Wills Submitted to the Court for Safekeeping

An individual’s will (and codicil*(s)) may be deposited with the probate court in the county where that individual resides. Any Wayne County resident may deposit their original will and codicils, if any, for safekeeping with the Wayne County Probate Court.

(*A codicil is an amendment to a will.)

To safekeep your original will and codicils if any, during your lifetime with the Wayne County Probate Court, submit the following items to the court:

• The original will (and codicils if any) in a sealed envelope with your full legal name, address, and last 4 digits of your Social Security number written on the outside of the sealed envelope;
• $25.00 payment to the Wayne County Probate Court along with the Will Filing Coversheet (WCPC98); and
• Letter requesting your documents be filed with the Court for safekeeping -- provide your mailing address or email address for the receipt to be sent in this letter.

Your submission can be delivered to the court via mail (certified mail encouraged) or hand-delivered to the drop-box located on the 13th Floor of the Court. Once the fee is paid and the original documents are accepted for safekeeping, a Certificate of Deposit will be forwarded to you.

WILL SUBMISSION AFTER DEATH

Any person having possession of a will or codicil of an individual who has died is required to forward it to the court having jurisdiction over that estate (if the decedent was a Wayne County resident, it should be submitted to the Wayne County Probate Court) with reasonable promptness after the death of the individual. There is no fee for a will to be submitted after death. The decedent’s will (and codicils, if any) should be delivered to the court via the court’s drop-box located on the 13th Floor of the court or may be sent to the court via registered mail. Include a letter with the will identifying the date of death of the individual (if known), a copy of the death certificate may be attached, and your information as the submitter.

04/25/2023