County are recorded with the County Clerk at 128 West Main Street, Annex 2, Grafton, WV 26354. Phone: 1-304-265-1401. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Clerk charges $32 for the first 5 pages plus $1 for each page beyond 5.
Taylor County accepts electronic recording through CSC and Simplifile.
West Virginia allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Taylor 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 West Virginia are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Taylor County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit 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 Monongalia County from Clay Street in Morgantown. Partner Joshua S. Rogers handles probate and litigates will contests, will and trust construction actions and probate disputes, and the firm's private client group advises executors and trustees on estate administration and estate tax. Rogers conducts the statewide probate training for West Virginia's fiduciary supervisors and county clerks.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Serves Monongalia County from Morgantown, with additional offices in Charleston and Wheeling. Guides executors and trustees through probate filings, trust administration and distribution, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests, trust disputes and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Counsel Richard R. Marsh focuses on trust and estate planning, administration and litigation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Serves Monongalia County from Morgantown, with a second office in Charleston. Guides executors and trustees through probate, estate and trust administration and estate tax returns, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests and trust disputes. Formed by the merger of Gianola Barnum & Jecklin and Lewis Glasser.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
Serves Monongalia County from an office on the Mileground in Morgantown. Lists wills and estates among its practice areas alongside real estate, personal injury, criminal and family law.
PracticesEstate PlanningBusiness LawCriminal LawFamily Lawand 2 more
Serves Marion County from Fairmont, handling wills, trusts, probate and estate tax planning. Protects homes and savings from state liens for nursing home and healthcare bills, and makes house and hospital calls.
Serves Monongalia County from Morgantown, with a second office in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and practices estate planning and elder law only. Walks families through probate and helps successor trustees secure trust assets, pay taxes and make distributions after the grantor's death. Also handles long-term-care Medicaid and VA Improved Pension applications.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia
Free tools for settling an estate in West Virginia: 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 West Virginia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysW. Va. Code § 44-1-14Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 2 monthsW. Va. Code §§ 44-1-14a, 44-2-4, 44-2-21, 44-2-26Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in West Virginia happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeW. Va. Code § 44D-1-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
West Virginia has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableW.Va. Code § 44-12-1 (clerk of the county commission admits wills and qualifies executors and administrators in vacation, ex parte); § 44-1-4(a) (the county commission or its clerk during recess)Verified Sep 9, 2026View source.
Enter the estate value to see West Virginia 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.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether West Virginia 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.
