N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307 · checked 2026-10-20
Probate court fees in North Carolina
North Carolina charges a General Court of Justice fee of $106 plus 40 cents per $100 of gross estate (personal property and proceeds of real property sold; the value of real property itself is not counted), the per-$100 part capped at $6,000 — $506 on a $100,000 estate.
- 1$100,000 estate $506
- 2Fee basis Per $100
- 3Small-estate fee $20
- 4Schedule N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307
Fee to open an estate, by value
| Estate value | Fee | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $206 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($100) |
| $50,000 | $306 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($200) |
| $100,000 | $506 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($400) |
| $250,000 | $1,106 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($1,000) |
| $500,000 | $2,106 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($2,000) |
| $1,000,000 | $4,106 | $106 + 40¢ per $100 ($4,000) |
Across these six example values the fee runs from $206 to $4,106. At $100,000, 10 of the 12 fee schedules on this site charge less and 1 charge more.
Other charges in the schedule
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| General Court of Justice fee | $106 |
| Small estate (G.S. 28A-25) filing, the only cost | $20 |
Source: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-307 (costs in administration of estates), last checked 2026-10-20. Courts can add copy, certification and publication costs that are not in this schedule.
The small-estate route and its cost
North Carolina's simplified procedure is the affidavit for collection of personal property (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1), for estates within $20,000. The schedule charges $20 for the small estate collection by affidavit (g.s. 28a-25), against $506 to open full administration of a $100,000 estate. Check the North Carolina limit or see how long probate takes there.
What the court fee does not cover
The schedule above is only the court's own charge. Publishing notice to creditors in a newspaper, certified copies of letters, a fiduciary bond where the court requires one, appraisals and recording fees for real estate are billed separately by whoever provides them. Those notices also start North Carolina's creditor claim period of 3 months (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-14-1(a)), which usually decides how soon the estate can close. Most courts can waive or defer fees for a petitioner who cannot pay; the clerk's office has the request form.
Related: probate court fees compared · what probate is · all fee schedules.
Court fees only, read from the official schedule on 2026-10-20. Not legal advice; Probate Clock does not refer anyone to lawyers. Fee waivers are usually available to people who cannot pay — ask the court clerk.