Procedure for Filing Decedent’s Will by Itself (a “Will Only”)

At the Superior Court Clerk’s Office:

• In King County, complete and file its King County Case Assignment Designation & Case Information Cover Sheet, marking its last page, under “Probate/Guardianship,” as a “Will Only – Deceased” filing.  Pierce County.  Snohomish County.
• File the original of Decedent’s Will.
• Pay the filing fee, currently (July 24, 2005) $20 (RCW 36.18.012(6)); pay it in an acceptable form; and get a receipt for it.  See: Filing Fees & Methods of Payment.
• Make sure to also include a copy of all filed documents, for conformation and return to you for your records.
• If you file by mail, make sure to add a self-addressed, stamped envelope (“SASE”), for their return.

The clerk will:

• Stamp the documents on their upper right-hand corner as received, dated, and filed.
• File the Will with the Court, in what is know as a “Will Only – Deceased” filing.
• Issue a new caption (In re Will of [name of Decedent]) and case number for it.

In King County, both documents will be scanned within the week to make their respective electronic document entry, and the Designation & Cover Sheet will be discarded after a month.  The Will will be entered in the Will Registry and permanently saved.

The King County Clerk’s Office will accept filings by mail.  If you are filing in another county, you will need to telephone its Clerk’s Office (Telephone Numbers) to verify its policy regarding filings by mail.

As shown on the King County Case Assignment Designation & Case Information Cover Sheet, there are two locations in King County for probate filings and hearings:

• For the Seattle Area: King County Courthouse, in downtown Seattle.
• For the Kent Area: Kent Regional Justice Center, in Kent.

Any Will to be filed in King County may be filed, either in person or by mail, at either location.

Caution: If you plan on filing a Petition for Probate, you should likely wait and file the Will together with your Petition for two reasons:

• To avoid paying the $20 filing fee for filing the Will alone.
• So you are not limited to filing the Petition for Probate in the county of Decedent’s residence at death.

Regarding the last issue, if you are filing the Will alone, you will need to file it in the county of Decedent’s residence at death.  But a Petition for Probate may be filed in any county in WA regardless of Decedent’s residence.