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
The King County Law Library has a free self-help kit for filing a Will when probate is not needed that has information and instructions that would be helpful in Clark County. If you buy their kit, please note that the Clark County Clerk uses a different Case Information Cover Sheet that will be provided when you file.