Ohio Probate Form 24.0, the Application to Extend Administration, is the standard court document an executor or administrator files with the county probate court to ask the judge for more time to keep an estate open beyond the statutory six-month closing deadline set by Ohio Revised Code 2109.301. The form is published by the Supreme Court of Ohio Standard Probate Forms program and is mandatory in every one of Ohio’s 88 county probate courts, although each court may add local cover sheets, fees, or scheduling rules under Sup.R. 78.
If you miss the deadline or fill out 24.0 incorrectly, the probate judge can issue a citation to your fiduciary, remove you, surcharge your bond, or close the case without your final accounting. According to data from the Ohio Supreme Court annual case statistics, Ohio probate courts process more than 50,000 estate filings each year, and roughly 1 in 4 estates needs at least one extension before closing.
Here is what you will learn:
- 📋 What Form 24.0 does, who must sign it, and the exact statute that requires it
- 🗂️ The pre-filing checklist of every document and number you need before you start
- ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every box on the form, with sample entries
- 👨👩👧 Three real-world filled-out examples for the most common Ohio estate situations
- 🏛️ How to file in person, by mail, or through county e-filing portals, with fees and proof of filing
What Form 24.0 Is and Who Must File It
Ohio Standard Probate Form 24.0 is the Application to Extend Administration. It is the form an executor or administrator uses to ask the probate court for permission to keep the estate open past the six-month default closing date in R.C. 2109.301(B)(1). The form was last revised by the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on the Rules of Superintendence and is part of the mandatory statewide forms package adopted under Sup.R. 51.
The fiduciary, the person the court appointed to handle the estate, must file 24.0. That includes an executor named in the will, an administrator with no will, an administrator with the will annexed, or a special administrator. If two co-fiduciaries serve, both must sign. The filer is often a grieving family member acting pro se, but it can also be a probate attorney’s paralegal preparing the form for a client.
Form 24.0 solves one specific problem. Ohio expects every estate to file a final account within six months of the fiduciary’s appointment for estates not subject to estate tax, and within 13 months for estates that owe Ohio or federal estate tax under R.C. 2109.301(B)(1). When the estate cannot close in time, 24.0 is the only court-approved tool to buy more time. Filing it does not guarantee approval; the judge or magistrate decides whether the reason is good cause.
The agency that receives the form is the probate division of the county court of common pleas in the county where the decedent lived at death, identified by R.C. 2101.11. Ignoring the deadline triggers a citation to the fiduciary under Sup.R. 78(D), and the court can remove the fiduciary, surcharge the bond, or close the case without final approval. A common misconception is that filing 24.0 is “optional paperwork.” It is not. It is a court order request, and missing it is treated as a delinquency.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Before you open Form 24.0, gather every fact and document below. Skipping a single item slows the filing and can trigger a rejection notice from the probate clerk.
- Case number from the Letters of Authority. This number, sometimes called the estate number, ties your filing to the existing estate file. Without it, the clerk cannot route the form, and the filing is returned.
- Decedent’s full legal name and date of death. These appear on the death certificate and the Application for Authority filed at the start. Mismatched names or dates cause docket errors that delay the entire estate.
- Fiduciary’s full legal name and mailing address. Use the same name printed on the Letters of Authority. Address mismatches cause notices to bounce back to the court.
- Date of fiduciary appointment. This is the date on the Letters of Authority and starts the six-month clock under R.C. 2109.301. Without it, the court cannot calculate whether the extension request is timely.
- Original closing deadline. Calculate six months from appointment, or 13 months for taxable estates. Filers often miscount and request the wrong extension period.
- Reason for the extension. Pending real estate sale, open creditor claims, ongoing litigation, missing beneficiaries, ancillary out-of-state assets, or waiting on a federal estate tax closing letter from the IRS. Vague reasons get denied.
- Proposed new closing date. Most courts grant extensions in 90-day or 180-day blocks. Asking for “indefinite” time is a near-automatic denial.
- Status letter or partial account, if your county requires one. Counties such as Franklin and Cuyahoga ask for a short status letter explaining what has been done and what remains.
- Filing fee in the correct payment form. Fees range from $5 to $25 depending on the county. Check the local fee schedule, such as the Franklin County Probate Court fee schedule.
- Attorney information, if represented. Ohio attorney registration number, firm name, address, phone, and email. Missing attorney info delays service of the court’s ruling.
A common mistake is starting the form before the Letters of Authority are in front of you. Without that document, almost every box on 24.0 is a guess, and guesses get rejected.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official version of Form 24.0 lives on the Supreme Court of Ohio Standard Probate Forms page. Download the PDF directly from the court’s site to make sure you have the current revision. Forms downloaded from third-party sites are often outdated and missing required boxes, which causes rejection at the clerk’s window.
Most county probate courts also host the same form on their own websites with a local cover sheet attached. For example, the Cuyahoga County Probate Court forms page, the Franklin County Probate Court forms page, and the Hamilton County Probate Court forms page all publish 24.0 with county-specific instructions. Always check the local court’s site after downloading from the Supreme Court site, because many counties require a local civil cover sheet stapled to the front.
The form is a single page, fillable PDF. You can type directly into the PDF using free tools such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, or print and complete by hand in black ink only. Blue ink is acceptable in some counties but black is universally accepted. Pencil is never accepted because it can be altered.
A nuance many filers miss is the difference between the standard statewide form and a county’s modified version. Counties may add local lines but cannot remove statewide lines. If your county’s version looks shorter than the Supreme Court version, you have an outdated download. The consequence of using the wrong version is rejection at filing and lost time, sometimes pushing you past the original deadline.
A common misconception is that you can recreate the form in Word or Google Docs. Ohio courts only accept the official Supreme Court PDF or the county’s branded version of it. Recreated forms are returned without a filing stamp.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form 24.0 Line by Line
Form 24.0 has a case caption block at the top, a body with the request and reason, a fiduciary signature block, and an attorney block. Below is a field-by-field walkthrough using the exact field names and box labels printed on the official 24.0 PDF.
Court Name Line (“In the Court of Common Pleas, ___ County, Ohio, Probate Division”)
This is the very first line of the form caption. It identifies which of Ohio’s 88 county probate courts will receive your filing.
Type the county name exactly as it appears on your Letters of Authority. Use ALL CAPS to match the court’s docket style, although mixed case is also accepted. Do not abbreviate.
For example, Maria Lopez, an executor in Columbus, writes FRANKLIN on this line.
The most common edge case is when the decedent died in one county but owned property in another. The form is filed in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, set by R.C. 2101.11, not where assets sit. Ancillary estates use a separate process.
A common mistake is writing the wrong county because the family moved the decedent to a nursing home in a different county shortly before death. The consequence is that the form is filed in the wrong court and the original probate judge never sees it, so the deadline keeps running.
A misconception is that the county on the death certificate controls. It does not. Domicile, the decedent’s permanent legal home, controls under Ohio law.
Estate of (Decedent’s Name)
This caption line names the deceased person whose estate is being administered. It must match every other filing in the case exactly.
Write the decedent’s full legal name as printed on the death certificate and the Application for Authority. Use the format FIRST MIDDLE LAST, in all caps. Do not include suffixes like “deceased” because the word “Estate of” already indicates that.
For example, Marcus Johnson, an administrator, writes ELEANOR MAY JOHNSON in this box for his late mother’s estate.
A nuance involves maiden names and prior married names. Use the name on the death certificate, even if the decedent went by a nickname. If the decedent had aliases, list them as ELEANOR MAY JOHNSON aka ELEANOR JOHNSON-SMITH.
A common mistake is using a nickname like Ellie instead of the legal name. The consequence is that the clerk cannot match the application to the existing case, and the form is rejected as a non-matching filing.
A misconception is that you must use the maiden name in parentheses. You only do this if the prior filings did, because consistency across the docket matters more than completeness here.
Case Number
The case number is the unique identifier the probate clerk assigned when the estate was opened. It appears at the top of the Letters of Authority and on every prior filing.
Copy the case number exactly, including any letter prefixes or suffixes. Format varies by county; Cuyahoga uses 2025 EST 0123456, Franklin uses 582345, and Hamilton uses 2025002345. Do not invent spaces or dashes.
For example, Janet Williams, an executor in Cleveland, writes 2025 EST 0198765 in this box.
The edge case here is co-administered estates with two case numbers, such as a primary estate plus an ancillary case. Always file 24.0 under the primary case number, not the ancillary one.
A common mistake is leaving this blank or guessing. The consequence is automatic rejection because the clerk has no way to file the document.
A misconception is that the clerk will “find it” by name. Modern probate dockets are number-keyed, and a missing case number means the document never reaches the judge.
Title of Document
The form is titled Application to Extend Administration in pre-printed text. There is nothing to type in this title block, but you should confirm the correct version of the form. Look for “Form 24.0” in small print at the bottom corner.
For example, Aisha Patel, filing for her father’s estate, confirms the bottom of the page reads Form 24.0 — Application to Extend Administration before signing.
A nuance is that some counties print “(R.C. 2109.301)” under the title. That citation is correct and confirms you have the right form.
A common mistake is using Form 13.5 (the Fiduciary’s Account) thinking it doubles as an extension request. It does not. The consequence is the court treats the filing as an account, not an extension, and the deadline keeps running.
A misconception is that filing an account substitutes for filing 24.0. Only 24.0 extends the closing deadline.
Body Paragraph 1: Identification of Fiduciary
The first body paragraph reads, in pre-printed text: “The undersigned fiduciary states that the time for filing an account expires on ___.”
Fill in the original closing deadline in MM/DD/YYYY format. Calculate this by counting six months forward from the appointment date on your Letters of Authority for non-taxable estates, or 13 months forward for estates filing federal Form 706 with the IRS.
For example, Carlos Rivera, appointed administrator on 03/15/2026, writes 09/15/2026 as the original closing deadline.
The edge case is leap years and month-end dates. If you are appointed on August 31, six months out is February 28 (or 29 in a leap year), not “March 1.”
A common mistake is calculating from the date of death instead of the date of appointment. The consequence is asking for the wrong amount of time, which the court will deny or correct on its own.
A misconception is that the deadline is one year by default. It is six months unless an estate tax return is required, controlled by R.C. 2109.301.
Body Paragraph 2: Reason for Extension
The next pre-printed line reads: “The fiduciary requests an extension of time to ___ for the following reason(s):”.
Write the proposed new closing date in MM/DD/YYYY format, then state the reason in plain, specific language. Avoid vague phrases like “more time needed.” Judges want a real, verifiable reason such as “pending sale of real property at 123 Maple Street, Columbus, Ohio, scheduled to close 11/30/2026” or “awaiting federal estate tax closing letter from the IRS” or “pending wrongful death litigation in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas, Case 2025 CV 003456.”
For example, Maria Lopez writes 03/15/2027 as the new closing date and “pending IRS Form 706 closing letter and final K-1 distributions to four beneficiaries” as the reason.
The edge case is when multiple reasons exist at once. List each reason as a numbered item so the judge can see all of them.
A common mistake is writing a generic reason like “need more time.” The consequence is denial because the court cannot find good cause without specifics.
A misconception is that emotional reasons such as grief carry weight here. They do not. The court wants a procedural or asset-based reason tied to estate administration.
Body Paragraph 3: Proposed New Filing Date
This paragraph confirms the date by which the fiduciary will file the next account or final account. The line reads: “The fiduciary will file the account on or before ___.”
Enter the same proposed new closing date you used above, in MM/DD/YYYY format. The two dates must match.
For example, Marcus Johnson writes 06/30/2027 in this line, matching the date in the prior paragraph.
A nuance is that you should pad the date by 30 days beyond when you actually expect to be done. Real estate closings, IRS letters, and litigation often slip, and asking for an additional extension later costs another filing fee.
A common mistake is putting two different dates in these two lines. The consequence is the clerk flags the form as internally inconsistent and returns it for correction.
A misconception is that the court will set the date for you if you leave it blank. It will not. A blank date is treated as no request and the form is denied.
Fiduciary Signature Block
This block sits at the bottom of the form and contains a signature line, a printed name line, and a date line for the fiduciary.
Sign in black ink using the same form of your name shown on the Letters of Authority. Print your name clearly below the signature, and write the date you sign in MM/DD/YYYY format. If you have co-fiduciaries, each one signs and dates separately.
For example, Janet Williams signs Janet R. Williams, prints JANET R. WILLIAMS, and dates 08/12/2026.
The edge case involves out-of-state fiduciaries. You may sign in another state, but most counties no longer require notarization on 24.0; check the local rule, such as Loc.R. 78.1 of the Cuyahoga County Probate Court Local Rules.
A common mistake is signing the printed-name line and printing on the signature line. The consequence is rejection because the court needs an actual handwritten signature for verification.
A misconception is that an electronic signature on a typed form is always accepted. Only counties with approved e-filing portals accept e-signatures; paper filings still require an ink signature.
Attorney Block
The attorney block holds the attorney’s signature, printed name, Ohio Supreme Court attorney registration number, firm name, address, phone, and email. If the fiduciary is pro se, write “Pro Se” across this block.
Use the attorney’s registration number from the Ohio Supreme Court Attorney Directory. Write the email exactly because most courts now serve rulings by email.
For example, attorney Sarah Chen, Reg. No. 0091234, signs and prints her info, including schen@chenlaw.com.
The edge case is a fiduciary who hires an attorney later. File a Notice of Appearance separately; do not write the new attorney’s info on an old 24.0.
A common mistake is leaving this block blank when pro se. The consequence is the clerk asks you to refile because they cannot tell whether you have counsel.
A misconception is that listing an attorney’s name without their registration number is enough. It is not. Ohio courts require the registration number for service and discipline tracking under Gov.Bar R. VI.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three named filers walking through 24.0 from caption to signature. Each table shows what they enter in each major part of the form.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez — Pending Real Estate Sale
Maria is the executor of her late mother’s estate in Franklin County. The estate’s main asset is a house under contract to close in November 2026, two weeks after the original closing deadline.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| County | FRANKLIN |
| Estate of | ELEANOR MAY LOPEZ |
| Case Number | 582345 |
| Original closing deadline | 09/15/2026 |
| Reason for extension | “Pending sale of real property at 425 Oak Street, Columbus, OH 43215, closing scheduled 11/30/2026” |
| Proposed new closing date | 03/15/2027 |
| Fiduciary signature | Maria R. Lopez |
| Fiduciary printed name | MARIA R. LOPEZ |
| Date signed | 08/20/2026 |
| Attorney block | Pro Se |
Scenario 2: Marcus Johnson — Open Creditor Claim and Litigation
Marcus is the administrator of his late uncle’s estate in Cuyahoga County. A medical creditor filed a claim, and Marcus filed a wrongful death suit on behalf of the estate that is still pending.
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| County | CUYAHOGA |
| Estate of | DAVID L. JOHNSON |
| Case Number | 2025 EST 0210456 |
| Original closing deadline | 12/01/2026 |
| Reason for extension | “(1) Pending creditor claim from Cleveland Clinic, $42,310.00; (2) Pending wrongful death suit, Cuyahoga C.P. Case 2025 CV 003456” |
| Proposed new closing date | 06/01/2027 |
| Fiduciary signature | Marcus T. Johnson |
| Fiduciary printed name | MARCUS T. JOHNSON |
| Date signed | 11/02/2026 |
| Attorney block | Sarah Chen, Reg. No. 0091234, Chen Law LLC, 1234 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115, schen@chenlaw.com |
Scenario 3: Aisha Patel — Federal Estate Tax Closing Letter
Aisha is the executor of her late father’s estate in Hamilton County. The estate is taxable and filed IRS Form 706; the family is waiting for the IRS closing letter, which routinely takes 9 to 12 months.
| Form Section | What Aisha Enters |
|---|---|
| County | HAMILTON |
| Estate of | RAJESH K. PATEL |
| Case Number | 2025002345 |
| Original closing deadline | 04/10/2027 |
| Reason for extension | “Awaiting IRS Form 706 closing letter; Form 706 filed 01/05/2026; estimated IRS response 12 months” |
| Proposed new closing date | 04/10/2028 |
| Fiduciary signature | Aisha N. Patel |
| Fiduciary printed name | AISHA N. PATEL |
| Date signed | 03/15/2027 |
| Attorney block | David Kim, Reg. No. 0078901, Kim Estate Law, 100 E 4th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, dkim@kimestate.com |
How to File the Completed Form
Ohio probate courts accept Form 24.0 by three channels: in person at the probate clerk’s window, by U.S. mail, or through a county e-filing portal. Each channel has its own fee, payment method, processing time, and proof of filing.
In Person. Walk the original signed form to the probate clerk’s office in the county courthouse. The address for Franklin County Probate Court is 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. The fee is typically $5 to $25 depending on county; Franklin charges $5, Cuyahoga charges $20, and Hamilton charges $10. Pay by cash, check, or money order made out to the probate court. Get a time-stamped copy back as your proof of filing. Processing takes 3 to 10 business days for the judge’s ruling.
By U.S. Mail. Mail the original signed form, the filing fee in check or money order form, and a self-addressed stamped envelope to the probate clerk. Use USPS certified mail with return receipt so you have proof of delivery. Most counties mail back a time-stamped copy in your enclosed envelope. Allow 7 to 21 business days, including mail time.
By E-filing. Counties such as Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton accept 24.0 through their e-filing portals. The Cuyahoga County Probate e-filing portal charges the same $20 filing fee plus a small portal fee, paid by credit card or e-check. Upload a PDF of the signed form. The portal returns a stamped, court-filed copy by email within 1 to 5 business days.
A nuance every channel shares is that 24.0 should be filed before the current deadline expires, not after. Filing one day late triggers a delinquency citation, even if the judge ultimately grants the extension. A common mistake is mailing the form on the last day; certified mail can take three days, and the filing date is the received date, not the postmark date. The consequence is a citation hearing that costs more time and money than filing two weeks early.
What Happens After You File
After the clerk stamps your 24.0, the form goes to the probate judge or magistrate for review. In most counties, an unopposed extension is decided on the papers without a hearing. The judge signs an order granting or denying the request and issues it as an entry on the docket.
If granted, you receive a stamped, signed Entry Extending Administration. Keep a copy with your estate records and recalibrate your closing calendar to the new date. The new date becomes the binding deadline, and missing it triggers a fresh citation.
If denied, the court usually issues an entry telling you why and what to do. Common reasons for denial include vague reasons, asking for too long an extension, or filing late. You can refile a corrected 24.0 with more specific facts; some courts allow this without a second filing fee, but most charge again.
A misconception is that the court will remind you of the new deadline. It will not. The fiduciary is responsible for tracking deadlines under Sup.R. 78, and missing the extended date results in the same citation process as missing the original date. A real-world example: Carlos Rivera received a 180-day extension but forgot to docket the new date, and the court issued a citation on day 181 because no one tracked the calendar.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
- Filing 24.0 after the deadline. Late filings trigger a citation under Sup.R. 78(D) even if the extension is later granted.
- Writing a vague reason like “need more time.” The court denies extensions without specific facts, costing you a refile and another fee.
- Using the wrong case number. A wrong number means the form is never matched to the estate file, so the deadline keeps running.
- Calculating the deadline from the date of death instead of appointment. The six-month clock starts at appointment, so you may request the wrong window.
- Asking for “indefinite” or unreasonably long extensions. Most courts cap a single extension at 6 to 12 months and deny longer requests.
- Forgetting to sign in ink on a paper filing. Unsigned forms are returned without filing, and the deadline does not pause while you fix it.
- Filing only one signature when there are co-fiduciaries. Both fiduciaries must sign; one signature alone is treated as incomplete.
- Skipping the attorney registration number. The court cannot serve the ruling by email and may delay docketing.
- Mailing the form without certified mail. Lost mail with no tracking means no proof of timely filing if the form goes missing.
- Using an outdated form version. Old forms missing required boxes are rejected at the clerk’s window, costing you days you may not have.
- Inconsistent dates between paragraphs. If the new closing date in paragraph 2 does not match paragraph 3, the clerk returns the form for correction.
- Failing to attach a county-required status letter. Counties like Franklin reject 24.0 if their local status letter is missing.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do download the form fresh from the Supreme Court of Ohio forms page every time. Form revisions happen, and old versions get rejected.
- Do file at least 14 days before the deadline. This buffer absorbs mail delays, clerk review, and the judge’s signing time.
- Do state a specific, verifiable reason. Judges grant requests they can connect to a real estate event, claim, or filing.
- Do check the local rules for your county, such as the Hamilton County Probate Court Local Rules. County rules sit on top of the statewide form.
- Do keep a stamped copy in your estate file. You will need it to prove timely filing if anything goes wrong later.
- Do docket the new closing date the moment the extension is granted. The clock restarts immediately.
Don’ts
- Don’t wait until the last day. A one-day delay can trigger a citation that costs more time than filing early.
- Don’t recreate the form in Word. Only the official PDF is accepted, and recreated forms go straight back to you.
- Don’t sign in pencil or with a stamped signature. Ink signatures are required on all paper filings.
- Don’t assume the court will tell you the new deadline. Track it yourself; missed extensions are treated like missed originals.
- Don’t ask for years at a time. Multiple short extensions are easier to win than one long one.
- Don’t forget co-fiduciary signatures. One missing signature voids the whole filing.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Pros of Filing Pro Se
- Lower cost. You save attorney fees, which range from $250 to $750 for a simple 24.0 in most Ohio markets.
- Faster turnaround. You control when the form is signed and filed without waiting for an attorney’s calendar.
- Direct knowledge of the estate. As fiduciary, you know the reason for the delay better than anyone.
- Simple form. 24.0 is one page; many fiduciaries handle it without difficulty after reading the statute.
- Builds confidence with the court. Judges respect organized pro se fiduciaries who track deadlines.
Cons of Filing Pro Se
- Risk of denial for vague reasons. Attorneys know what language judges accept and reject.
- Local rule traps. Each county has unwritten preferences that experienced probate lawyers know.
- No backup if the court issues a citation. Pro se filers must defend themselves at the citation hearing.
- Time cost. Researching the form, the statute, and local rules takes hours that an attorney handles in minutes.
- Compounding errors. A bad 24.0 often signals other estate problems, and fixing them later costs more than getting help up front.
Form 24.0 vs. Form 13.5
Filers often confuse 24.0 with Form 13.5, the Fiduciary’s Account. They serve different purposes.
| Topic | Form 24.0 vs. Form 13.5 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | 24.0 asks for more time; 13.5 reports estate finances. |
| When filed | 24.0 before the deadline; 13.5 at the closing or interim point. |
| Fee range | 24.0 is $5–$25; 13.5 is $20–$75. |
| Required attachments | 24.0 may need a status letter; 13.5 needs vouchers and bank statements. |
| Statute | 24.0 under R.C. 2109.301; 13.5 under R.C. 2109.30. |
| Effect | 24.0 extends a deadline; 13.5 closes or interim-closes the estate. |
| Hearing | 24.0 is usually decided on papers; 13.5 may require a hearing. |
| Co-fiduciary signature | Both must sign 24.0; both must sign 13.5. |
Key Agencies, Statutes, and Forms Connected to 24.0
The probate division of the county court of common pleas receives the form and rules on it. The Supreme Court of Ohio publishes the standard form and the rules of superintendence. The Ohio General Assembly wrote R.C. Chapter 2109, which controls fiduciary duties. The Internal Revenue Service ties in for taxable estates that file Form 706, since waiting on a closing letter is a leading reason for extensions. The Ohio Department of Taxation is no longer involved for deaths after January 1, 2013, because Ohio repealed its estate tax under R.C. 5731.02, but pre-2013 estates may still cite it.
Related Ohio probate forms include Form 4.0 Application for Authority to Administer Estate, Form 13.0 Inventory and Appraisal, and Form 13.5 Fiduciary’s Account. Each interacts with 24.0 at different stages of estate administration.
FAQs
Do I need a lawyer to file Form 24.0?
No. A fiduciary may file 24.0 pro se, but an attorney often improves approval odds by drafting a stronger reason and tracking local rules under Sup.R. 78.
Is there a deadline to file 24.0?
Yes. File before the original closing deadline expires, six months after appointment for non-taxable estates and 13 months for taxable estates under R.C. 2109.301.
Can the court deny the extension?
Yes. Judges deny vague reasons, late filings, or unreasonably long requests. A specific, asset-based reason and a realistic new date dramatically improve approval chances.
How long an extension can I get?
No fixed cap exists in statute, but most courts grant 90 to 180 days per request, with longer extensions reserved for IRS closing letters or active litigation.
What if I write the wrong county on the caption line?
No filing is valid in the wrong county. Refile in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death under R.C. 2101.11, and pay a new fee.
Do I write my full name or just initials in the signature block?
No initials. Sign your full legal name as printed on the Letters of Authority; mismatched signatures cause the clerk to flag the form for verification.
Should I list one reason or multiple reasons in the body paragraph?
Yes, list every reason as a numbered item. Judges grant extensions tied to multiple verifiable causes faster than single vague ones.
Do co-fiduciaries each sign their own 24.0?
No. Both co-fiduciaries sign the same single Form 24.0. One unsigned co-fiduciary line voids the filing.
Is notarization required on Form 24.0?
No in most Ohio counties. The form requires a signature, not a notarized acknowledgment, but check your local rule because a few counties still ask for it.
Can I e-file 24.0 in every county?
No. Only counties with active e-filing portals such as Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton accept e-filing. Other counties require paper filing.
Do I need to attach my Letters of Authority to 24.0?
No. The court already has your Letters in the case file. Attaching extras is unnecessary unless your county’s local cover sheet requires it.
What happens if I miss the extended deadline I just got?
Yes, a fresh citation issues, and the judge can remove you, surcharge your bond, or close the case without your final account under Sup.R. 78(D).
Do I need to file 24.0 if a partial account already extended my deadline?
No. Filing a partial Form 13.5 also resets the timeline in many counties, but confirm with your local rule because some counties require both.
Should I write the proposed new date in words or numbers?
No words. Use MM/DD/YYYY numeric format because court dockets index dates numerically, and word dates can cause indexing errors.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 1.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 2.1 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 25.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 5.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 7.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Probate Form 8.0 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Arkansas Petition for Probate of Will (w/Examples) + FAQs