51 jurisdictions · read from each statute
Small estate affidavit limits by state
The dollar limit, waiting period and filing route for each state's small-estate procedure, read from the statute and linked to it. The median limit is $62,500; the median written waiting period is 30 days.
- 1Highest limit $400,000
- 2Lowest limit $15,000
- 3Median limit $62,500
- 4Median wait 30 days
| State | Limit | Wait | Route | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,000 | — | Short court case | Ala. Code §§ 43-2-691, 43-2-692 |
| Alaska | $50,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | AS 13.16.680 |
| Arizona | $200,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | A.R.S. § 14-3971 |
| Arkansas | $100,000 | 45 d | Filed with court | Ark. Code Ann. § 28-41-101 |
| California | $208,850 | 40 d | Affidavit, no filing | Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 |
| Colorado | $88,000 | 10 d | Affidavit, no filing | C.R.S. § 15-12-1201 |
| Connecticut | $40,000 | — | Filed with court | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-273 |
| Delaware | $50,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | 12 Del. C. § 2306 |
| District of Columbia | $80,000 | — | Short court case | D.C. Code § 20-351 |
| Florida | $150,000 | — | Short court case | Fla. Stat. § 735.201 |
| Georgia | No cap | — | Short court case | O.C.G.A. § 53-2-40 |
| Hawaii | $100,000 | — | Short court case | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 560:3-1205 |
| Idaho | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Idaho Code § 15-3-1201 |
| Illinois | $150,000 | — | Affidavit, no filing | 755 ILCS 5/25-1 |
| Indiana | $100,000 | 45 d | Affidavit, no filing | Ind. Code § 29-1-8-1 |
| Iowa | $50,000 | 40 d | Affidavit, no filing | Iowa Code § 633.356 |
| Kansas | $75,000 | — | Affidavit, no filing | K.S.A. 59-1507b |
| Kentucky | No cap | — | Short court case | KRS 395.455 |
| Louisiana | $200,000 | — | Affidavit, no filing | La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 3421, 3431, 3432 |
| Maine | $40,000* | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | 18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201 |
| Maryland | $50,000 | — | Short court case | Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 5-601 |
| Massachusetts | $25,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-1201 |
| Michigan | $50,000* | 28 d | Affidavit, no filing | MCL 700.3983 |
| Minnesota | $75,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Minn. Stat. § 524.3-1201 |
| Mississippi | $75,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Miss. Code Ann. § 91-7-322 |
| Missouri | $40,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | RSMo § 473.097 |
| Montana | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-1101 |
| Nebraska | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125 |
| Nevada | $25,000 | 40 d | Affidavit, no filing | NRS 146.080 |
| New Hampshire | No cap | — | Short court case | RSA 553:32 |
| New Jersey | $50,000 | — | Filed with court | N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3 |
| New Mexico | $50,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 45-3-1201 |
| New York | $50,000 | — | Filed with court | N.Y. Surr. Ct. Proc. Act § 1301 |
| North Carolina | $20,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-25-1 |
| North Dakota | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | N.D. Cent. Code § 30.1-23-01 |
| Ohio | $35,000 | — | Short court case | Ohio Rev. Code § 2113.03 |
| Oklahoma | $50,000 | 10 d | Affidavit, no filing | 58 O.S. § 393 |
| Oregon | $75,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | ORS 114.510 and 114.515 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,000 | — | Short court case | 20 Pa.C.S. § 3102 |
| Rhode Island | $15,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | R.I. Gen. Laws § 33-24-1 |
| South Carolina | $45,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | S.C. Code § 62-3-1201 |
| South Dakota | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | SDCL 29A-3-1201 |
| Tennessee | $50,000 | — | Filed with court | Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-4-102 |
| Texas | $75,000 | 30 d | Filed with court | Tex. Est. Code § 205.001 |
| Utah | $100,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Utah Code § 75-3-1201 |
| Vermont | $45,000 | — | Short court case | 14 V.S.A. § 1901 |
| Virginia | $75,000 | 60 d | Affidavit, no filing | Va. Code § 64.2-601 |
| Washington | $100,000 | 40 d | Affidavit, no filing | RCW 11.62.010 |
| West Virginia | $50,000 | — | Filed with court | W. Va. Code § 44-1A-1 |
| Wisconsin | $50,000 | — | Affidavit, no filing | Wis. Stat. § 867.03 |
| Wyoming | $400,000 | 30 d | Affidavit, no filing | Wyo. Stat. § 2-1-201 |
* Base figure adjusted for inflation by statute. Limits shown are the general figure; several states set a higher one for a surviving spouse (see each page).
How to read a limit
A small-estate limit is never "everything the person owned". Each statute names what it measures: some count only personal property, some subtract liens and mortgages, some leave out the homestead, vehicles or property already set aside for a spouse. Property that passes outside probate — joint accounts with survivorship, payable-on-death accounts, life insurance with a named beneficiary — is usually not part of the probate estate at all. The guide to assets that skip probate explains the common categories, and the probate timelines show how long the full process runs when the estate is over the limit.
General information, not legal advice. Probate Clock does not refer anyone to lawyers. Confirm figures with the probate court before filing.