Probate in Tennessee · 95 counties

Tennessee Probate Courts

Estates here go through the Chancery Court / Circuit Court / Probate Court. Pick a county on the map or search below — each record shows where to file and where every detail comes from.

Small-estate limit

$50,000

Wait 45 days

Death taxes

None

No state death tax

Executor fee

Reasonable

Reasonable fee set by the court

Handwritten wills

Valid

Unwitnessed, in testator’s hand

Plate · TN

Every Tennessee county, on one map

Population, low → high courthouse probate office checked

§ I

Tennessee probate rules

Court: Chancery Court / Circuit Court / Probate CourtIn Tennessee, probate jurisdiction is held by the Chancery Court in most counties, or by specialized Probate Courts in counties like Shelby (Memphis) and Davidson (Nashville).
Small estates: $50,000 total property; handled by sworn petition for limited letters of administration/testamentary of a small estate (no authority over real estate)Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-4-101 et seq. (§ 30-4-103)
Filing the will: Must be presented for probate promptly; generally within 10 years of death
Creditor claims: 4 months from the date of first publication of notice to creditors, or 60 days from direct receiptTenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-306 & § 30-2-310
Executor fees: Reasonable compensation fixed by court based on time, responsibility, and estate complexity (~2.5% to 5%)Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-606 · calculator
Estate tax: NoneTennessee inheritance/estate tax was completely phased out and repealed as of January 1, 2016.
Inheritance tax: NoneNo state inheritance tax in Tennessee.
Typical duration: 6 to 12 months
Official courts site: tncourts.govCase search: Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts Case Search

Re-checked Sept 2026 against: law.justia.com (statute) · tennlaw.com (statute) · law.justia.com (statute) · codes.findlaw.com (statute)

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§ II · Register

All 95 counties

Sorted by population. office checked = probate office address/phone confirmed on the court's own website. courthouse mapped = located in OpenStreetMap.

#	County	Seat	Population	Record
1	Shelby County	Memphis	910,042	office checked
2	Davidson County	Nashville	712,334	office checked
3	Knox County	Knoxville	500,669	courthouse mapped
4	Hamilton County	Chattanooga	379,864	courthouse mapped
5	Rutherford County	Murfreesboro	367,101	courthouse mapped
6	Williamson County	Franklin	264,460	courthouse mapped
7	Montgomery County	Clarksville	239,872	courthouse mapped
8	Sumner County	Gallatin	207,994	courthouse mapped
9	Wilson County	Lebanon	163,674	courthouse mapped
10	Sullivan County	Blountville	162,135	courthouse mapped
11	Blount County	Maryville	141,456	courthouse mapped
12	Washington County	Jonesborough	138,420	courthouse mapped
13	Bradley County	Cleveland	111,579	courthouse mapped
14	Maury County	Columbia	110,760	courthouse mapped
15	Sevier County	Sevierville	99,415	county site
16	Madison County	Jackson	99,193	courthouse mapped
17	Putnam County	Cookeville	83,844	courthouse mapped
18	Anderson County	Clinton	80,234	courthouse mapped
19	Robertson County	Springfield	76,776	courthouse mapped
20	Greene County	Greeneville	72,577	courthouse mapped
21	Hamblen County	Morristown	66,216	courthouse mapped
22	Cumberland County	Crossville	64,760	courthouse mapped
23	Tipton County	Covington	62,015	courthouse mapped
24	Coffee County	Manchester	60,633	courthouse mapped
25	Loudon County	Loudon	60,591	courthouse mapped
26	Hawkins County	Rogersville	58,600	courthouse mapped
27	Jefferson County	Dandridge	57,838	courthouse mapped
28	Carter County	Elizabethton	57,022	courthouse mapped
29	Dickson County	Charlotte	56,729	courthouse mapped
30	Roane County	Kingston	56,096	county site
31	McMinn County	Athens	55,678	courthouse mapped
32	Bedford County	Shelbyville	53,055	courthouse mapped
33	Gibson County	Trenton	51,045	courthouse mapped
34	Monroe County	Madisonville	48,594	county site
35	Lawrence County	Lawrenceburg	46,114	courthouse mapped
36	Franklin County	Winchester	44,654	courthouse mapped
37	Fayette County	Somerville	44,175	courthouse mapped
38	Warren County	McMinnville	42,638	courthouse mapped
39	Cheatham County	Ashland	42,254	courthouse mapped
40	Campbell County	Jacksboro	40,223	courthouse mapped
41	Cocke County	Newport	37,404	courthouse mapped
42	Marshall County	Lewisburg	36,961	courthouse mapped
43	Dyer County	Dyersburg	36,498	courthouse mapped
44	Lincoln County	Fayetteville	36,169	courthouse mapped
45	Rhea County	Dayton	33,924	courthouse mapped
46	Weakley County	Dresden	33,084	courthouse mapped
47	Claiborne County	Tazewell	32,654	county site
48	Henry County	Paris	32,554	courthouse mapped
49	Giles County	Pulaski	30,721	courthouse mapped
50	Obion County	Union	30,411	courthouse mapped
51	Marion County	Jasper	29,382	courthouse mapped
52	Carroll County	Huntingdon	28,860	courthouse mapped
53	White County	Sparta	28,692	courthouse mapped
54	Henderson County	Lexington	28,070	courthouse mapped
55	Hardin County	Savannah	27,229	courthouse mapped
56	Macon County	Lafayette	26,793	courthouse mapped
57	McNairy County	Selmer	26,163	courthouse mapped
58	Hickman County	Centerville	25,826	courthouse mapped
59	Hardeman County	Bolivar	25,567	courthouse mapped
60	Grainger County	Rutledge	24,681	courthouse mapped
61	Lauderdale County	Ripley	24,610	courthouse mapped
62	Overton County	Livingston	23,327	courthouse mapped
63	Scott County	Huntsville	22,171	courthouse mapped
64	Morgan County	Wartburg	21,573	courthouse mapped
65	DeKalb County	Smithville	21,225	courthouse mapped
66	Union County	Maynardville	20,741	courthouse mapped
67	Smith County	Carthage	20,538	courthouse mapped
68	Fentress County	Jamestown	19,696	courthouse mapped
69	Humphreys County	Waverly	19,209	county site
70	Johnson County	Mountain	18,375	courthouse mapped
71	Polk County	Benton	18,033	courthouse mapped
72	Unicoi County	Erwin	17,756	courthouse mapped
73	Chester County	Henderson	17,606	courthouse mapped
74	Haywood County	Brownsville	17,328	courthouse mapped
75	Sequatchie County	Dunlap	17,161	courthouse mapped
76	Benton County	Camden	16,103	courthouse mapped
77	Wayne County	Waynesboro	16,066	courthouse mapped
78	Cannon County	Woodbury	15,063	courthouse mapped
79	Bledsoe County	Pikeville	15,060	county site
80	Stewart County	Dover	14,222	courthouse mapped
81	Crockett County	Alamo	13,982	courthouse mapped
82	Grundy County	Altamont	13,955	courthouse mapped
83	Meigs County	Decatur	13,691	courthouse mapped
84	Lewis County	Hohenwald	13,066	courthouse mapped
85	Jackson County	Gainesboro	12,363	courthouse mapped
86	Trousdale County	Hartsville	12,271	courthouse mapped
87	Decatur County	Decaturville	11,656	courthouse mapped
88	Perry County	Linden	8,891	county site
89	Houston County	Erin	8,393	courthouse mapped
90	Clay County	Celina	7,714	courthouse mapped
91	Hancock County	Sneedville	6,956	courthouse mapped
92	Moore County	Lynchburg	6,748	courthouse mapped
93	Van Buren County	Spencer	6,493	courthouse mapped
94	Lake County	Tiptonville	6,347	courthouse mapped
95	Pickett County	Byrdstown	5,128	courthouse mapped

§ III

Tennessee probate questions

What is the small estate affidavit limit in Tennessee?

$50,000 total property; handled by sworn petition for limited letters of administration/testamentary of a small estate (no authority over real estate) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-4-101 et seq. (§ 30-4-103)). It can be used 45 days after death. Wait 45 days after death. Net personal estate cannot exceed $50,000. Real property does not pass through the small estate affidavit.

How are executor and administrator fees calculated in Tennessee?

Reasonable compensation fixed by court based on time, responsibility, and estate complexity (~2.5% to 5%) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-606). Courts can award more for extraordinary services, such as running a business or litigation.

What is the creditor claim deadline for estates in Tennessee?

4 months from the date of first publication of notice to creditors, or 60 days from direct receipt (Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-306 & § 30-2-310). Claims filed after the deadline are generally barred.

Does Tennessee recognize handwritten (holographic) wills?

Yes. Tennessee recognizes holographic wills if all material provisions and signature are in the testator's handwriting, proved by two witnesses (T.C.A. § 32-1-105).

Does Tennessee have a state estate tax or inheritance tax?

Tennessee has no state estate tax. There is no inheritance tax.