How to Get a Copy of a Will or Estate File in Berks County

A will that has been filed with the Berks County Register of Wills, and the estate file that goes with it, are public records that anyone can look up and copy. You can search the records online for free from home, and you can get copies three ways: download them online, mail a request, or come to the office at 633 Court Street in Reading. Viewing a file online costs nothing; a paper or downloaded copy runs 50 cents a page, and having a copy certified adds $10.

The office keeps these records permanently. It holds more than a million estate records going back to 1752, including estates with and without a will, inventories, accounts, and guardianship files. This guide covers how to find the file you want, the three ways to get a copy, and what each one costs.

Where these records are and why they are public

The Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court is the office that handles wills and estates for the county. When someone dies and their will is probated, or an estate is opened, the paperwork is filed here and becomes part of the public record. That is what lets an heir, a researcher, or anyone else read a will after the person has died.

The office is in the Berks County Services Center, 2nd Floor, 633 Court Street, Reading. It is not the same as the courthouse across the street, and it is separate from the Recorder of Deeds (property records) and the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts (lawsuit and criminal-case records). If you want a deed, see how to get a copy of a deed in Berks County; for court cases, see how to search Berks County court records online.

What you need to find a file

To look up an estate, have the decedent's full name ready, and the year or date of death if you know it. A file number helps but is not required; the online index will show you the number once you find the person. Each entry in the index also lists how many pages the file has, so you can estimate the cost of copying it before you order anything.

Estate files can hold many documents: the will itself, the petition that opened the estate, the grant of letters naming the executor or administrator, the inventory of what the person owned, accountings, and inheritance tax filings. You can copy the whole file or just the pages you need, such as the will alone.

Three ways to get a copy

1. Online (fastest)

The office runs a records search you can use from any device. Viewing documents on screen is free; you only pay if you download.

1. Go to the Register of Wills genealogy and records page and choose the 1992–present search, which opens the records portal.
2. Log in as a guest (no account needed) or create an account if you look up records often, and accept the terms.
3. Choose "Search Public Records" and search by name, case number, or date.
4. Open the record, click the "Document" tab, and click the document link to view it on screen for free.
5. To keep a copy, click "Save Image" to add it to your print queue, then open the print queue and follow the prompts to pay and download.

Downloading costs 50 cents per page plus a $3.00 transaction fee per order. You can pay per page as you go or set up an escrow account if you plan to pull several files.

One caution: the office's welcome message says the online search covers estate files "from 1995 to the present," but the search button, the step-by-step instructions, and the FAQ all say 1992 to present, and there is a separate search for records "up to 1991." If the file you want is from the early 1990s and you cannot find it in one search, try the other, or call the office to confirm which years are online.

For estates before 1992, you can still search the index online, but the actual documents are not posted yet. Contact the office or mail a request to get copies of an older file.

2. By mail

Send the office a written request with the decedent's name (and the file number or date of death if you have them) and a check or money order made payable to "Register of Wills." Copies are 50 cents a page; if you need a certified copy, add $10. Mail it to Register of Wills, 633 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601. It helps to state how many pages or which documents you want, since the index lists the page count for each file.

3. In person

Come to the office on the 2nd floor of the Services Center, 633 Court Street, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Staff can help you locate a file, and you can get Xerox copies at 50 cents a page, with $10 added to certify a copy. The office takes Visa and MasterCard in person, but there is a $20 minimum to pay by card; cash, check, or money order avoids that.

Plain copy, certified copy, or exemplification

Most people need only a plain photocopy, which is fine for reading a will or keeping a family record. A certified copy carries the office's official certification and is what a bank, court, or other institution asks for when it needs proof that the document is genuine; certifying a copy costs $10 on top of the per-page charge. An exemplification, a fuller form of authentication, costs $35; the clerks can tell you if a situation calls for one.

What the office cannot do

The clerks can confirm simple facts, such as whether an estate exists for a particular person, but they cannot do genealogy research for you, trace heirs, or connect one estate to another. They also cannot give legal advice or fill out estate paperwork on your behalf. If you are settling an estate rather than just pulling a record, start with what the Berks County Register of Wills does and how to probate an estate in Berks County.

Frequently asked questions

Can I read someone's will after they die?

Yes, once the will has been filed with the Register of Wills. A probated will is a public record, and anyone can view it online for free or get a copy for 50 cents a page.

How much does a copy of a will or estate file cost?

Viewing a file online is free. A downloaded or paper copy is 50 cents per page, plus a $3.00 transaction fee for each online order. Certifying a copy adds $10 to the per-page cost. The online index lists how many pages a file has, so you can estimate the total before you order.

How far back do the records go?

The office holds estate records back to 1752. Files from 1992 to the present can be viewed and downloaded online; the index for older records is searchable online too, but you must contact the office to get copies of documents from before 1992.

Do I need a lawyer to get a copy?

No. Anyone can search the records and request a copy; you do not have to be an heir or hire an attorney. The clerks cannot give legal advice, though, so if you have questions about what a document means or how to settle an estate, that is a question for a lawyer.

Is a will the same as a death certificate?

No. A will and estate file come from the Register of Wills. A death certificate is a vital record; for that, see how to get a birth or death certificate in Berks County.

Sources and contact

• Berks County Register of Wills: the office page, the genealogy and records search page, the FAQs, and the fee schedule (Bill of Costs, effective Dec. 1, 2025)
• Online records search (1992–present): the Berks County records portal

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. Open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Facts in this guide were verified against Berks County sources on September 13, 2026; fees and procedures can change, so confirm with the office before you rely on them.