To find a will of a deceased person online, there are two main places to search: online probate court records and a will registry. Probate court records may provide access to a will after it has been filed with the court. You can also search The U.S. Will Registry, which documents where the original and/or a duplicate copy of the will is stored, and/or the attorney who prepared the will.
The best place to search depends on whether the will has already been filed with the probate court. If it has been filed, the court may provide the will or case information online. If it has not been filed, it usually will not appear in public court records. A Will Registry search may still help locate information about where the will is stored or the attorney who prepared it.
This guide explains how to find a will online, where to search, what information may be available, and why a will may not appear in an online probate court search.
If you want to search beyond online sources, read our complete guide on how to find a will.
There are two important places to begin an online search: a will registry and the probate court in the county where the deceased person lived.
The U.S. Will Registry maintains a national database of registered will information. A registration can provide information about where a will is stored or the attorney who prepared it.
The Registry does not provide the contents of the will itself.
If you are trying to locate a deceased person’s will, search The U.S. Will Registry for available registration information.
Check the probate court in the county where the deceased person lived.
Many courts provide an online search that allows you to enter the person’s name and look for an estate or probate case.
To search probate records online:
Some courts allow you to view or download documents online. Others provide basic case information but require you to contact the court clerk for a copy.
For more information, read how to find out if a will was filed in court.
Sometimes. Many probate courts allow you to search their online case records for free. However, the court may charge a fee if you request a copy of the will or other documents.
A free online court search is most useful when the will has already been filed.
If the will has not been filed with the court, it usually will not appear in the court’s public records. You may need to search other sources or contact people who may know where the original is stored.
If you are trying to find out if someone had a will, do not rely on only one search method.
Start by checking online probate records and searching for registered will information. Then look for other signs that the person completed estate planning.
You can:
Using several search methods gives you a better chance of locating the will.
Even when you begin your search online, you should also check the person’s home and personal records.
Look through desks, filing cabinets, safes, lockboxes, and folders containing important papers. A will may be stored with insurance policies, property records, tax documents, or other financial papers.
Also review email and online storage accounts that you are legally allowed to access. Look for messages from an estate planning attorney or law firm.
Bank statements and canceled checks may also show payments to an attorney who prepared estate planning documents.
Ask the person’s spouse, children, close relatives, and trusted friends whether they knew about a will.
Someone may remember the deceased person mentioning an attorney, safe deposit box, home safe, or other storage location.
Also find out whether anyone was told they were responsible for handling the estate. That person may have received a copy of the will or instructions about where to find the original.
If you know which attorney or law firm the deceased person used, contact the firm.
The attorney may have prepared the will or have information about where the original was stored.
If you do not know the attorney’s name, review the person’s email, financial records, address book, and other paperwork for clues.
Financial advisors and accountants may also know whether the person worked with an estate planning attorney.
A will may have been placed in a bank safe deposit box.
Contact the deceased person’s bank if you believe a box exists. Access rules vary by state and bank.
In some situations, certain people may be allowed limited access to look for a will or other important documents. Ask the bank what documents are required and what state rules apply.
A will generally becomes a public court record after it is filed with the probate court.
Before it is filed, the will usually remains a private document. This is one reason you may not be able to find a will through a public online search immediately after someone dies.
If you cannot find a probate case, do not automatically assume the person never made a will.
The original may still be with an attorney, family member, bank, or another person. Information about its location may also have been registered with a will registry.
The rules vary by state. In many states, the person holding the original will must provide it to the probate court or the person responsible for handling the estate after learning of the death.
The deadline for doing this also varies by state.
Sometimes a will is not filed right away because the person holding it does not know what to do. Family members may also be grieving or unaware that an original will exists.
If you believe someone has a will and refuses to provide it, consider speaking with a probate attorney about the rules in your state.
Not every estate goes through a full probate process.
Some property can pass directly to another person without probate. For example, this can happen when:
A person can still have a will even when most of their property passes outside probate.
Therefore, finding no probate case does not prove that the deceased person never made a will.
Start your court search in the county where the person lived before death.
Do not automatically search the county where the person died.
For example, someone could live in Broward County but die while receiving treatment at a hospital in Miami-Dade County. The county where the death occurred is not necessarily where the estate case will be found.
If the person owned property in several states or counties, more than one court process may sometimes be involved.
Possibly. Old probate cases usually remain part of court records, but older documents are not always available online.
Search the court’s website first.
If you find the estate case but cannot view the will, contact the court clerk and ask how to request a copy.
If a will is discovered after an estate has already been settled, consider contacting a probate attorney. What can be done depends on state law, how much time has passed, and whether estate property has already been distributed.
If you believe someone has the original will but refuses to provide it, there may be legal steps available.
Depending on state law, the probate court may be able to order the person to provide the will.
Because these rules differ by state, speak with a probate attorney if you know a will exists but someone refuses to turn it over.
For additional information about disputes involving wills, read After Probate, Can a Will Be Contested.
Finding a will early can make settling an estate easier.
The will can identify who should handle the estate and explain who should receive the deceased person’s property.
If no will is found, the estate may eventually be handled according to state inheritance laws. Finding a valid will later can create additional problems if property has already been transferred.
Therefore, search the person’s records, contact people who may know about the will, check probate court records, and search The U.S. Will Registry before assuming that no will exists.
To find a will of a deceased person online, begin with probate court records in the county where the person lived and search The U.S. Will Registry.
If you cannot locate the will online, expand your search. Check the person’s home and personal records. Contact family members, the person responsible for handling the estate, and attorneys the deceased person may have used.
A will that has already been filed with the probate court may be available through the court. An unfiled will may still be held privately by an attorney, family member, bank, or another person.
Search The U.S. Will Registry — Established 1997
Yes, you can look for a will online by searching probate court records and registered will information. Court records are most useful after a will has been filed. If the will has not been filed, it may not appear in a public online search.
You may be able to search probate court case information online for free. Some courts charge for copies of wills and other documents. If no court case appears, consider other search methods because the will may not have been filed yet.
Search probate court records, search The U.S. Will Registry, check the person’s records, and contact family members and attorneys. Using several methods is important because an unfiled will may not appear in public court records.
If a will cannot be found, the estate may eventually be handled as though the person died without a will. However, rules involving missing wills differ by state.
If there is evidence that a will existed but the original cannot be located, speak with a probate attorney before assuming that the will cannot be used.
A will generally becomes a public record after it is filed with the probate court following the person’s death.
Some courts provide the document online. Others require you to request a copy from the court clerk.
If a will has not been filed with the probate court, it usually will not appear in public court records.
The original may still be with an attorney, family member, bank, or another person. You can also search The U.S. Will Registry for available registered will information.
First, locate the will and review what it says.
If you believe there was fraud, improper pressure, or a question about whether the person understood what they were signing, speak with a probate attorney.
The deadline for challenging a will can be short, so seek legal advice promptly.
This article was prepared by estate planning researchers and reviewed by S. Miller and staff. With more than 25 years of experience in estate planning documentation and probate processes, our editorial oversight ensures clarity and accuracy. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
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