Berks County Register of Wills: What It Does

The Berks County Register of Wills is the county office that probates wills and opens estates when someone dies, so that a named person can legally settle the person's affairs. The same elected officeholder also serves as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, issues marriage licenses, and takes Pennsylvania inheritance tax returns as the state's local collection point.

The office is led by Register of Wills Suzanne Myers and sits on the second floor of the Berks County Services Center, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the phone number is 610-478-6600.

What the office handles

• Probate and estates: proving that a will is valid and appointing the person who will settle the estate. If there is no will, the office appoints an administrator instead.
• Letters and short certificates: the paperwork that proves someone has legal authority to act for an estate, which banks and other institutions require before they release a dead person's money or property.
• Inheritance tax: the office takes the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return and payment for county residents' estates as the state's agent.
• Marriage licenses: Berks issues these online with a video appointment. See our Berks County marriage license guide for the full process.
• Orphans' Court filings: as Clerk of the Orphans' Court, the office keeps the records for estates, adoptions, and guardianships.

How to open an estate in Berks County

Probate is the legal process of proving a will and appointing the person who will carry it out. In Berks County, probate is done by a scheduled video appointment, not at a counter. There is no online filing, and signatures must be original, so plan for a Microsoft Teams meeting and paper documents.

1. Gather the documents. You need the original will and any codicil, the original death certificate, a completed Petition for Grant of Letters, photo ID for the person who will serve, an Estate Information Sheet (state form REV-346), notarized renunciations if other people with an equal right are stepping aside, and witness oaths if the will is not self-proved. Do not sign the petition in advance. You sign it during the appointment.
2. Send the paperwork to the office by email to rwills@berkspa.gov, by mail, or by dropping it off. The office reviews it and assigns a file number.
3. Book the video appointment using the booking link on the county's probate page.
4. Meet and sign. The office goes through the petition with you on the video call, and you sign it then.
5. Send the originals and pay. After the appointment, mail or drop off the original documents with payment. The office then issues the Grant of Letters and any short certificates you ordered.

A short certificate is the paper that proves you hold that authority. You tell the office how many you need, because each bank or institution that holds an estate asset will generally require its own. The document that grants the authority is called letters testamentary when there is a will and letters of administration when there is not.

What it costs

The fees come from the county's Bill of Costs, the court order that sets the office's charges. The current order took effect December 1, 2025. One quirk to know: the county posts that order on its fee-schedules page under a file still named and labeled 2022, but the December 2025 effective date and the current amounts are inside the document. The fee for letters is tiered by the size of the estate:

Estate value	Fee for letters
Less than $2,500	$30
$2,501 to $5,000	$50
$5,001 to $10,000	$75
$10,001 to $25,000	$100
$25,001 to $50,000	$130
$50,001 to $75,000	$200
$75,001 to $100,000	$250
Each additional $100,000 (or part)	add $125

Other common charges: a short certificate is $10, filing the inheritance tax return is $15, filing a petition and proposed order is $45, and filing the estate inventory is $15. Some filings add a $41.25 Pennsylvania Judicial Computer Project fee and a $17.50 Record Improvement Fund fee. A marriage license is a separate $65, paid at the video appointment by Visa or Mastercard.

How Pennsylvania inheritance tax works

Pennsylvania taxes most inherited money and property, and the rate depends on who inherits. There is no separate Berks County rate; the county Register of Wills collects the state tax. The rates are:

• 0% to a surviving spouse, and to a parent from a child age 21 or younger.
• 4.5% to children, grandchildren, and other direct descendants.
• 12% between siblings.
• 15% to everyone else, except charities and government.

The tax is due at the date of death and becomes delinquent nine months later. Pay within three months of the death and the state allows a 5% discount. The return is state form REV-1500, filed with the Register of Wills in the county where the person lived. Rates and deadlines are set by the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Register of Wills the same as the Recorder of Deeds?

No. They are separate Berks County row offices. The Register of Wills handles wills, estates, and marriage licenses; the Recorder of Deeds handles property records. See how Berks County government works for how the row offices divide up.

Do I need a lawyer to probate an estate?

You are not required to hire an attorney to open a simple estate, and the office processes the filing rather than giving legal advice. Estates with disputes, unusual assets, or tax questions often warrant a lawyer. The office can tell you what forms it needs, but not whether to file them.

How do I get a copy of a will or an estate record?

The office keeps the estate file and can provide copies. Contact it at 610-478-6600; certified copies carry a fee under the same Bill of Costs.

Where do I get the death certificate I need for probate?

The Pennsylvania Department of Health issues death certificates, not the county. Our guide on birth and death certificates in Berks County explains how to order one.

What if there is no will?

The estate still goes through the office, which grants letters of administration to an eligible relative. Pennsylvania law sets who has the first right to serve and who inherits when there is no will.

Sources and contact

• Berks County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court
• Probate & Estates page
• Fee Schedules page and the Bill of Costs, effective Dec. 1, 2025 (PDF)
• Marriage License page
• Pennsylvania Department of Revenue — Inheritance Tax and the REV-1500 return (PDF)

Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court: Berks County Services Center, 2nd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. Phone 610-478-6600, fax 610-478-6251, rwills@berkspa.gov. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Facts in this guide were verified against the county and state sources above on September 3, 2026; fees and procedures can change, so confirm with the office before you rely on them.