The Estate Planning Guide Est. 2026

Georgia Probate Fee Sheet (Printable)

By The Estate Planning Guide Editorial Team Researched against primary sources

Published August 15, 2026 5 min read

Quick answer

Georgia does not impose a statutory percentage on attorney fees, so most probate attorneys bill hourly (commonly $250–$450/hr) or by flat fee, and total legal costs for a routine, uncontested estate typically run $2,500–$7,500. On top of that, expect county filing fees of roughly $150–$250, four weeks of newspaper publication ($80–$150), and an executor's commission set by O.C.G.A. §53-6-60 (generally 2.5% of money received plus 2.5% of money paid out). Estates that qualify for 'year's support' or 'no administration necessary' can sidestep full administration and finish for only a few hundred dollars.

⚠️ 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 Georgia 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 Georgia reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Georgia probate pages.

Georgia probate fees

Item Georgia
Court filing fee Set locally under O.C.G.A. §15-9-60. Petition to Probate Will in Solemn Form typically runs $150–$250 (Fulton ~$164, Cobb ~$202; larger metro counties can exceed $250). Add ~$80–$150 for the required four-week newspaper publication and ~$8.50 per certified-mail service to each heir/beneficiary.
Attorney fees Georgia has no statute setting attorney fees for probate. Lawyers charge hourly rates (commonly $250–$450/hr) or negotiated flat fees; fees must be 'reasonable' under Georgia Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5. Fees paid from estate assets are subject to probate court review.
Executor / personal representative fees Set by O.C.G.A. §53-6-60. If the will doesn't specify compensation, the personal representative is entitled to 2.5% of all money received plus 2.5% of all money paid out (debts, legacies, distributive shares), 10% commission on interest earned on money loaned in that capacity, and reasonable compensation (commonly up to 3%) for delivery of property in kind.
Fee basis statutory
Appraisal / referee Georgia does not use a state-appointed probate referee or appraiser. The personal representative is responsible for inventorying and valuing estate assets (and may hire private appraisers when needed). Inventory and appraisement can be waived by the will or by beneficiary consent.

Worked example

On a Georgia estate where $500,000 in cash flows in and back out, the statutory commission is about $25,000 (2.5% received + 2.5% disbursed). In practice the figure depends on how much actually passes as cash; property handed out in kind is compensated separately at up to 3%.

Georgia thresholds and deadlines

Item Georgia
Small-estate threshold Georgia has no dollar-threshold small-estate affidavit. Instead it offers two alternatives: (1) 'Year's Support' under O.C.G.A. §53-3-1 et seq., which lets a surviving spouse and/or minor children petition to set aside estate property (with no statutory cap) for their 12-month support — the award has priority over creditors and beneficiaries; and (2) 'No Administration Necessary' under O.C.G.A. §53-2-40 through 53-2-42, available when the decedent died intestate, all heirs agree in a signed/notarized division, and the estate owes no debts (or all creditors consent).
Creditor claim period Approximately three months after the four-week newspaper publication of notice to debtors and creditors, under O.C.G.A. §53-7-41 et seq.
Typical duration Routine, uncontested probate generally takes 8 to 18 months. The statutory creditor-claim period alone runs about 3 months after the four-week publication of notice to debtors and creditors.
Simplified real-property transfer Real property passes by operation of law to heirs (intestate) or devisees (testate) at the moment of death, subject to administration. Title can be cleared without full administration via Year's Support, a No Administration Necessary order, or by recording the probated will and an affidavit of descent.
Transfer-on-death deed Georgia does NOT have a statutory transfer-on-death deed for real estate. Georgia residents who want to pass real estate outside probate typically use a revocable living trust, Year's Support, or joint ownership.
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 Georgia trigger is stated in the row above, as written in the statute.

What passes outside Georgia 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 — Georgia does NOT have a statutory transfer-on-death deed for real estate. Georgia residents who want to pass real estate outside probate typically use a revocable living trust, Year's Support, or joint ownership.
  • 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 Georgia court before relying on it.

The full Georgia guides

Fee sheets for other states

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This sheet sets out Georgia 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 Georgia courts or a licensed Georgia attorney.

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