Salt Lake County Probate Court Records
Salt Lake County probate court records are filed and kept at the Third District Court in Salt Lake City. This court handles all estate cases for the most populous county in Utah, including wills, estate administration, guardianship, and conservatorship matters. If you need to search probate court records for Salt Lake County, you can use the Utah Courts online system or visit the courthouse in person. Records date back to 1852, giving researchers and families access to a long history of estate filings in this county.
Salt Lake County Quick Facts
Third District Court - Salt Lake Probate Division
The Third District Court handles all probate court records for Salt Lake County. The court is housed at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. This court is part of Utah's unified court system and deals with wills, estate administration, guardianship, and conservatorship matters. It is the main place to file or search for probate court records in Salt Lake County.
The probate division can be reached directly at (801) 238-7164. For general court matters, call (801) 238-7300. If you need copies of probate court records mailed to you, send your request to P.O. Box 1860, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1860. You can also email copy requests to slccopy@utcourts.gov. The court processes these requests during regular business hours.
The Salt Lake County probate records page has details on how to request records and what the court requires. Reviewing that page before you visit or call can save time.
| Court |
Third District Court Scott M. Matheson Courthouse 450 South State St, P.O. Box 1860 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1860 |
|---|---|
| Probate Phone | (801) 238-7164 |
| General Phone | (801) 238-7300 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Email Copies | slccopy@utcourts.gov |
| Court Website | saltlakecountycourt.us |
How to Find Salt Lake County Probate Records
Searching for probate court records in Salt Lake County gives you two main paths: online through the Utah Courts XChange system, or in person at the courthouse. Which one works best depends on what you need. Online access is fast for case status checks and basic document views. In-person visits let you review the full file and get certified copies on the spot.
The Utah Courts XChange system is the primary online tool for searching probate court records in Salt Lake County. You can look up cases by party name, case year, or probate case number. XChange charges fees for document access: $5 to start, $0.20 per search, and $1.00 per document. A monthly plan is also available. Basic case information such as filing dates and case status is often free to view. XChange covers active and recently closed probate court records across all Utah courts, including Salt Lake County.
For older Salt Lake County probate court records, the Utah Digital Archives offers free access to many historical files. The Utah State Archives holds Third District Court probate cases from 1852 to 1894. You can search those without any fee. This is a good starting point for genealogy research or locating estates from the 1800s and early 1900s.
Note: When searching by name on XChange, try alternate spellings. Older records may have name variations due to transcription from handwritten documents.
Types of Salt Lake County Probate Court Records
Salt Lake County probate court records cover several types of cases and documents. Knowing what type of record you need helps you ask the right questions at the clerk's office or on XChange.
Will probate cases make up a large share of the records. When someone dies and leaves a will in Salt Lake County, the court validates the document and oversees the estate process. Both informal and formal probate cases appear in the court records. Informal probate requires no hearing if there are no disputes. Formal probate involves a court hearing and is used when heirs disagree or the will is challenged. Under Utah Code Title 75, the Uniform Probate Code governs these matters statewide.
Intestate estates, where someone dies without a will, also go through probate in Salt Lake County. The court appoints a personal representative and the estate is divided according to Utah law. Guardianship and conservatorship cases are also part of the probate court records. These involve the court appointing someone to manage the affairs of a minor child or an incapacitated adult. All of these case types create public records in Salt Lake County that you can search and obtain copies of.
Small estates under $100,000 in value can bypass the full probate process through a simplified affidavit process. These cases may not appear in the court's probate records the same way larger estates do.
Historical Salt Lake County Probate Records
Salt Lake County has some of the oldest probate court records in Utah, dating back to 1852. That puts this county at the very start of Utah's territorial period. The depth of these records makes Salt Lake County a strong resource for genealogical research and legal history.
The Salt Lake County Archives is located at 4505 South 5600 West, West Valley City, UT 84120. This facility holds a range of county records including older probate files. The archives maintain an index to probate cases from 1853 to 1893. Physical microfilm records cover Salt Lake County probate cases from 1852 to 1910 on 43 rolls. A Register of Estates and Abstracts of Probate covers the period from 1876 to 1966. These resources are essential for anyone tracing estate history in the county over the past century or more.
The screenshot below shows the Utah State Archives inventory page for Third District Court probate cases in Salt Lake County, which covers filings from 1852 to 1894 and is freely available to researchers online.
Using the Utah State Archives inventory gives you an organized view of which Salt Lake County probate court records have been digitized and which require a visit or written request.
Fees and Access for Salt Lake Probate Records
Salt Lake County probate court records are public under the Government Records Access and Management Act, commonly called GRAMA. This law, codified at Utah Code § 63G-2, gives any person the right to request and view court records. You do not need to be a party to a case or a lawyer to access these records.
Copy fees at the Third District Court in Salt Lake County are set by state rules. Plain paper copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page plus a $4.00 certification fee per document. If you order copies by mail or email, include a prepayment or use the online payment option at utcourts.gov/epayments. The court will not release copies until payment is confirmed. For online document access through XChange, the fee is $1.00 per document after the initial registration fee.
Filing a new probate case in Salt Lake County costs $375 as the initial fee under current Utah court rules. This applies to most formal and informal probate filings. Small estate affidavits have a lower filing cost. Always confirm current fees before submitting any filing or copy request.
The image below links to the Salt Lake County probate records page, which outlines how to request probate court records and what information the court needs from you.
This page from the Salt Lake County court website is a useful starting point before you contact the clerk's office or submit a copy request.
Note: Adoption records in Utah are sealed for 100 years under state law and are not available through standard probate court record requests in Salt Lake County.
Legal Resources for Salt Lake County Probate
Probate cases can be complex. Several resources in Salt Lake County and statewide can help you understand the process, find an attorney, or handle a simple estate on your own.
The Utah State Bar runs a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a probate attorney who practices in Salt Lake County. If you qualify based on income, Utah Legal Services provides free civil legal help, including probate matters. Their Salt Lake City office serves residents of Salt Lake County. The Utah Courts website at utcourts.gov/forms has court forms for probate cases, including informal probate petitions, inventories, and closing statements. These forms are accepted at the Third District Court in Salt Lake County.
The Utah Probate Court resource page explains how the Third District Court handles probate matters and what to expect at each stage of the process. This is a useful overview for families dealing with an estate for the first time.
Utah's probate rules require that an heir survive the decedent by at least 120 hours to inherit under Utah Code § 75-2-104. There is also a three-year limit to open probate proceedings after a death under Utah Code § 75-3-107. Knowing these timelines matters if you are deciding whether to file in Salt Lake County.
Cities in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County is home to Utah's largest cities. All probate court records for residents of these cities are filed with the Third District Court in Salt Lake City, regardless of which city in Salt Lake County the deceased lived in.
Nearby Counties
Salt Lake County borders several other Utah counties. If you are unsure whether a probate case was filed in Salt Lake County or a neighboring county, check the decedent's last known address. Probate is filed in the county where the person lived at the time of death.