Probate Court USA 3,144 counties · 50 states + D.C.
Find a county
In the matter of the estate of —

Where to probate an estate, in every U.S. county.

3,144 counties, 50 states and D.C., one map. Find the court that handles the estate, the state rules that decide how long it takes and what it costs — and the source behind every line.

Busiest courts:Los Angeles, CACook, ILHarris, TXMaricopa, AZSan Diego, CAOrange, CAMiami-Dade, FLDallas, TX
Exhibit A · The probate map

One country, fifty-one sets of probate rules.

Shade the map by the rule you care about. Tap a state to zoom into its counties, then tap a county to open its probate record.

Click a state · Esc to zoom out
Map of U.S. states shaded by probate rules. Select a state to see its counties.
Small-estate limit none ≤ $25k ≤ $50k ≤ $75k ≤ $100k > $100k
How this directory is built

Nothing on a court record here is made up.

Probate is stressful enough without calling a wrong number. So every contact detail carries its source, and if we couldn't source it, we say so instead of guessing.

109

Probate offices checked

For the largest counties, the probate office's address and phone were confirmed on the court's own website in September 2026, with a link to the page.

2,502

Courthouses located

County courthouses mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors — name, position and, where tagged, street address and phone. Each record links to the map entry.

51

State rule sets re-checked

Small-estate limits, deadlines, executor fees and death taxes were re-checked against statutes and court self-help pages, with the sources listed on each state page.

Tools

Three questions every executor asks.

01 · EligibilityCan we skip probate?

Small-estate affidavit limits and waiting periods for every state.

Check the limit → 02 · CompensationWhat is the executor paid?

Statutory fee schedules where they exist — and an honest “the court decides” where they don't.

Run the numbers → 03 · TaxesIs there a death tax?

Federal and state estate tax, plus the 5 inheritance-tax states.

Estimate it →
Register of states

Start with the state.

Northeast

CT Connecticut 9 · $40k · tax ME Maine 16 · $40k · tax MA Massachusetts 14 · $25k · tax NH New Hampshire 10 · no cap NJ New Jersey 21 · $50k · tax NY New York 62 · $50k · tax PA Pennsylvania 67 · $50k · tax RI Rhode Island 5 · $15k · tax VT Vermont 14 · $45k · tax

Midwest

IL Illinois 102 · $150k · tax IN Indiana 92 · $100k IA Iowa 99 · $50k KS Kansas 105 · $75k MI Michigan 83 · $53k MN Minnesota 87 · $75k · tax MO Missouri 115 · $40k NE Nebraska 93 · $100k · tax ND North Dakota 53 · $100k OH Ohio 88 · $35k SD South Dakota 66 · $100k WI Wisconsin 72 · $50k

South

AL Alabama 67 · $47k AR Arkansas 75 · $100k DE Delaware 3 · $50k DC District of Columbia 1 · $40k · tax FL Florida 67 · $75k GA Georgia 159 · $15k KY Kentucky 120 · $30k · tax LA Louisiana 64 · $125k MD Maryland 24 · $50k · tax MS Mississippi 82 · $75k NC North Carolina 100 · $20k OK Oklahoma 77 · $50k SC South Carolina 46 · $45k TN Tennessee 95 · $50k TX Texas 254 · $75k VA Virginia 133 · $75k WV West Virginia 55 · $50k

West

AK Alaska 30 · $50k AZ Arizona 15 · $200k CA California 58 · $209k CO Colorado 64 · $88k HI Hawaii 5 · $100k · tax ID Idaho 44 · $100k MT Montana 56 · $100k NV Nevada 17 · $25k NM New Mexico 33 · $50k OR Oregon 36 · $275k · tax UT Utah 29 · $100k WA Washington 39 · $100k · tax WY Wyoming 23 · $200k

Counties · small-estate limit · “tax” = state estate or inheritance tax

Questions

Probate, in plain English.

What is a Probate Court and what matters does it handle?
A probate court (called Surrogate's Court in New York and New Jersey, Orphans' Court in Maryland and Pennsylvania, Chancery Court in Mississippi) is the court that proves wills, appoints executors and administrators, supervises how an estate's debts are paid and property is distributed, and in many states also handles guardianships and conservatorships. In most states it is a division of the county-level trial court.
What is a Small Estate Affidavit and how do the 2025/2026 limits work?
A small-estate affidavit lets heirs collect a deceased person's property without a full court administration when the estate is below a dollar limit set by state law. Limits range from $15,000 in Georgia to $275,000 in Oregon; for example $208,850 in California, $75,000 in Texas and $150,000 in Illinois. Many states also set a waiting period after death.
How are executor and personal representative fees calculated?
Most states only say the executor is entitled to 'reasonable compensation', approved by the court. A minority set a percentage schedule in the statute — California (Prob. Code § 10800), New York (SCPA § 2307), Florida (§ 733.617), New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and others. Texas uses the 'five and five' rule (Estates Code § 352.002).
Are handwritten (holographic) wills legally valid in all states?
No. 27 states recognize a will written and signed entirely in the testator's handwriting without witnesses; the other 24 jurisdictions (including District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio) require attesting witnesses.
Which states currently impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax?
12 states plus the District of Columbia have an estate tax (CT, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA). 5 states have an inheritance tax paid by heirs (KY, MD, NE, NJ, PA). Maryland has both.