Lake County
Probate Court

Handled by

Circuit Court (Probate Division)In Illinois, probate cases are adjudicated in the Probate Division of the County Circuit Court (such as the Daley Center in Cook County). Circuit Courts oversee testate and intestate estates, minor guardianships, and disabled adults.

County building

Lake County Courthouse Tower 301 Washington Street, Waukegan, IL 60085 OpenStreetMap · view the map entry

Phone

No phone number published in an open source. Use the county website's contact page — we don't list numbers we can't source.

Opening hours

Not published in an open source. Check the court or county website before you go.

County website

lakecountyil.govWikidata

State courts & e-filing

illinoiscourts.govCase search: Illinois Court Records Online (re:SearchIL / Cook County Clerk of Court)

1. 01

   Secure the original will

   Find the original signed will and order certified death certificates. Illinois deadline: Immediately upon death, custodian must file original will with the circuit court clerk (755 ILCS 5/6-1); willful concealment for 30 days after learning of death is a Class 3 felony.

2. 02

   Pick the right track

   If the probate estate is under $150,000, a small-estate procedure (755 ILCS 5/25-1 (as amended by P.A. 104-0346, SB 83, eff. Aug 15, 2025)) may avoid full administration.

3. 03

   Petition the court

   File the petition with the Circuit Court (Probate Division) for Lake County. The court appoints the executor or administrator and issues letters.

4. 04

   Inventory the estate

   Open an estate bank account (the IRS issues the EIN), list assets at date-of-death values and file the inventory if the court requires it.

5. 05

   Notify creditors

   Publish or send notice to creditors. Window: 6 months from the date of first publication of notice, or 3 months from direct mail notice.

6. 06

   Account and distribute

   Pay debts, taxes and fees (755 ILCS 5/27-1), file the final account if required, distribute to heirs and ask to close the estate.

Small estates

$150,000 gross personal estate (deaths on/after Aug 15, 2025; was $100,000); motor vehicles excluded from the cap; not available if decedent owned Illinois real estate755 ILCS 5/25-1 (as amended by P.A. 104-0346, SB 83, eff. Aug 15, 2025)

Filing the will

Immediately upon death, custodian must file original will with the circuit court clerk (755 ILCS 5/6-1); willful concealment for 30 days after learning of death is a Class 3 felony

Creditor claims

6 months from the date of first publication of notice, or 3 months from direct mail notice755 ILCS 5/18-3

Executor fees

Reasonable compensation based on hours spent, complexity, and estate size; typically 2% to 4% or $50-$150/hr755 ILCS 5/27-1 · estimate the fee

Handwritten wills

Not recognized without witnesses. Illinois does NOT recognize unwitnessed handwritten wills. All wills must be witnessed by 2 or more credible witnesses (755 ILCS 5/4-3).

Estate tax

Yes — exemption $4 million.Illinois imposes an estate tax on estates exceeding $4 million with graduated rates up to 16%. No inflation adjustment.

Inheritance tax

No.No state inheritance tax in Illinois.

Typical duration

9 to 14 monthsA lawyer is not required by statute, though most formal estates use one.

Rules re-checked Sept 2026 against: mtvernonlaw.com (statute) · faegredrinker.com · ilga.gov · law.justia.com (statute)