The Estate Planning Guide Est. 2026

Arkansas Probate Fee Sheet (Printable)

By The Estate Planning Guide Editorial Team Researched against primary sources

Published August 15, 2026 6 min read

Quick answer

Arkansas is one of the few states where probate fees are set by statute, so costs are predictable. Court filing runs about $165 to open a regular estate, plus newspaper publication for creditors (roughly $100–$200), and attorney fees follow a sliding statutory scale tied to the value of the estate. On a $300,000 estate (say a $250,000 house and $50,000 in accounts), the statutory attorney fee works out to roughly $8,000, the executor's fee on the $50,000 of personal property is about $1,650, and total out-of-pocket cost typically lands in the $9,000–$12,000 range. A qualifying small estate (under $100,000) can skip formal probate entirely with a $25 affidavit.

⚠️ Educational information only — not legal, tax, or financial advice.

The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Arkansas with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.

This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Arkansas reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Arkansas probate pages.

Arkansas probate fees

Item Arkansas
Court filing fee Opening a regular estate (probate of will, administration, or 'no administration') is about $165 in the circuit court probate division. A small estate affidavit filing is about $25. Fees are collected at the county level, so budget extra for certified copies and the required newspaper publication of notice to creditors (~$100–$200).
Attorney fees Attorney fees are set by a statutory tiered schedule under Ark. Code Ann. §28-48-108. Unless the attorney has a different contract, the fee is based on the total market value of the real and personal property reportable in the circuit court: 5% of the first $5,000; 4% of the next $20,000; 3% of the next $75,000; 2.75% of the next $300,000; 2.5% of the next $600,000; and 2% of all value above that. If the court finds the scheduled fee excessive or insufficient, it sets a fee commensurate with the value of the legal services rendered.
Executor / personal representative fees The personal representative's compensation is capped by Ark. Code Ann. §28-48-108 at a sliding scale: 10% of the first $1,000, 5% of the next $4,000, and 3% of the balance of the value of the personal property passing through the personal representative's hands. Within those caps the court allows what it deems just and reasonable; additional compensation may be allowed for extraordinary services such as managing or selling real property.
Fee basis percentage
Appraisal / referee Arkansas does not use a statewide probate referee or appraiser system like California. The personal representative files an inventory (generally within two months of qualification) valuing the assets; the court may appoint appraisers if a valuation is contested or needed, but routine estates are valued by the personal representative with documentation.

Worked example

On a $400,000 Arkansas estate made up of personal property, the statutory maximum is about $12,050: 10% of the first $1,000 ($100) + 5% of the next $4,000 ($200) + 3% of the remaining $395,000 ($11,850). Real-estate work is compensated separately, and the court can allow less than the cap.

Arkansas thresholds and deadlines

Item Arkansas
Small-estate threshold Under Ark. Code Ann. §28-41-101, heirs can collect a small estate by affidavit (no formal administration) if no personal representative has been appointed and at least 45 days have passed since death, and the value (less encumbrances) of all property — excluding the homestead and statutory allowances — does not exceed $100,000. The affidavit is filed with the probate clerk; if real property is included, notice must be published within 30 days of filing.
Creditor claim period Six months from the date of first publication of the notice to creditors; claims not filed within that window are forever barred. Backstops: claims of known or reasonably ascertainable creditors are barred at two years from first publication, and all claims are barred five years after death if no letters were issued. Ark. Code Ann. §28-50-101.
Typical duration About 9 to 14 months for a routine, uncontested estate. The binding constraint is the six-month creditor claim period, which starts on first publication of the notice to creditors; the estate generally cannot close until that period runs and valid claims are settled. Contested estates, real-estate sales, or tax issues can extend this well beyond a year.
Simplified real-property transfer Real property can be handled within the small estate affidavit procedure under Ark. Code Ann. §28-41-101 (with the required published notice), and outside probate via a recorded beneficiary deed under §18-12-608.
Transfer-on-death deed Arkansas authorizes a statutory beneficiary deed (transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under Ark. Code Ann. §18-12-608. The owner signs and notarizes the deed and must record it with the county recorder before death; it conveys no interest until the owner's death, remains fully revocable, and passes the property subject to existing liens — bypassing probate.
Note on the creditor-claim clock. The period above does not start on the same event in every state — depending on the statute it can run from the date of death, from the date letters are issued to the personal representative, or from first publication of notice. The Arkansas trigger is stated in the row above, as written in the statute.

What passes outside Arkansas probate

These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:

  • Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
  • Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
  • Transfer-on-death deed — Arkansas authorizes a statutory beneficiary deed (transfer-on-death deed) for real estate under Ark. Code Ann. §18-12-608. The owner signs and notarizes the deed and must record it with the county recorder before death; it conveys no interest until the owner's death, remains fully revocable, and passes the property subject to existing liens — bypassing probate.
  • Assets titled into a funded living trust.

Sources for this sheet

Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Arkansas court before relying on it.

The full Arkansas guides

Fee sheets for other states

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This sheet sets out Arkansas probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Arkansas courts or a licensed Arkansas attorney.

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