Frederick County Probate Court Records

Frederick County probate court records are managed by the Register of Wills at the courthouse on West Patrick Street in Frederick. The county has kept estate records since 1744, with some wills dating to 1737. Frederick County is one of the larger counties in Maryland by both size and population. The Register of Wills handles all estate filings, from small estates to complex ones with real property and business assets. You can search Frederick County probate court records online or visit the courthouse. The office also takes requests by phone, mail, and drop box.

Frederick County Register of Wills

Hon. Mary C. Rolle serves as the Register of Wills for Frederick County. Her office is in the Courthouse at 100 West Patrick Street in Frederick. The office is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, though staff work until 4:30 p.m. Call (301) 600-6565 if you need help. The toll-free number is (888) 258-0526.

Frederick County encourages people to use the drop box, phone, electronic, and mail services as much as possible. Drop boxes are at both the front and rear entrances of the courthouse. This makes it easy to file papers without going through security and waiting in line. If you do need to visit in person, the staff can help with form prep and record searches for Frederick County probate court records.

Note: Drop boxes at both courthouse entrances accept estate filings during business hours.

Search Frederick County Probate Court Records

The Maryland Register of Wills Estate Search is the primary online tool for finding Frederick County probate court records. It is free. Search by name, estate number, or date range. Data from 1998 forward is available. Type a last name and add a percent sign to see all matching entries. The search shows each case's estate number, status, dates, personal representative, and attorney.

The Maryland Judiciary Case Search also covers Frederick County. This tool is good for finding Orphans' Court cases and other probate matters that went to a hearing. It has records going back to 1965. Both tools are free and open to anyone. You do not need an account to use either one.

For older records, the Maryland State Archives has Frederick County probate records from 1744 to 1983 on microfilm. These include wills from 1737 to 1918 and administration accounts from 1750 to 1852. FamilySearch also hosts some of these collections online. If you are doing genealogy or need a record from before 1998, start with the Archives or FamilySearch for Frederick County.

In-person searches are available at the courthouse. Call (301) 600-6565 first. Staff can pull files and make copies for you. Bring as much info as you can about the estate you are looking for.

Frederick County Estate Records

Frederick County was created in 1748 from Prince George's County. The oldest probate court records date to 1744. Wills in the collection span from 1737 to 1918, with an index covering 1747 to 1930. Administration accounts go from 1750 to 1852. Administrator bonds run from 1799 to 1853. Inventories cover 1749 to 1851. The full probate records set runs from 1744 to 1983. These older records are at the Maryland State Archives.

Modern probate court records in Frederick County follow the same pattern as the rest of the state. When a person dies with assets in Frederick County, someone petitions the Register of Wills to open an estate. Under § 5-104, there is a set order for who can serve as personal representative. People named in the will come first, then the surviving spouse, then children, then parents, then siblings. The petition, will (if there is one), and all later filings become public probate court records.

The documents filed in a typical Frederick County estate case include:

• Petition for probate or administration
• Original will and any codicils
• Letters testamentary or letters of administration
• Bond of personal representative
• Inventory of assets
• Information report
• Accounts (first, subsequent, and final)

All of these filings are open to the public. You can get copies from the Register of Wills in Frederick County. Copy fees apply. The Archives Guide is a useful resource for tracing older Frederick County records.

Frederick County Probate Filing Fees

Probate filing fees in Frederick County match the state schedule. No fee is charged for estates valued at $50,000 or less. Estates from $50,000 to $100,000 pay $100. The fee for estates between $100,000 and $500,000 is $200. Larger estates pay $1,000 to $10,000 based on the total value. These rates have been in place since October 2022.

Frederick County handles both small estate and regular estate filings. Under § 5-601, estates worth $50,000 or less qualify for the small estate process. This means less paperwork and a faster close. If the sole heir is a surviving spouse, the limit rises to $100,000. The personal representative files a petition and a schedule of assets and debts. No bond is needed for small estates under $10,000.

For regular estates, there are strict deadlines. A list of interested persons must be filed within 20 days under § 7-104. The inventory is due within three months per § 7-101. An information report is also due in three months. The first account is due within nine months. Creditors have six months from the date of death to file claims under § 8-103. Missing any of these deadlines can lead to problems with the Orphans' Court in Frederick County.

Frederick County Register of Wills Page

The Frederick County Register of Wills page lists office contact info and links to estate search resources.

From this page you can find the phone number, address, and hours for the Frederick County Register of Wills. It also links to the online Estate Search system for looking up probate court records.

Legal Help for Frederick County Probate

The People's Law Library is a free resource for anyone dealing with probate in Maryland. The site walks you through each step of estate administration. It covers small estates, regular estates, and what to do when there is no will. The information applies to Frederick County cases.

The Maryland Judiciary website provides downloadable forms for all types of estate filings. The MDEC system supports electronic filing in Frederick County. Attorneys can file petitions, inventories, and accounts through the system. If you are not using an attorney, you can still file at the courthouse or by mail. The drop boxes at both doors of the courthouse make filing easy even outside of public hours.

Frederick County is in western Maryland. It borders Washington County to the west, Carroll County to the east, Montgomery County to the south, and Howard County to the southeast. If you are not sure which county to file in, check the address where the person lived. The estate goes through the Register of Wills in that county. Real property in Frederick County is handled by the Frederick County Register of Wills regardless of where the person lived.

Cities in Frederick County

Frederick County includes the City of Frederick, Thurmont, Brunswick, Middletown, Emmitsburg, and several smaller towns. All probate court records for these communities are filed at the Register of Wills in Frederick.

Other towns like New Market, Walkersville, Myersville, and Woodsboro are also part of Frederick County. Residents in all of these areas use the same Register of Wills office for probate court records.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Frederick County. If you are not sure which county handles the estate, check the person's home address at the time of death.