Plymouth Probate Court Records
Plymouth probate court records are kept at the Plymouth County Probate and Family Court on Obery Street. This court is the main filing location for all 27 towns in Plymouth County. If you need to look up a will, estate case, guardianship, or trust matter filed in Plymouth, you can search online or visit the courthouse. Plymouth holds some of the oldest probate records in the country, with case files going back to 1633. The court sees a high volume of filings each year from residents across the South Shore region. Searching these records is free through the state's online portal, and staff at the court can help with in-person requests.
Plymouth Overview
Plymouth Probate Court Location
The Plymouth Probate and Family Court sits at 52 Obery Street in Plymouth. This is the main office for all of Plymouth County. Every probate filing must go through this location. The Brockton satellite at 215 Main Street handles hearings and file access, but you cannot file new papers there. All new petitions for wills, estates, guardianships, and conservatorships must be filed at the Plymouth office. The Register of Probate, Matthew J. McDonough, manages all case files and records requests from this location.
| Court | Plymouth Probate and Family Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 52 Obery Street Plymouth, MA 02360 |
| Mailing | P.O. Box 3640, Plymouth, MA 02361 |
| Phone | (508) 747-6204 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | mass.gov - Plymouth Probate Court |
Free parking is available at the courthouse. You can also reach Plymouth by bus on the Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway, or take the MBTA Commuter Rail to Kingston and connect by local bus. Bring a valid photo ID when you visit. The court has public computer terminals for case lookups.
Search Plymouth Probate Court Records Online
The fastest way to find Plymouth probate court records is through the MassCourts online portal. This free tool lets you search by name or case number. Select "Probate & Family Court" as the court department and pick "Plymouth" as the division. The system shows party names, case type, filing dates, and docket entries. Document images are available for cases filed from 2009 on. Older cases show docket info only, but you can still see key dates and case status.
Plymouth County probate case numbers use a set format. They start with PL, then the two-digit year, followed by a case group code and sequence number. For example, PL15P0045EA would be a 2015 probate case in Plymouth. Knowing the case number gives you the most exact search results. Name searches work too, but common last names can pull up a long list. Try adding the first name to narrow your results.
You can also search through the Massachusetts court docket search guide for tips on finding the right case. The guide walks you through each step of the MassCourts portal and explains what each field means.
The Plymouth County Probate website has its own set of local resources and forms. Check there for court calendars and any Plymouth-specific filing guides.
Plymouth Records on MassCourts
The MassCourts portal is the main tool for searching Plymouth probate court records online. You can view the MassCourts case access portal to start your search right away.
After you pass the security check on the home page, pick Probate & Family Court and then Plymouth. You can search by name, case number, or case type. Results show up fast for most recent cases. If a case is impounded or sealed, it will not appear in your search results.
Getting Copies of Plymouth Probate Records
To get certified copies of probate records from Plymouth, use the PFC 18 Request for Copies form. Fill out the form with the case name, docket number, and the type of document you need. Mail it to the Plymouth Probate Court at P.O. Box 3640, Plymouth, MA 02361. Include your payment made out to "Commonwealth of Massachusetts." You can also request copies in person at the courthouse during regular hours.
Copy fees vary by document type. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Attested copies run $2.50 per page. Certified copies of specific documents have set fees. A certified copy of a guardianship decree costs $22.00. Letters of authority cost $25.00 each. The full fee schedule is on the state court website. In-person visitors can pay by cash, check, or credit card. Mail requests accept money orders and bank checks only.
Note: Personal checks are not accepted for mail requests.
Historical Probate Records in Plymouth
Plymouth County has the oldest probate records in Massachusetts. Case files start in 1633, just 13 years after the Pilgrims landed. These early records include wills and inventories from the Plymouth Colony era. The collection covers the full span from 1633 through 1967 in various online databases. Published resources like "Records of the Colony of New Plymouth" (12 volumes, 1855-1861) provide detailed transcriptions of these early filings. The "Mayflower Deeds & Probates" by Susan E. Roser is another key source for colonial-era probate records.
Several online databases hold Plymouth County historical probate records. FamilySearch has a large collection covering 1633 through the early 1900s. You can browse these records for free with a FamilySearch account. The Massachusetts historic probate records guide lists what is available online for each county. AmericanAncestors.org also holds Plymouth probate file papers from early periods. The Massachusetts State Archives at 220 Morrissey Blvd in Boston stores physical records not held at the courthouse.
Under M.G.L. c. 215, § 1, the Probate and Family Court has exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters. This has been the case since the court system was first set up in Massachusetts. Plymouth's long record history makes it one of the most important courts for genealogical research in the state.
Filing Probate in Plymouth
Filing a probate case in Plymouth follows the same process used across Massachusetts under M.G.L. c. 190B, the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code. You can file an informal probate petition (MPC 150) or a formal probate petition (MPC 160) at the Plymouth courthouse. Informal probate costs $375 plus a $15 surcharge. Formal probate is the same base fee but adds $15 for a citation. All forms are free to download from mass.gov.
You can also file through the state's electronic filing system at eFileMA.com. The platform charges a one-time $22.00 provider fee for new cases. After that, subsequent filings in the same case have no extra fee. Credit card payments add a 2.89% processing charge. The eCheck option costs just $0.25 per transaction. Plymouth accepts eFiled petitions for informal and formal probate, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes.
The Plymouth Probate Court also offers a virtual registry service. Call 1-646-828-7666 with meeting ID 1606727074 to connect with staff by video. The virtual registry is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Staff can answer questions about forms, fees, and filing steps.
Plymouth County Probate Court Records
Plymouth is the county seat of Plymouth County. The probate court here serves all 27 towns in the county, from Hingham on the North Shore to Wareham near the Cape. For full details on Plymouth County probate court records, fees, and all towns served, visit the county page.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Plymouth that have their own probate court records pages include: