Towson Probate Court Records
Towson probate court records are kept at the Baltimore County Register of Wills, which sits in the County Courts Building right in Towson. As the county seat, Towson is where all Baltimore County estate cases are filed and stored. The Register of Wills office holds wills, estate inventories, letters of administration, and guardianship files for the entire county. You can search these probate court records online through the state estate search tool or visit the Towson office in person. If you plan to walk in, call first. Appointments go ahead of walk-ins, and staff may not get to you the same day if you show up late.
Towson Overview
Towson Probate Court Filing Location
Maryland does not have city-level probate courts. All probate matters go through the county. Towson is the county seat of Baltimore County, so the Register of Wills office is right here in town. That makes things simple for Towson residents. You don't have to drive to another city to file estate papers or pick up copies of probate court records. The office is at 401 Bosley Avenue in the County Courts Building, Room 500.
The current Register of Wills is Hon. Alexis Burrell-Rohde. Her office handles all estate filings for Baltimore County, which serves more than 800,000 people across dozens of towns and communities. Towson probate court records include wills filed after a death, petitions for estate administration, inventories of assets, and final accounts showing how the estate was distributed. The office also processes small estate petitions for estates valued at $50,000 or less, as set out in Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 5-601.
| Office | Baltimore County Register of Wills |
|---|---|
| Register | Hon. Alexis Burrell-Rohde |
| Address | 401 Bosley Avenue, Room 500 Towson, MD 21204 |
| Phone | (410) 887-6680 |
| Toll-Free | (888) 642-5387 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | registers.maryland.gov |
All persons entering the courthouse are subject to a security search. Plan for a few extra minutes at the door. Bring a valid photo ID. Leave large bags or banned items at home or in your car. The office takes appointments ahead of walk-ins, and visitors who show up after 3:00 PM without one may be asked to come back the next business day. Calling ahead is the best way to make sure you get same-day help with Towson probate court records.
Search Towson Probate Records Online
The fastest way to find Towson probate court records is through the Maryland Register of Wills Estate Search portal. This free tool lets you look up estate cases by name, estate number, or filing date. The data is updated at the end of each business day. Records go back to 1998 for all Maryland counties, though some counties have older cases in the system too. Baltimore County has a long record history, with probate files going back to 1666 for paper records stored at the office and the Maryland State Archives.
When you search, use the percent sign as a wildcard. Typing "Smith%" will pull up Smith, Smithson, Smithfield, and so on. If your search turns up more than 500 results, narrow it down by adding a first name or date range. The system times out after two minutes of no activity, so have your search terms ready. You can sort results by clicking on any column header in the results table.
The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is another free tool. It covers Orphans' Court cases, which handle contested probate matters in Towson. You can search by party name or case number. The case search shows hearing dates, case status, and party names. It does not show the full documents, but it gives you enough to know where a case stands.
Note: Estate numbers in Maryland must be 12 characters, so add leading zeros if yours is shorter (for example, 000000123456).
Towson Estate Filing Process
Opening an estate in Towson starts with filing a petition at the Register of Wills. If the person who died left a will, someone named in the will usually files as personal representative. If there is no will, Maryland law sets a priority list under Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 5-104. The surviving spouse comes first, then children, then parents, then siblings. The Register reviews the petition and, if all checks out, issues Letters of Administration. Those letters give the personal representative the legal power to act on behalf of the estate.
After appointment, the personal representative must file several documents on a set schedule. The list of interested persons is due within 20 days. The inventory of estate assets is due within three months. The information report is also due within three months. The first account, showing income and expenses, is due within nine months. These deadlines come from Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 7-101 and related sections. Missing a deadline can lead to penalties or removal as personal representative.
Creditors have six months from the date of death to file claims against the estate. That comes from Md. Code, Estates and Trusts § 8-103. The personal representative must publish a notice in a local newspaper to alert creditors. After all debts are paid and accounts are filed, the estate can be closed through a final account with the Towson Register of Wills office.
Probate Fees in Towson
Maryland sets probate fees based on estate value. The same fee schedule applies across all counties, including Baltimore County. Estates worth $50,000 or less pay no probate fee at all. From there, fees go up on a sliding scale. Here is how it breaks down for probate court records filed in Towson:
- $0 to $50,000: No fee
- $50,001 to $100,000: $100
- $100,001 to $500,000: $200
- $500,001 to $1,000,000: $1,000
- Over $1,000,000: $2,000 and up
Small estate administration is an option for estates valued at $50,000 or less. If the surviving spouse is the sole heir, that cap goes up to $100,000. Small estate petitions use a shorter form and simpler process. They still go through the Register of Wills in Towson, but they wrap up faster. The Baltimore County Register of Wills office publishes a guide called "Small Estates" that walks you through what to do step by step. Call (410) 887-6680 to ask for a copy.
Towson Probate Records Search Tools
The Maryland Electronic Courts (MDEC) system is the state judiciary's platform for electronic filing and case management. Baltimore County is part of the MDEC system, which means estate cases filed in Towson can be tracked and managed online. Attorneys and personal representatives use MDEC to file documents, check case status, and get notices about court dates.
For general information about wills and estate administration in Maryland, the judiciary maintains a helpful page at mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/willsestates. It covers the basics of opening an estate, filing a will, and understanding the probate process. The People's Law Library also has a detailed overview at peoples-law.org that explains each step in plain terms.
Historical Probate Records in Towson
Baltimore County has some of the oldest probate records in Maryland. Records go back to 1666. That is more than 350 years of wills, inventories, and estate files. The oldest records are on paper and microfilm, and many have been digitized by the Maryland State Archives. Researchers can view these at msa.maryland.gov or visit the Archives in person at 350 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis.
The county seat moved to Towson in 1854. Before that, Baltimore County records were kept in what is now Baltimore City. If you are looking for a will or estate record from before 1854, check both the Towson office and the State Archives. Some older files are only at the Archives. Wills from 1666 to 1851 are indexed, along with administrator bonds from 1721 to 1852 and inventories from 1666 to 1850. Orphans' Court proceedings from 1777 to 1850 are also on file.
FamilySearch has a large collection of digitized Maryland probate records, including Baltimore County files. The collection is called "Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1629-1999" and is free to use with a FamilySearch account. Ancestry.com also has Maryland will and probate collections, though it requires a paid subscription.
Towson Probate Legal Resources
Maryland Legal Aid can help low-income residents with probate matters. The Baltimore County office can be reached through the main line at 800-999-8904. They handle cases involving estate administration, guardianship, and disputes over wills. If you qualify based on income, the help is free.
The Maryland Senior Legal Helpline at 1-800-896-4213, extension 7760, is another option for older adults dealing with estate issues in Towson. The Volunteer Lawyers Service at 800-510-0050 connects people with attorneys who take cases for free. The Baltimore County Bar Association can refer you to a private attorney if you need one. For probate court records questions that don't need a lawyer, the Register of Wills staff in Towson can point you to the right forms and explain the filing steps. They can't give legal advice, but they know the process well.
Nearby Cities and Probate Access
Several communities near Towson also file their probate court records through the Baltimore County Register of Wills or a neighboring county office. If you live nearby, you may need to visit the Towson courthouse or a different county office depending on your address.
Nearby cities with probate records pages: Dundalk, Baltimore, Bel Air South, Glen Burnie.
Baltimore County Probate Court Records
Towson is the county seat of Baltimore County, and all probate filings for the county go through the Register of Wills here. Baltimore County serves over 800,000 residents across a wide area. For the full county page with more details on the Orphans' Court, estate types, and county-wide resources, visit the Baltimore County probate records page.