How to Probate a Washington Descendant's Estate ---
To "Do It Yourself" without a Lawyer

Legal Newspapers

County Newspaper Telephone Base Rate Estimate
Adams        
Asotin Lewiston Morning Tribune      
Benton Prosser Record Bulletin 509 786-1711 $7.83/in $150
Tri-City Herald 509 582-1464 $15.73/in $250
Chelan Cashmere Valley Record 509 548-5286 $13.10/in
Lake Chelan Mirror 509 682-2213 $13.10/in
Leavenworth Echo 509 548-5286 $13.10/in
Wenatchee World 509 661-6370 $15.66/in $300
Clallam Peninsula Daily News 360 417-3556 $9/in $150-200
  Sequim Gazette 360-683-3311 $7.50/in $125
Clark Battleground Reflector 360 687-5151 $110 Flat  
Camas-Washougal Post-Record 360 834- 2141 $6.10/in $125
  Vancouver Columbian 360 993-5050 $1.35/L $200-250
Columbia        
Cowlitz Longview Daily News 360 577-2567 $1.97/L + $1.80/L $300-350
Douglas Empire Press 509 886-8668 $13.25/in $300
Quad City Herald 509 682-2213 $9.20/in
Ferry Ferry County View 509 775-2425 $9/in $190
Franklin Franklin County Graphic      
Garfield        
Grant Columbia Basin Herald 509 765-4561 $6.33/in $250
  Coulee City News & Standard 509 632-5402 $5/in $195
Grays Harbor Aberdeen Daily World 360 532-4000 $10.35/in (if Emailed)  
  Montesano Vidette 360 249-3311 $200 Flat  
Island Coupeville Examiner 360 678-8060 $9.50/in $230
  Stanwood/Camano News 360 629-8066 $7.50/in $175
Jefferson Port Townsend Leader 360 385-2900 $13/in $300
King Daily Journal of Commerce 206 622-8272 $108 Flat  
Pacific Publishing Co. (4 papers) 206 461-1302 $105 Flat
Kitsap Bainbridge Review 360 842-6613 $11/in $300
Bremerton Patriot 360 308-9161 $9.90/in $275
  Bremerton Sun 360 415-2687 $10.12/in $300
Central Kitsap Reporter 360 308-9161 $9.90/in $275
North Kitsap Herald 360 779-4464 $8.75/in $230
Port Orchard Independent 360 876-4414 $9.30/in (if Emailed) $250
Kittitas Kittitas Daily Record 509 925-1414 $7.07/in $300
Northern Kittitas Tribune 509 674-2511 $8/in + $7/in $175
Klickitat Goldendale Sentinel 509 773-3777 $6.25/in  
White Salmon Enterprise 509 493-2112 $6/in
Lewis Centralia Chronicle 360 736-3311 $1/L $175-250
  East County Journal 360 496-5993 $6.50/in $150
  Tenino Independent 360 264-2500 $7.95/in $150-180
Lincoln        
Mason Sheldon-Mason County Journal 360 426-4412 $13.50/in $350
Okanogan Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune 509 476-3602 $8.95/in $200
Quad City Herald 509 682-2213 $9.20/in
Pacific Chinook Observer 360 642-8181 $14.50/in $275
Willapa Harbor Herald 360 942-3466 $8.90/in $200
Pend Oreille        
Pierce Tacoma Daily Index 253 627-4853 $129 Flat  
San Juan        
Skagit La Conner Weekly News 360 466-3315 $7.20/in $200
Skagit Valley Herald 360 424-4567 $15/in $350
Skamania Skamania County Pioneer 509 427-8444 $5.25/in $150
White Salmon Enterprise 509 493-2112 $6/in $150
Snohomish Everett Herald 425 339-3100 $14.84/in + $14.42/in $250
Monroe Monitor & Valley News 360 794-7116 $105 Flat $105
Snohomish County Tribune 360 568-4121 $12/in less discount $141
Spokane Cheney Free Press 509 235-6184 $115 Flat  
  Deer Park Tribune 509 276-5043 $7.50/in $125
Exchange Publishing 509 953-9535 $0.82/L + $0.80/L $90
  Spokane Spokesman Review 509 459-5121 $2.81/L $425
Valley News Herald 509 924-2440 $0.75/L + $0.55/L $125
Stevens        
Thurston Olympia Olympian 360 704-6884 $1.83/L  
  Nisqually Valley News 360 458-2681 $180 Flat  
  Tenino Independent 360 264-2500 $7.95/in $160
Wahkiakum        
Walla Walla Waitsburg Times 509 337-6631 $5.35/in $80-120
  Walla Walla Union-Bulletin 509 525-3300 $7.30/in + $6.37/in $100-150
Whatcom Bellingham Herald 360 676-2600 $1.88/L + $1.60/L $350
Ferndale Record-Journal 360 384-1411 $17.70/in + $16.15/in $300
Lynden Tribune 360 354-4444 $18.05/in + $16.15/in $300
Whitman        
Yakima Sunnyside Daily Sun News 509 837-4500 $10.05/in $150
Review Independent 509 865-4055 $8.50/in $180
  Yakima Herald 509 577-7740 $18.96/in + $15.18/in $350
 

Notes:

  1. Flat” means the total charge for publishing any Notice to Creditors 3 times.
  2. “/in” means the charge for one publication per inch of copy. The Everett Herald said that with the printing type that they use, $12.60/in is equivalent to $0.90/L, so these two different ways of quoting charges may be related on the basis of 1 inch = 14 Lines (at least for the style of type used by the Everett Herald).
  3. “/L” means the charge for one publication per line of copy.
  4. If more than one rate is given, the first rate is the charge for the first publication and the second rate is the charge for each successive publication.
  5. “Estimate” means that newspaper’s average charge for publishing a Notice to Creditors 3 times. Many salespersons indicated that a Notice to Creditors was seldom shorter than 5 inches, usually was around 7 inches, and occasionally was over 10 inches (eg, multiple Personal Representatives, each with their own attorney). Consequently, the total charge for publishing a 7 inch Notice to Creditors 3 times at a charge of $10/in would be 7 x 3 x $10 = $210.
  6. Many papers charge more for weekend or Sunday publication. The above charges are all for weekday publication.
  7. Most newspapers’ charge includes their fee for supplying an Affidavit of Publishing, but some do not (eg, Olympia Olympian: $8.50, Bellingham Herald: $13).
  8. The rates shown above were obtained in December, 2002 (or later) for publication in January, 2003 (or later) — most over ten years ago. Some rates are current as of January, 2014; others are as originally obtained years ago & have likely been increased since then. Please verify the current rate with each relevant newspaper.
  9. Many counties, and most of the more populous counties, have not only a “popular” newspaper but also a “commercial” newspaper that has a lower, often “flat” rate. Publication at the lower rate produces just as “legal” a notice as does publication at a more expensive rate.
  10. If the above list omits a newspaper in your county:
    • Check the WNPA Member Newspapers or
    • Go to Washington Superior Courts and click on your county.
    • From that county’s directory, obtain the phone number of its Superior Court Clerk’s Office.
    • Telephone the Clerk and ask for the names of the newspapers where Probate Notices to Creditors are usually published for that county — many of the clerks will provide two or three.
    • Use Google to obtain the website for each newspaper.
    • From that newspaper’s website, obtain the phone number for its classified department.
    • Telephone the newspaper, ask to speak to “Legal ads”, and obtain the rate.