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Brooklyn Probate Court Records, WebSurrogate Search, Forms, Fees & Filing Help
Brooklyn probate matters are handled by Kings County Surrogate’s Court, not a court officially named “Brooklyn Probate Court.” Use this guide to search WebSurrogate records, choose probate or administration forms, understand small estates, check fees, request certified documents, and avoid the wrong court or private record site.
What Is the Probate Court in Brooklyn Called?
The correct court is Kings County Surrogate’s Court. In New York, probate, administration, estate files, letters testamentary, letters of administration, small estate matters, will filings, accountings and many related deceased-person proceedings are handled by Surrogate’s Court.
Kings County Surrogate’s Court is located at 2 Johnson Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. The official NY Courts page lists phone 347-404-9700. For online record lookup, use WebSurrogate and select Kings County. For court forms, use official Surrogate’s Court forms and Kings County local form pages.
Choose the Brooklyn Probate Step You Actually Need
Most users do not just need “the probate court.” They need a specific path: record search, probate forms, small estate, administration, e-filing, certified copy, exemplification, or a department phone number.
Search Brooklyn probate records online
Estate proceedings, file numbers, party-name search, document lookup, old index search and will-safekeeping search where available.
Open WebSurrogate and select Kings County for Brooklyn Surrogate’s Court records.
WebSurrogate may not show all restricted or older documents online. Certified copies require a separate request.
Official Brooklyn Probate Court Path: Kings County Surrogate’s Court
Brooklyn is Kings County for New York Surrogate’s Court purposes. If the person who died lived in Brooklyn, or if a Brooklyn estate proceeding is being searched, start with Kings County Surrogate’s Court and WebSurrogate.
Do not confuse this with New York Supreme Court, Civil Court, Criminal Court, Housing Court, Family Court, county clerk land records, or private background-check websites. A probate or estate case usually belongs in Surrogate’s Court.
Use Kings County Surrogate’s Court for local filing and departments
Use the official Kings County page for address, hours, phone, department links, forms, e-filing, virtual appearance, records search, cashier and transcripts resources.
Use WebSurrogate for public file lookup
WebSurrogate is an official free service that lets users search Surrogate’s Court files, retrieve available public documents and view historical records considered public information.
Search warning: WebSurrogate states that it prevents access to files and documents restricted under Uniform Rule 207.64 and only provides links to certain document images filed on or after February 19, 2014. For older unrestricted documents, use court public access computers or contact the court.
How to Search Brooklyn Probate Records Online With WebSurrogate
Use official WebSurrogate before paying a private record site. WebSurrogate offers name search, file search, old index search, index book pages and will-safekeeping search, but availability can vary by Surrogate’s Court.
Open WebSurrogate
Start from the official New York State Unified Court System WebSurrogate page.
Select Kings County
For Brooklyn probate records, choose Kings County. Searching another county can lead to the wrong court, wrong file, or no results.
Search with strong details
Use the decedent’s full legal name, date of death, file number, fiduciary name, estate name, attorney name, or filing year. If you only have a partial name, try spelling variations.
Check file history and document availability
WebSurrogate may show file history and associated documents, but not every document is visible online. Restricted, older, sealed or pre-2014 documents may require court assistance.
Request certified proof separately
Do not treat an online view as a certified court document. Banks, title companies, insurers and attorneys often require certified letters, decrees, orders, exemplifications or court-issued copies.
What Kings County Says to Do When Someone Dies
Kings County’s “When Someone Dies” PDF is useful because it routes users by estate value, will status and practical need. The PDF lists different departments and documents instead of giving one generic answer.
$50,000 or less in personal property
If the estate is $50,000 or less and there is no will and you are a distributee/heir, or there is an original will and you are named in it, the PDF points users to the Administration Department, Room 221, phone 347-404-9690, email KingSurr-Admin@nycourts.gov, and the Small Estates / Voluntary Administration application.
More than $50,000 and no will
If the estate is more than $50,000 and there is no will and you are a distributee/heir, the PDF points users to the Administration Department, Room 221, phone 347-404-9690, and the Petition for Letters of Administration.
More than $50,000 and there is a will
If there is a will and you are named in it, the PDF points users to the Probate Department, Room 210, phone 347-404-9670, email KingSurr-Probate@nycourts.gov, and the Petition for Probate.
Apartment search or invoiced property
If you need to search a sealed residence for a will, insurance policy, cemetery deed, or inventory, the PDF points users to the Miscellaneous Department, Room 212, phone 347-404-9730.
Documents the PDF repeatedly mentions: original certified death certificate, original will if any, police property clerk invoices if any, and itemized funeral bill. Confirm the exact document list with the department before visiting or filing.
Probate a Will, File Administration or Use Small Estate in Brooklyn
Use the correct proceeding before you start forms. A will case is usually a probate proceeding. A no-will estate is usually administration. A qualifying smaller estate can often use voluntary administration / small estate forms.
Brooklyn Probate Filing Fees, Copies, Searches and Letters
The New York Surrogate’s Court fee schedule uses estate-value tiers for many proceedings and separate fixed fees for specific papers and services. Always verify current fees with Kings County Surrogate’s Court before filing or ordering records.
Estate-value filing fees listed in the official fee schedule
Fixed and service fees users often miss
Fee warning: Fee schedules can change and case type matters. Do not collect payment or mail checks based only on this guide. Confirm with Kings County Surrogate’s Court or the cashier/records office before filing, ordering copies, or requesting certified documents.
Kings County Surrogate’s Court E-Filing Rules Users Should Know
The Kings County Surrogate’s Court e-filing protocol says consensual e-filing applies in Probate, Administration, Voluntary Administration, Accounting/Miscellaneous and Guardianship proceedings commenced on or after June 1, 2020, and related subsequent proceedings. It also says documents in NYSCEF cases must be e-filed unless an exception applies.
Run a decedent-name inquiry first
The protocol says before entering an initial filing, users should run an inquiry on the decedent’s last name with first initial to determine whether a file is already open.
Do not unstaple the will
The protocol says the will must be scanned, but must not be unstapled, and the original paper will must be filed within two business days of e-filing.
Original may still be required
The protocol says that in addition to e-filing the death certificate, the original must be filed within two business days of e-filing.
E-filing tip: Initial data-entry errors can significantly delay a proceeding. Double-check the county, case name, death-certificate name, will signature, AKAs, and punctuation rules before submitting.
Certified Copies, Letters and Exemplified Documents in Kings County
A WebSurrogate search can help you find a file, but official estate business may require certified letters, certified copies, authenticated records, or exemplified packets.
Use for banks, title, insurance or agency proof
Ask the court whether you need a certified copy of a will, decree, order, letters testamentary, letters of administration or another document.
Authorized persons only
The Kings exemplification PDF says exemplifications may only be requested by a fiduciary, administrator, executor, attorney of record, or authorized agent with written permission.
No pick-up for exemplified documents
The PDF says exemplified documents are sent by mail and no pick-up is available. A large, trackable self-addressed stamped envelope is required.
Exemplification fee note: The Kings PDF lists a $20 exemplification fee plus $6 per page for each requested document. It says payment must be cashier’s check from a New York bank, attorney’s check from a New York bank, postal money order, or NYSCEF credit-card payment where available, and that no cash or personal checks are accepted.
Brooklyn Probate Forms and Kings County Surrogate’s Court Forms
Use official forms. New York Courts says Surrogate’s Court forms are arranged by proceeding type and that checklists are provided to help the public complete petitions for common proceedings, but checklists should not be submitted to the court.
Legal advice caution: Court forms and checklists help with procedure, but they do not decide whether probate, administration, voluntary administration, accounting, guardianship or another proceeding is legally correct. For case-specific advice, speak with a New York probate attorney.
Kings County Surrogate’s Court Address, Phone, Hours and Department Routing
Use the right department and bring the right information. Before calling or visiting, write down the decedent name, file number if known, date of death, will status, estate value, your relationship to the decedent, and the exact document or filing you need.
Kings County Surrogate’s Court
2 Johnson Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Main phone: 347-404-9700
Official hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon; closed for lunch 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Bring or prepare
- Decedent’s full legal name and date of death.
- File number if known.
- Original certified death certificate if filing.
- Original will if any; do not unstaple it.
- Estate value estimate and list of assets.
- Your relationship to the decedent.
- Exact request: record search, probate, administration, small estate, copies, exemplification or e-filing help.
Official Brooklyn Probate Court Links
Use these official sources before relying on private probate directories, old attorney pages, background-check sites or generic New York estate articles.
Map to Kings County Surrogate’s Court in Brooklyn
Kings County Surrogate’s Court is located at 2 Johnson Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. Confirm current hours, lunch closure, department room, security requirements and document list before visiting.
Kings County Surrogate’s Court
Address: 2 Johnson Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Brooklyn Probate Court Mistakes That Waste Time
Looking for “Brooklyn Probate Court” only
New York uses Surrogate’s Court. Search and file through Kings County Surrogate’s Court for Brooklyn probate and estate matters.
Selecting New York County or Queens County
Brooklyn is Kings County. Use Kings County in WebSurrogate unless the decedent lived in another county or the proceeding belongs elsewhere.
Using a web result as a certified record
WebSurrogate may show file history and public documents, but certified copies, letters and exemplifications require separate official requests.
Unstapling or mishandling the original will
The e-filing protocol says to scan the will but not unstaple it, and to file the original paper will within two business days of e-filing.
Brooklyn Probate Court FAQs
What is the probate court in Brooklyn called?
Brooklyn probate matters are handled by Kings County Surrogate’s Court. New York uses Surrogate’s Court for probate, administration, small estate, estate records, letters and related deceased-person proceedings.
Where is Kings County Surrogate’s Court located?
Kings County Surrogate’s Court is located at 2 Johnson Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.
What is the phone number for Brooklyn probate court?
The official Kings County Surrogate’s Court page lists the main phone number as 347-404-9700. The Kings “When Someone Dies” PDF also lists department numbers for Administration, Probate and Miscellaneous routes.
How do I search Brooklyn probate records?
Use official WebSurrogate and select Kings County. Search by party name, file number, old index, index book pages or will-safekeeping search where available.
Is WebSurrogate free?
Yes. WebSurrogate describes itself as a free NY Courts service for searching Surrogate’s Court files, retrieving documents and viewing historical records considered public information.
What is the small estate limit in New York?
NY Courts small estate guidance applies to estates with $50,000 or less in personal property. If the decedent owned real property in their name alone, it is not a small estate for that real property.
What documents may be needed to probate a will in Brooklyn?
The Kings County PDF points will cases over $50,000 to the Probate Department and lists Petition for Probate, original certified death certificate and original will as necessary documents. Confirm your exact document list with the court.
What if there is no will?
If there is no will and the estate is more than $50,000, the Kings PDF points to the Administration Department and the Petition for Letters of Administration. If the estate is $50,000 or less and qualifies, small estate / voluntary administration may be available.
How much are Surrogate’s Court filing fees?
The official Surrogate’s Court fee schedule uses estate-value tiers, ranging from $45 for estates under $10,000 to $1,250 for estates of $500,000 and over. Fixed fees and copy/search/certification fees can also apply, so confirm current costs before filing.
Can I get exemplified documents from Kings County Surrogate’s Court?
Yes, but the Kings exemplification PDF says exemplifications may only be requested by a fiduciary, executor, administrator, attorney of record, or authorized agent with written permission. It lists a $20 exemplification fee plus $6 per requested document page.
Best Next Step for Brooklyn Probate Court Help
For Brooklyn probate help, use this order: confirm the matter belongs in Kings County, open WebSurrogate for public file search, use Kings County Surrogate’s Court for local department and filing rules, choose probate, administration or small estate forms based on will status and estate value, and verify fees, certified copies and e-filing requirements before acting.
This page is an independent informational guide published for ProbateCourtUSA.org. It is not Kings County Surrogate’s Court, New York Courts, WebSurrogate, a court office, or a law firm. Always verify urgent or official matters directly with Kings County Surrogate’s Court or a qualified New York probate attorney.