How do i go about getting certified copies of a letter of testamentary if i already received one from the court system

You can request additional copies of letters testamentary from the court clerk. If the originals don't work because someone is requesting "certified" copies, then ask the clerk for "exemplified letters testamentary." Those are basically original letters with a certified stamp and signature of the clerk. If you ask the clerk for certified copies they will probably just send you additional originals. You have to tell them "exemplified" if you want them stamped. Good luck! Please mark this answer helpful if it answers your question.

This should not be a problem at all. In PA these documents are called short certificates. Call the register of wills or county clerk where you got letters and request additional letters or short certificates. Hope this helps. Please remember to designate a best answer to your question. Mr. Fromm is licensed to practice law throughout the state of PA with offices in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. He is authorized to handle IRS matters throughout the United States. His phone number is 215-735-2336 or his email address is [email protected] , his website for more tax, estate and business articles is www.sjfpc.com. and his blog is

These letters do expire, at least in some counties. Sometimes you simply need to ask for new letters. If it has been over a year, you may need to file an annual accounting to get new letters. Just call your attorney or the court to find out what, if anything, you need to do. If you filed something to close the estate, it may be difficult to get new letters.

Letters Testamentary are obtainable from the county clerk in which the will was probated by either the person appointed as executor or the attorney for the estate. Typically a stranger cannot walk up to the clerk's window and ask (and pay, because they charge for them) for letters. It is not unusual to need additional letters testamentary long after the will was probated. It is not a big deal. If the court is not near you and you are the executor, simply write them a letter and enclose a money order for whatever the charges are for the letters you need and enclose a SASE for their return.