How probate venue works in Ontario
Probate (formally, an application for a Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee) is handled by the Superior Court of Justice, and the application is generally filed in the county or district where the deceased person lived at the time of death. Many municipalities do not have their own Superior Court location, so the estate is filed at a regional courthouse — often in a different city than you would expect.
Use the finder below to see where an estate for a resident of your municipality is filed, with a link to the official government listing for each courthouse. If the estate you are handling has connections to more than one place, where to file can genuinely be a judgment call — that is worth a conversation before documents go in.
| Municipality | County / District | Probate is filed at | Courthouse city | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | Toronto | 330 University - Toronto | Toronto | Official listing |
| Ottawa | Ottawa | Ottawa Courthouse | Ottawa | Official listing |
| Mississauga | Peel | Brampton (A. Grenville and William Davis) Courthouse | Brampton | Official listing |
| Brampton | Peel | Brampton (A. Grenville and William Davis) Courthouse | Brampton | Official listing |
| Hamilton | Hamilton | Hamilton (John Sopinka) Courthouse | Hamilton | Official listing |
| London | Middlesex | London Courthouse | London | Official listing |
| Markham | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Vaughan | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Kitchener-Waterloo | Waterloo | Waterloo Region Courthouse | Kitchener-Waterloo | Official listing |
| Windsor | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Oakville | Halton | Milton Courthouse | Milton | Official listing |
| Richmond Hill | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Burlington | Halton | Milton Courthouse | Milton | Official listing |
| Oshawa | Durham | Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse | Oshawa | Official listing |
| Greater Sudbury | Sudbury | Sudbury Courthouse | Greater Sudbury | Official listing |
| Barrie | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Guelph | Wellington | Guelph Courthouse | Guelph | Official listing |
| Whitby | Durham | Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse | Oshawa | Official listing |
| Cambridge | Waterloo | Waterloo Region Courthouse | Kitchener | Official listing |
| St. Catharines | Niagara | St. Catharines Courthouse | St. Catharines | Official listing |
| Milton | Halton | Milton Courthouse | Milton | Official listing |
| Kingston | Frontenac | Kingston (Frontenac County) Courthouse | Kingston | Official listing |
| Ajax | Durham | Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse | Oshawa | Official listing |
| Waterloo | Waterloo | Waterloo Region Courthouse | Kitchener | Official listing |
| Thunder Bay | Thunder Bay | Thunder Bay Courthouse | Thunder Bay | Official listing |
| Brantford | Brant | Brantford Courthouse | Brantford | Official listing |
| Chatham-Kent | Chatham-Kent | Chatham Courthouse | Chatham-Kent | Official listing |
| Clarington | Durham | Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse | Oshawa | Official listing |
| Pickering | Durham | Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel S. Sharpe, DSO, MP Courthouse | Oshawa | Official listing |
| Niagara Falls | Niagara | More than one courthouse serves this county — confirm which applies before filing | St Catharines/Welland | Directory |
| Newmarket | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Peterborough | Peterborough | Peterborough Courthouse | Peterborough | Official listing |
| Kawartha Lakes | Kawartha Lakes | Lindsay Courthouse | Kawartha Lakes | Official listing |
| Caledon | Peel | Brampton (A. Grenville and William Davis) Courthouse | Brampton | Official listing |
| Sault Ste. Marie | Algoma | Sault Ste. Marie Courthouse | Sault Ste. Marie | Official listing |
| Sarnia | Lambton | Sarnia Courthouse | Sarnia | Official listing |
| Norfolk | Norfolk | Simcoe Courthouse | Norfolk | Official listing |
| Halton Hills | Halton | Milton Courthouse | Milton | Official listing |
| Aurora | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Welland | Niagara | Welland Courthouse | Welland | Official listing |
| Belleville | Hastings | Belleville Courthouse | Belleville | Official listing |
| North Bay | Nipissing | North Bay Courthouse | North Bay | Official listing |
| Whitchurch-Stouffville | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Cornwall | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Cornwall Courthouse | Cornwall | Official listing |
| Georgina | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Woodstock | Oxford | Woodstock (Oxford County) Courthouse | Woodstock | Official listing |
| Quinte West | Hastings | Belleville Courthouse | Belleville | Official listing |
| New Tecumseth | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Innisfil | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Bradford West Gwillimbury | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Lakeshore | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Brant | Brant | Brantford Courthouse | Brantford | Official listing |
| East Gwillimbury | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Orillia | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| LaSalle | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Centre Wellington | Wellington | Guelph Courthouse | Guelph | Official listing |
| Orangeville | Dufferin | Orangeville (County of Dufferin) Courthouse | Orangeville | Official listing |
| Leamington | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| King | York | Newmarket Courthouse | Newmarket | Official listing |
| Woolwich | Waterloo | Waterloo Region Courthouse | Kitchener | Official listing |
| Wasaga Beach | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Collingwood | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Strathroy-Caradoc | Middlesex | London Courthouse | London | Official listing |
| Amherstburg | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Tecumseh | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Oro-Medonte | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Essa | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
| Kingsville | Essex | Windsor Courthouse | Windsor | Official listing |
| Brockville | Leeds and Grenville | Brockville Courthouse | Brockville | Official listing |
| Springwater | Simcoe | Barrie Courthouse | Barrie | Official listing |
Compiled from the Ministry of the Attorney General’s public court directory; every row was individually verified on August 9, 2026. Page updated August 24, 2026. Court assignments can change — confirm with the courthouse before filing. You are welcome to cite or reproduce this table with a link back to this page.
Key takeaways
- Probate is filed with the Superior Court of Justice for the county or district where the deceased lived.
- Many municipalities have no Superior Court location of their own — the estate is filed at a regional courthouse.
- Every row links to the official Ministry of the Attorney General listing so you can confirm hours and services.
- Court assignments can change; this table was last verified August 9, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate if the deceased owned property in several places?
The application is generally filed where the deceased lived at death, even if property is located elsewhere. Estates with no Ontario residence, or with connections to several jurisdictions, can be more involved — those are worth professional advice before filing.
What if the municipality is not in the table?
The table covers 70 of Ontario’s largest municipalities. Smaller communities are served by the Superior Court location for their county or district — the official directory linked in each row is the fastest way to confirm.
Do I always need probate?
Not always. Whether probate is required depends on what the estate holds and what the institutions involved will accept — some assets pass outside the estate entirely. It is often worth checking before assuming a full application is needed.
How current is this information?
Each row was verified individually against the Ministry of the Attorney General’s public directory on August 9, 2026. Assignments do change, so confirm with the courthouse before filing.
Fixed fees. No surprises. Start today.
Open your file online in minutes — a licensed Ontario lawyer reviews it before a dollar is owed.