General information
If a decedent had a Will, anyone who has the Will has a legal duty to file the Will with the Clerk's Office or deliver it to the named executor under RCW Section 11.20.010.
More information about the procedure for filing the decedent’s Will is available from Washington (State) Probate.
If you are not sure if the decedent had a Will, the Washington State Bar Association has some tips for finding a Will.
Wills in the court repository
If a decedent had a Will that was placed in the Clark County Court Clerk's will repository, it can be accessed after that person's death. There are two options:
- Present a Motion and Order to withdraw the Will from the repository.
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate along with a fee, and the clerk will convert the sealed Will into a public "Will only" filing. The original Will remains with the court clerk, but the file would become public so a copy can be obtained.
Forms and instructions
If you need to file the Will but do not anticipate needing probate, bring the original Will and any original Codicils, plus the Case Information Cover Sheet (write the date of death next to the Will Only option) to the Clark County Clerk for filing. A death certificate can be submitted but is not required.
If you plan to probate the Will, the Will can be filed as part of the probate process. See the probate page for more information.
The King County Law Library has a free self-help kit for filing a Will when probate is not needed that has information that may be helpful.