Is there a way to avoid probate appointment in Pennsylvania?

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Pennsylvania?

See the appointing court, the petition that opens the estate, what to file, and bond rules to be appointed in your state.

Got the Letters? Run the whole estate from here.

State

Document Type

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania

Personal Representative (executor if testate, administrator if intestate)

Where you file

Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s domicile (a row office of the Court of Common Pleas; contested matters go to the Orphans’ Court Division)

The form that opens the estate

RW-02Petition for Grant of Letters · Fillable PDF · View sourceStart this petition for Pennsylvania — we pre-fill it with your information. You review, sign, and file it with the court.

What the court issues (with a will)

Letters Testamentaryissued by The county Register of Wills, after admitting the will to probate (testate) or determining the order of priority (intestate) and administering the Oath of Personal Representative

Letters are an output — the court issues them after granting the petition.

At a glance

UPC adoptedInformal trackE-filingSelf-represented filingLocal/county forms

Probate is filed at the county Register of Wills, not a central court e-filing system. Some counties (Montgomery, Philadelphia) offer electronic / virtual probate intake; many still require an in-person appearance to take the oath and pick up Letters and short certificates. E-filing availability, fees, and whether an appointment is needed vary by county.

The RW-series petition (RW-02) is statewide and accepted by every county Register of Wills, but counties add their own local intake forms, cover sheets, fee schedules, estate information sheets, and notice/advertising proofs (e.g., RW-07 Notice of Estate Administration under Pa. O.C. Rule 10.5). Filing fees and any e-filing portal are set per county.

Bond

Required before Letters: No
Waivable by will: Yes
Waivable by beneficiaries: Yes

What to file with the petition

Original will and any codicils, presented to the Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s last family or principal residence (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3131, 3132)
Certified copy of the death certificate
Completed RW-02 Petition for Grant of Letters (rev. 10/11/2011), including the Oath of Personal Representative on page 2
Oath of subscribing / non-subscribing witness(es) where the will is not self-proved (RW-03 Oath of Subscribing Witness(es) / RW-04 Oath of Non-subscribing Witness(es) / RW-05 Oath of Witness(es) to Will Executed by Mark) (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3132, 3132.1)
Renunciation (RW-06) from any person with equal or higher priority who declines to serve (20 Pa.C.S. § 3155)
Estimated estate value (personal and real property) entered on the petition for fee/bond calculation
Bond unless excused (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3171-3175)
Notice of Estate Administration to beneficiaries and intestate heirs (RW-07) within 3 months of the grant of letters, and Certification of Notice (RW-08) within 10 days after giving that notice (Pa. O.C. Rule 10.5)

Small-estate alternative

Bypasses full Letters: Yes

State-specific notes

The county Register of Wills — not a judge — probates the will and grants Letters (20 Pa.C.S. § 901); an aggrieved party in interest appeals the register’s decree to the Orphans’ Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas "within one year of the decree" (§ 908(a)). Intestate (and c.t.a. / d.b.n.c.t.a.) appointments follow the statutory priority order in § 3155(b); no letters issue to a principal creditor, "other fit person", or redevelopment authority "until 30 days after the decedent’s death" (§ 3155(c)). There is no deadline to open probate — § 3133(a): "A will may be offered for probate at any time" — but a will offered more than one year after death is void against a bona fide grantee or lienholder of the decedent’s real estate who recorded first (§ 3133(c)). Small estates of $50,000 or less in personal property can be settled on petition under § 3102 (or passed informally under the § 3101 direct-payment dispositions) without a grant of letters. Separate from the appointment: PA inheritance tax is filed on Department of Revenue form REV-1500 (not "PA-1500"), and a 5% discount applies to tax paid within three months of death; the tax becomes delinquent nine months after death. There is no statewide fillable Letters form or statewide small-estate form — both are flagged as gaps rather than invented.

A revocable living trust passes assets to your family without this court appointment process — no petition, no Letters, no bond.

Create a Revocable Trust in 15 minutes

This tool provides general information about how a personal representative is appointed and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.Data verified 2026-07-15

Frequently Asked Questions

Pennsylvania uses Petition for Grant of Letters (RW-02), filed with the Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s domicile (a row office of the Court of Common Pleas; contested matters go to the Orphans’ Court Division). After the court grants the petition, The county Register of Wills, after admitting the will to probate (testate) or determining the order of priority (intestate) and administering the Oath of Personal Representative issues your Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without a will).

Along with the petition, Pennsylvania generally requires: Original will and any codicils, presented to the Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s last family or principal residence (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3131, 3132); Certified copy of the death certificate; Completed RW-02 Petition for Grant of Letters (rev. 10/11/2011), including the Oath of Personal Representative on page 2; Oath of subscribing / non-subscribing witness(es) where the will is not self-proved (RW-03 Oath of Subscribing Witness(es) / RW-04 Oath of Non-subscribing Witness(es) / RW-05 Oath of Witness(es) to Will Executed by Mark) (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3132, 3132.1); Renunciation (RW-06) from any person with equal or higher priority who declines to serve (20 Pa.C.S. § 3155); Estimated estate value (personal and real property) entered on the petition for fee/bond calculation; Bond unless excused (20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3171-3175); Notice of Estate Administration to beneficiaries and intestate heirs (RW-07) within 3 months of the grant of letters, and Certification of Notice (RW-08) within 10 days after giving that notice (Pa. O.C. Rule 10.5).

Pennsylvania does not require a bond by default before Letters issue, though the court can order one.

Pennsylvania permits self-represented filers to open an estate, using Petition for Grant of Letters (RW-02). E-filing is available. The Self-File Probate Assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs for Pennsylvania.

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment in Pennsylvania — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, a personal representative is appointed by the Register of Wills of the county of the decedent’s domicile (a row office of the Court of Common Pleas; contested matters go to the Orphans’ Court Division). The county Register of Wills, after admitting the will to probate (testate) or determining the order of priority (intestate) and administering the Oath of Personal Representative issues the Letters that prove authority over the estate — Letters Testamentary when there is a will, Letters of Administration when there is not. Pennsylvania's Uniform Probate Code adoption status: No.

The estate is opened by filing Petition for Grant of Letters (RW-02) with the court. The court filing fee runs $400, and an informal appointment track for qualifying estates is available: Yes.

Pennsylvania does not require a bond by default before Letters issue, though the court can order one where it is needed to protect creditors or heirs.

Estates under $50,000 in Pennsylvania may qualify for a simplified procedure that avoids a full appointment entirely. See the self-file probate assessment for a Pennsylvania cost comparison.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 15, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Pennsylvania statutes and official state code. How we research.

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Pennsylvania Estate Planning Resources

In-depth guides covering Pennsylvania probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Pennsylvania?

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3155-3157 (persons entitled; nonresidents); § 901 (register’s jurisdiction)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

Bond20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3171-3175 (bond; § 3174 when not required; § 3175 requiring or changing amount)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Your kids shouldn't have to do this.

Pennsylvania Estate Planning Resources

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3155-3157 (persons entitled; nonresidents); § 901 (register’s jurisdiction)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

Bond20 Pa.C.S. §§ 3171-3175 (bond; § 3174 when not required; § 3175 requiring or changing amount)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania

Bond

Getting Appointed in Pennsylvania

Bond