Clearfield County Probate Court Records Search
Clearfield County probate court records date back to 1832 and are held at the Register and Recorder office inside the county courthouse in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. This office manages wills, estate administrations, adoptions, guardianships, marriage licenses, and related legal filings. Estates are indexed on computer from 1990 forward and scanned from December 1998 forward, giving researchers electronic access to more recent materials. The office also handles deed recording and serves as the collection agent for Pennsylvania inheritance tax. Two separate phone extensions handle probate and marriage license inquiries.
Clearfield County Quick Facts
Clearfield County Register and Recorder Office
The Clearfield County Register and Recorder office is on the first floor of the courthouse in Clearfield. Two separate phone extensions serve different functions: call 814-765-2641 extension 2126 for probate matters and extension 2127 for marriage licenses. This division helps route callers quickly to the right staff member.
The office handles a wide range of legal documents. Deeds, wills, marriage licenses, and other legal forms are all processed here. On the court side, the office manages probate, estate administration, adoptions, and guardianships. It is a busy office that serves all of Clearfield County's residents in matters requiring official legal recording.
E-recording is available for deed and mortgage filings through two approved providers: Simplifile at 1-800-460-5657 and CSC at 1-866-652-0111. While this applies primarily to real estate documents, it reflects the office's commitment to offering modern filing options alongside traditional in-person service.
Note: Adoption records at the Clearfield County office are on file from August 1925 to the present, but all adoption records are closed to the general public and not available for public inspection.
Clearfield County Probate Records: What Is Available
Estates on file at the Clearfield County office date back to 1832, making these records a valuable source for nearly two centuries of local family history. The full estate file set runs from 1832 to the present, covering both testate and intestate administrations.
For easier searching, the estate index is computerized from 1990 forward. Estate documents have been scanned from December 1, 1998 to the present, meaning that records from the late 1990s onward may be retrievable as digital images. Older files from 1832 through 1989 require a manual index search and physical file retrieval.
Marriage licenses have been on file since 1885, with a complete computerized index covering the full period from 1885 to the present. This makes marriage record searches faster and more reliable than in many comparable offices.
The following record types are available through the Clearfield County Register and Recorder office:
- Estate and probate records from 1832 to present
- Marriage licenses from 1885 to present
- Birth and death records from 1893 through 1905
- Guardianship and adoption records
- Deed and mortgage recordings
Certified copies of birth and death records from the 1893-1905 period cost $5.00 each. These older vital records are particularly useful for genealogical research because they predate Pennsylvania's statewide registration system.
Clearfield County Estate Administration and Inheritance Tax
The Clearfield County Register and Recorder office serves as a collection agent for Pennsylvania inheritance tax. When a Clearfield County estate is opened, the fiduciary files the inheritance tax return through this office. The office processes the return and forwards the tax payment to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.
Pennsylvania inheritance tax rates vary by relationship. Surviving spouses are fully exempt. Children and lineal descendants pay 4.5 percent of the value inherited. Siblings pay 12 percent, and all other heirs pay 15 percent. The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue provides current rates, exemptions, and required forms.
The tax return is due within nine months of the date of death. A reduced rate applies for payments submitted within three months of death. Fiduciaries who are uncertain about how to calculate or file the inheritance tax should consult with the Register's office or a qualified estate attorney familiar with Pennsylvania law.
Searching Clearfield County Probate Records Online and In Person
Researchers have two main options for accessing Clearfield County probate records. For records from 1990 forward, the computerized index allows staff to search quickly by name. For records from December 1998 forward, scanned document images may be available for viewing at the office.
For records predating 1990, manual index books must be consulted. These physical indexes are organized by name and date and require in-person access at the Clearfield courthouse. Knowing the approximate year of an estate opening will significantly narrow the search in older index volumes.
The Pennsylvania UJS Portal provides online docket information for more recent Orphans' Court cases. This is a useful complement to the local office's search tools, particularly for identifying active or recently closed estate matters.
The image below shows the Clearfield County Register of Wills page on the county website, which provides an overview of available records and contact information for the office.
The county website is updated with current contact details and provides guidance for those seeking probate, estate, or marriage records in Clearfield County.
Clearfield County Probate History and Genealogy Research
Clearfield County was established in 1804, and its Register of Wills office has kept estate records from 1832 onward. This extensive record set covers the county's evolution from a frontier settlement through the lumber and coal eras of the 19th century into the modern period. Probate records from the lumber boom years in particular can be quite detailed, reflecting substantial personal property and real estate holdings among local timber families.
Genealogists researching Clearfield County families should plan to cross-reference probate records with marriage records and birth and death certificates held by the same office. The combination of these sources often fills gaps that individual record types alone cannot bridge. For records predating the local office's holdings, the Pennsylvania State Archives may hold additional materials from the county's earliest years.
The Registers of Wills Association of Pennsylvania connects researchers to local offices across all 67 counties and provides guidance on the probate research process. Its resources complement what is available directly from the Clearfield County office.
Nearby Counties
Clearfield County is in central Pennsylvania and is surrounded by several counties with their own probate records offices.