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States With Lowest Probate Costs

Probate costs vary widely by state — from a few hundred dollars to thousands, plus attorney fees ranging from 1% to 4%+ of estate value. Ranked by combined timeline and cost burden.

# State Timeline Attorney Fee Filing Fee Small Estate
#1 Nevada 6–12 mo 2% $70–$500 $25K
#2 Mississippi 6–12 mo 2.5% $50–$300 $50K
#3 Alabama 6–12 mo — $50–$500 $25K
#4 Alaska 6–12 mo — $50–$200 $150K
#5 Arizona 6–12 mo 3% $140–$380 $100K
#6 Colorado 6–12 mo — $164–$164 $80K
#7 Georgia 6–12 mo — $55–$300 $10K
#8 Idaho 6–12 mo — $71–$200 $100K
#9 Indiana 6–12 mo — $60–$200 $50K
#10 Kansas 6–12 mo — $60–$300 $40K
#11 Kentucky 6–12 mo 3% $75–$300 $30K
#12 Louisiana 6–18 mo 3% $100–$400 $75K
#13 Maine 6–12 mo — $55–$250 $40K
#14 Michigan 6–12 mo — $25–$600 $15K
#15 Minnesota 6–12 mo — $320–$600 $75K
#16 Montana 6–12 mo — $50–$200 $100K
#17 New Hampshire 6–12 mo — $75–$300 $10K
#18 New Mexico 6–12 mo — $64–$300 $50K
#19 North Dakota 6–12 mo — $45–$200 $50K
#20 Oregon 6–12 mo — $100–$500 $275K
#21 South Dakota 6–12 mo — $100–$300 $50K
#22 Texas 6–12 mo — $100–$400 $75K
#23 Utah 6–12 mo — $165–$350 $100K
#24 Vermont 6–12 mo — $150–$450 $45K
#25 Virginia 6–12 mo — $25–$400 $50K
#26 Washington 6–12 mo — $240–$400 $100K
#27 Wisconsin 6–12 mo 3% $70–$250 $50K
#28 Wyoming 6–12 mo — $100–$300 $200K
#29 Delaware 6–12 mo 4% $150–$500 $30K
#30 Nebraska 6–12 mo 4% $35–$200 $50K
#31 Iowa 9–18 mo 2% $45–$450 $100K
#32 Missouri 6–12 mo 5% $105–$400 $40K
#33 West Virginia 6–12 mo 5% $50–$300 $50K
#34 Connecticut 9–18 mo 3% $25–$200 $40K
#35 Florida 9–18 mo 3% $285–$400 $75K
#36 Illinois 9–18 mo — $238–$500 $100K
#37 Massachusetts 9–18 mo — $375–$1000 $25K
#38 New Jersey 9–18 mo — $75–$500 $50K
#39 North Carolina 9–18 mo — $120–$600 $20K
#40 Rhode Island 9–18 mo — $100–$400 $15K
#41 California 9–18 mo 4% $435–$435 $185K
#42 Hawaii 9–18 mo 4% $35–$300 $100K
#43 Ohio 9–18 mo 4% $83–$500 $35K
#44 Pennsylvania 9–18 mo 4% $140–$700 $50K
#45 Arkansas 9–18 mo 5% $75–$300 $100K
#46 District of Columbia 9–18 mo 5% $45–$300 $40K
#47 Maryland 9–18 mo 5% $100–$1000 $50K
#48 New York 9–24 mo 5% $215–$1250 $50K
#49 Oklahoma 9–18 mo 5% $170–$400 $200K
#50 South Carolina 9–18 mo 5% $25–$500 $25K
#51 Tennessee 9–18 mo 5% $175–$500 $50K

How to Avoid Probate Entirely

  • ✓Revocable living trusts pass assets directly to beneficiaries outside probate
  • ✓TOD (Transfer on Death) and POD (Payable on Death) designations on accounts
  • ✓Joint tenancy with right of survivorship for real property
  • ✓Small estate affidavit procedures available in most states under dollar thresholds
  • !Each strategy has tax and legal implications — attorney review recommended
Disclaimer: Probate costs are estimates based on published fee schedules. Actual costs vary. This is not legal advice. Consult a probate attorney in your state.

Nearby rankings to explore

Compare against related ranking views to see where states cluster differently.