Search Rensselaer County Probate Court Records
Rensselaer County probate court records are held at the Surrogate's Court in Troy, New York. You can search these records online through the free WebSurrogate portal or visit the courthouse at 80 Second Street to view files in person. The court has records going back to 1791, covering wills, estate administration, guardianship cases, and other proceedings. Rensselaer County is part of the 3rd Judicial District, and all estate matters for people who lived in the county at death are filed here.
Rensselaer County Overview
Rensselaer County Surrogate's Court
The Surrogate's Court is the place where all probate court records are kept in Rensselaer County. This court handles the probate of wills, administration of estates when there is no will, guardianship proceedings, and adoption matters. It sits at 80 Second Street in Troy, right in the county seat. The court is part of the 3rd Judicial District, which also covers Albany, Columbia, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan, and Ulster counties.
Hon. Paul V. Morgan serves as the Surrogate Judge. Susan Wilson is the Chief Clerk. The court has been keeping records since 1791, which gives it more than 230 years of estate files. These old records are a great resource for anyone doing family research or tracing property lines through past generations.
| Court | Rensselaer County Surrogate's Court |
|---|---|
| Address |
80 Second Street Troy, NY 12180 |
| Phone | (518) 285-6100 |
| Fax | (518) 285-5091 |
| RensselaerSurrogateCourt@nycourts.gov | |
| Judge | Hon. Paul V. Morgan |
| Chief Clerk | Susan Wilson |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Records Since | 1791 |
How to Search Rensselaer County Probate Court Records
There are two main ways to look up probate court records in Rensselaer County. You can use the online search tool or go to the courthouse in Troy.
WebSurrogate is the state's free search portal for Surrogate's Court records. It covers all 62 counties, including Rensselaer. You can look up cases by the name of the person who died. You can also narrow your search by date of death. The File Search lets you pull up a case when you have the file number. Documents filed on or after February 19, 2014 can be viewed online. For older probate court records, you will need to go to the courthouse in Troy, where public access computers let you view historical documents that are not restricted.
The court keeps an index of all estate files. These are open for the public to view during business hours. You can also email the court at RensselaerSurrogateCourt@nycourts.gov or call (518) 285-6100 with questions about specific records. Staff can tell you if a file exists and what steps you need to take to get copies.
To search probate court records in Rensselaer County, you will need:
- Full name of the person who died
- Approximate date of death or date the case was filed
- File or docket number if you have one
- Type of case you are looking for (probate, administration, small estate)
Probate Court Records Filing Fees
Filing fees in Rensselaer County follow the statewide schedule set by SCPA 2402. The fee depends on the gross value of the estate. For estates under $10,000, the fee is $45. Estates from $10,000 to $20,000 cost $75 to file. From $20,000 to $50,000, it is $215. Estates worth $50,000 to $100,000 pay $280. The fee goes up to $420 for estates between $100,000 and $250,000. Estates from $250,000 to $500,000 cost $625. And for estates of $500,000 or more, the fee is $1,250.
Extra fees come into play if the will is contested. Filing objections under SCPA 1410 costs $150. A jury trial demand is $150. A note of issue is $45. Certified copies of any document cost $6 per page. Searching and certifying a record under 25 years old is $30. For records over 25 years, the search and certification fee is $90.
Tip: Call the court at (518) 285-6100 to confirm which payment methods they accept before you make the trip. Most courts take cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards.
Types of Probate Court Records
The Rensselaer County Surrogate's Court handles several types of cases. Probate is the most common. It happens when a person dies with a valid will. The executor named in the will files a petition, and the court checks that the will meets all the rules under SCPA Article 4. The original will must be submitted. The court will not accept copies.
Administration cases happen when there is no will. The court picks an administrator based on who has priority under New York law. Spouses come first. Then children, parents, and siblings. Small estates worth $50,000 or less can use the voluntary administration process, which is simpler and costs less. The filing fee for an estate under $10,000 is just $45.
The court also handles guardianship cases for minors and incapacitated adults, trust matters, accountings, and wrongful death claims. Adoption cases are filed here too, but those records are permanently sealed. Estate tax returns filed between May 1990 and January 2001 are sealed as well. Documents with social security numbers and death certificates filed with the court have restricted access.
Electronic Filing in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County requires e-filing for probate and administration cases when parties have a lawyer. The NYSCEF system handles all electronic submissions. Even in proceedings where e-filing is not mandatory, attorney-represented cases still must use NYSCEF. If you are filing on your own without a lawyer, you can choose to file papers in person or through the electronic system.
E-filing lets you submit documents any time of day from anywhere with internet access. The system sends email alerts about new filings and court decisions. Credit card payments work through the system. For help, call the Electronic Filing Resource Center at 646-386-3033 during business hours.
Historical Records in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County has probate court records going back to 1791. That is more than 230 years of estate files. These older records are useful for genealogy work and for tracing property ownership through the years. The court's historical index books can be viewed at the courthouse during regular hours.
The WebSurrogate portal has an Old Index Search feature that lets you look up historical Surrogate's Court records by file number or file name. You can view images of available records online. But not all old records have been digitized, so you may need to visit the courthouse to see some files. The court also has index book pages that can be browsed online for earlier time periods.
For even older materials, the New York State Archives at the Cultural Education Center in Albany holds colonial-era probate records on microfilm. These cover the period before 1787, when each county got its own Surrogate's Court. The FamilySearch catalog also lists Rensselaer County probate records on microfilm for researchers who cannot travel to Troy.
Rensselaer County Court Resources
The New York State court system provides online tools for searching Surrogate's Court records across all counties. The WebSurrogate portal is the main resource for finding Rensselaer County probate court records from your computer or phone.
Cities in Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County has several cities and towns. All probate cases are filed at the Surrogate's Court in Troy.
Other communities in the county include East Greenbush, North Greenbush, Brunswick, and Schodack. All estate matters go through the Rensselaer County Surrogate's Court at 80 Second Street in Troy.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Rensselaer County. You must file probate cases in the county where the person who died was living. If you are not sure which county to use, check the address of the deceased.