Kitsap County Probate Court Records

Kitsap County probate court records are maintained at the Kitsap County Superior Court in Port Orchard, the county seat. The Superior Court Clerk handles all estate cases, wills, guardianship filings, and probate records for the county under RCW Title 11. Kitsap County occupies the Kitsap Peninsula west of Seattle across Puget Sound, and includes Bremerton, Port Orchard, and Poulsbo. The county has probate records going back to 1861. Records can be searched online through the Odyssey Portal or accessed in person at the courthouse in Port Orchard.

Kitsap County Superior Court Clerk

The Kitsap County Clerk's office is at 614 Division Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366. Phone is (360) 337-7109. For probate records specifically, the restricted files contact is (360) 337-7164. The clerk's office maintains all Superior Court records including probate cases, estate filings, guardianship records, civil cases, divorce records from 1888, and probate and adoption records going back to 1861.

Ex Parte Court in Kitsap County is held Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM and Monday, Thursday, and Friday at 3:30 PM. You should arrive 20 minutes before your hearing at the Clerk's Office in Room 202. The filing fee for probate is $290 and must be paid by cash, credit card, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks are not accepted. Credit card payments have a 2.4% processing fee added. Plan accordingly when bringing payment for a new filing.

Forms required to open a probate case in Kitsap County include a Case Cover Sheet (the Clerk's Office can provide one), Petition for Probate of Will, Letters of Testamentary or Administration, the Original Will if one exists, Order Admitting Will to Probate and Granting Letters, and an Oath that must be signed and notarized (there is no notary on-site at the clerk's office). Additional forms that may be needed include Probate Notice to Creditors, Notice of Appointment, and Receipt and Waiver of Heirs.

The Kitsap County Probate Filing Information page on the county website lists all required forms, filing procedures, payment methods, and ex parte court schedule for opening a probate case in Kitsap County.

Kitsap County Superior Court requires specific documents and payment forms for probate filings, with Ex Parte Court held multiple times weekly for initial probate matters at the Port Orchard courthouse.

Search Kitsap County Probate Records

Kitsap County probate records can be searched online through the statewide Odyssey Portal. The Odyssey system covers case types including civil, criminal, divorce, and probate, with bulk records from 2000 to present. Enter the decedent's name or case number to find probate filings in the county. The portal shows case type, party names, and case status.

The Washington State Digital Archives at digitalarchives.wa.gov has Kitsap County court records. Use the Detailed Search feature and select "Superior Court Cases" with the date range 1973 to present. This free resource includes probate records. Restricted files including adoption, dependency, and mental competency cases are NOT available online. Contact the Kitsap County Clerk at (360) 337-7164 for those case types.

Historical Kitsap County probate records are held at the Puget Sound Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives. The branch is at the Pritchard-Fleming Building, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue, WA 98007-6484, phone (425) 564-3940. Historical materials at the Puget Sound Branch include miscellaneous probate journals from the 1870s to 1947, record of petitions from 1879 to 1939, record of wills from 1880 to 1955, and letters of testamentary and administration from 1879 to 1984. These records document estate administration going back to the earliest period of the county's existence.

For in-person access to current records, visit the clerk's office at 614 Division Street in Port Orchard during business hours. The County Auditor also holds records relevant to genealogists, including birth records from 1891 to 1907, death records from 1892 to 1907, and marriage records from 1892. For probate case records specifically, always contact the Superior Court Clerk.

Kitsap County Probate Filing Fees

The probate filing fee in Kitsap County is $290. This is a firm amount. Payment must be by cash, credit card, money order, or cashier's check. Personal checks are NOT accepted. Credit card payments have a 2.4% processing fee added to the total. Contact the clerk at (360) 337-7109 to confirm any fee changes before filing.

Certified copies cost $5.00 each. Other forms may be needed in addition to the initial filing set. Copy fees for non-certified documents are $0.50 per page. Letters testamentary and letters of administration each cost $5.00 and are required to act on behalf of the estate. Get several copies of letters when the case opens to avoid return trips to the courthouse.

Kitsap County Probate Record Contents

Kitsap County probate case files contain all documents filed during estate administration. Standard documents include the original will (if one exists), probate petitions and court orders, the personal representative's oath, notice to creditors publications and proof of service, estate inventory and appraisement, creditor claims filed against the estate, court orders entered during administration, and the final decree of distribution. Each document carries the case number and filing date.

Guardianship case files in Kitsap County include the petition for guardianship, court order appointing the guardian, annual accountings of the ward's assets and income, reports on the ward's living situation and care, and the eventual termination order. These records are kept permanently by the clerk per Washington retention schedules.

Kitsap County's probate records go back to 1861. The County Auditor has birth and death records from 1891 to 1907 and marriage records from 1892. The historical depth of Kitsap records makes the county a strong resource for genealogical research. For records older than what is in the Odyssey system, the Puget Sound Regional Branch in Bellevue has the archival collection. Contact the branch at (425) 564-3940 to confirm available materials for specific time periods.

Probate Resources in Kitsap County

Free official probate forms are at courts.wa.gov/forms. Online case search is at the Odyssey Portal. Historical records are at the Washington State Digital Archives and the Puget Sound Regional Branch in Bellevue at (425) 564-3940. Full Washington probate law is at RCW Title 11.

Kitsap Legal Services provides free civil legal help to qualifying Kitsap County residents including probate assistance. The Washington State Bar Association referral service is at (206) 443-9722 and directory at wsba.org. WashingtonLawHelp at washingtonlawhelp.org has plain-language guides. Northwest Justice Project serves Kitsap County at (888) 201-1014.

Cities in Kitsap County

Kitsap County includes Bremerton and several other communities. All probate matters for county residents go through the Kitsap County Superior Court in Port Orchard.

Other communities include Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Silverdale, and Bainbridge Island. All probate matters go through the Superior Court in Port Orchard.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Kitsap County on the Puget Sound region.