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Estate & probate notice publication

Estate Notice Publication Requirement

After letters are granted, an estate may be required to publish a notice to creditors in the newspaper and legal periodical for the county. We coordinate the publication, track the required weekly run, and provide proof of publication for the estate file.

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Pennsylvania estate notice requirements

Under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3162, the personal representative of a Pennsylvania estate must advertise the grant of letters immediately after the letters are granted. The notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation published at or near the place where the decedent resided, or for a nonresident decedent at or near the place where the letters were granted. It must also be published in the legal periodical designated by rule of court for the county, if one exists.

The notice runs once a week for three successive weeks. It gives the personal representative’s name and address, requests that all persons having claims against the estate make them known to the personal representative or the attorney, and requests that all persons indebted to the decedent make payment without delay. The notice should identify the decedent and the general location of the decedent’s residence.

Proof of publication should be kept with the estate records. If the estate includes a trust, the personal representative may also need to send copies of the proofs to the trustee under the applicable estate and trust rules. Your attorney can confirm the exact filing and distribution requirements for the estate.

How we coordinate estate notice publication

  1. Confirm the decedent’s county of residence or the county where letters were granted.
  2. Identify the newspaper of general circulation and the legal periodical designated for the county.
  3. Coordinate the notice content with the personal representative or attorney and place the publication.
  4. Track the three successive weekly publications and obtain proof of publication.
  5. Provide the proof or affidavit to the personal representative or attorney for the estate file.

Information typically needed to place the notice

  • The decedent’s full name and the municipality and county of residence.
  • The court, docket or file number, and date letters were granted, if available.
  • The personal representative’s name, title, and address.
  • The attorney or firm name and address to appear in the notice, if applicable.
  • Any additional wording required by the court, county, or estate’s attorney.

Estate notices in New York and other states

Estate and probate publication requirements vary by state and county. We can coordinate estate notices and related legal publication in New York, New Jersey, and other jurisdictions where available. The notice content and deadlines should be confirmed by the attorney handling the estate.

If you need publication for a probate notice, notice to creditors, or another estate-related legal notice, contact our office with the state, county, and attorney information.

Official Pennsylvania resource

Estate notice publication questions

Under 20 Pa.C.S. § 3162, the personal representative must advertise the grant of letters immediately after the letters are granted. The notice is published in a newspaper of general circulation at or near the place where the decedent resided, or for a nonresident decedent at or near the place where the letters were granted, and in the legal periodical designated by the county if one exists. It runs once a week for three successive weeks.

The notice generally identifies the decedent and the general location of the decedent’s residence, gives the name and address of the personal representative or the attorney, requests that persons having claims against the estate make them known, and requests that persons indebted to the decedent make payment without delay. The exact content should be confirmed with the personal representative’s attorney.

In Pennsylvania, publication is made in a newspaper of general circulation published at or near the place where the decedent resided, or near where letters were granted for a nonresident decedent, and in the county legal periodical if the county has one designated by rule of court. We identify the appropriate newspaper and legal periodical for the county.

The notice must run once a week for three successive weeks. We coordinate the three-week publication schedule and obtain proof of publication after the final run. The personal representative should keep the proof with the estate records and provide copies to a trustee when required by the estate’s documents or applicable law.

We can coordinate publication for estate and probate notices in other states, including New York and New Jersey, depending on the county and publication requirements. Contact our office with the state, county, and the court or attorney information so we can confirm availability and requirements.

No. We coordinate the newspaper and legal periodical publication and provide proof of publication. We do not provide legal advice about the estate, the required notice content, deadlines, or the administration of the estate. Those questions should be directed to the personal representative’s attorney.

Yes. In addition to estate notices, we coordinate publication for Pennsylvania corporations, Pennsylvania fictitious names with individual owners, New York LLCs, and many other legal notice requirements. Contact our office if you have a publication requirement that is not listed on this page.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Estate notice requirements, deadlines, newspaper designations, and fees can change. Confirm the current requirements with the court, the personal representative’s attorney, or the applicable county legal periodical.