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Dallas County Clerk, Probate Division · checked 2026-10-21
Probate court fees in Dallas County, Texas
The Dallas County Clerk, Probate Division charges $360 to open a decedent's estate (application for probate of a will or for administration, base filing fee), whatever the estate is worth. The schedule is dated January 1, 2026.
- 1$100,000 estate $360
- 2Fee basis Flat fee
- 3Small-estate filing $360
- 4Items in schedule 13
One fee at every estate size
Dallas County's schedule does not move with the size of the estate: a $25,000 estate and a $1,000,000 estate both pay $360 to start. Harris County and Travis County charge the same amount among the other Texas counties read for this site. Of the 10 county schedules here, 4 ask for less to open an estate and 3 ask for more.
Every estate charge in the Dallas County schedule
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application for probate of a will (letters, muniment of title, will annexed) | $360 |
| Application for administration | $360 |
| Application to determine heirship | $360 |
| Small estate affidavit | $360 |
| Original probate of a foreign will | $360 |
| Ancillary probate without letters | $360 |
| Motion to open safety deposit box | $87 |
| Show cause for production of will | $87 |
| Will deposit | $5 |
| Posted notice | $20 |
| Citation by publication | $65 |
| Issuance of citation, each | $8 |
| Heirship: attorney ad litem deposit | $600 |
Posted notice, citation by publication and citation issuance are charged on top of the $360 base for the initial filing, and heirship cases add the $600 ad litem deposit and newspaper publication.
Source: Dallas County Clerk, Probate Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026), read on the county's official site and last checked 2026-10-21. The amounts run from $5 to $600 across the 13 lines listed here.
The small-estate route in Dallas County
Texas's simplified procedure is the small estate affidavit approved by the court under Tex. Est. Code § 205.001, for estates within $75,000, measured as the value of the estate assets on the date of the affidavit, excluding homestead and exempt property. Dallas County's schedule lists the small estate affidavit at $360, the same as opening a full administration, so the saving is in time and paperwork rather than the filing charge. It can be used 30 days after the death. Check the Texas limit.
How long an estate stays open in Dallas County
Texas sets no fixed creditor bar (Tex. Est. Code § 355.001), so the pace of the work decides when a Dallas County estate can close; see the Texas timeline page.
Texas counties compared
| County | Open an estate ($100,000) | Small-estate filing |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | $360 | $360 |
| Bexar County | $415 | $360 |
| Collin County | $393 | $393 |
| Harris County | $360 | $360 |
| Travis County | $360 | $360 |
Texas has no single statewide probate fee on this site: filing charges are set and published county by county, which is why the county schedule is the figure to use.
Where to file in Dallas County
Estates of people who lived in Dallas County are filed with the Dallas County Clerk, Probate Division (Dallas). The official page linked above lists the current charges; the clerk's office can confirm the total before filing and explain fee waivers for people who cannot pay. Publication of notice, certified copies, bonds and appraisals are charged separately.
Related: all county schedules · state fee schedules · probate court fees compared.
Court fees only, read from the county's published schedule on 2026-10-21. Not legal advice; Probate Clock does not refer anyone to lawyers. Fees change, often each January; confirm with the Dallas County Clerk, Probate Division before filing.