What each source establishes
The District of Columbia guide rests on the source-backed rules this site can verify for the state: which simplified procedure exists and what it limits, what the court charges, how the person administering the estate may be paid, and the statutory creditor-deadline clocks the official text states.Every published rule below is quoted in the publisher’s own words rather than summarised.
Simplified-procedure rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Mar. 21, 2025, D.C. Law 25-302, § 4(n), 72 DCR 780 · Verified October 3, 2026
If the property of a decedent subject to administration in the District of Columbia has a value of $80,000 or less, the property may be administered as a small estate in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter.
What this means: The section history ends with D.C. Law 25-302, § 4(n), effective March 21, 2025, which replaced $40,000 with $80,000. The publisher's own amendment note still describes the 2001 change and was not updated for 2025; the operative text above governs.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC small estate $80,000 capmatched
- ✓DC 20-351 section identitymatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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Simplified-procedure rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · D.C. Law 25-302 became effective Mar. 21, 2025. · Verified October 3, 2026
(n) Section 20-351 is amended by striking the phrase "$40,000" and inserting the phrase "$80,000" in its place.
What this means: The enacting authority for both bands: the act strikes the $40,000 figure that applied before it and inserts $80,000. The rule that ties the $80,000 figure to deaths on or after March 21, 2025 comes from the temporary D.C. Law 26-164, cited separately.
What was published from this source
DC D.C. Law 25-302, § 4(n), 72 DCR 780 (eff. Mar. 21, 2025)
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC 25-302 raises 20-351 from $40,000 to $80,000matched
- ✓DC 25-302 identitymatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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Threshold indexing rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · D.C. Law 26-164 became effective Aug. 14, 2026. · Verified October 3, 2026
(d) This act shall apply to estates of decedents who died on or after March 21, 2025.
What this means: Temporary legislation. It is what limits the $80,000 figure to deaths on or after March 21, 2025, and it expires after 225 days unless permanent law replaces it; the D.C. Code pages it amends say the temporary amendments expire on March 27, 2027. Deaths after March 21, 2025 are under $80,000 either way; the band edge is what must be re-checked then.
What was published from this source
DC D.C. Law 26-164, § 3 (temporary; eff. Aug. 14, 2026)
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC 25-302 applies to deaths on/after 2025-03-21 (temporary)matched
- ✓DC 26-164 expires after 225 daysmatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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Creditor deadline rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
(b) Notice. - If the Court directs that notice be given, notice shall be given once in the form required by section 20-704; except, that the period within which claims must be filed or objection must be made to contest the validity of the will or the small estates proceeding or the appointment of the personal representative shall be 30 days from the date of publication of notice.
What this means: A District small estate is a court proceeding: under § 20-353(a) the Court appoints the personal representative. The 30-day claim window applies only when the Court directs notice.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC small estate 30-day claim window from publicationmatched
- ✓DC small estate court appoints PRmatched
- ✓DC 20-353 section identitymatched
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Executor compensation rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
(a) Attorney; bond; compensation. - No person appointed as a personal representative in accordance with section 20-353 shall be required to be represented by an attorney or to give bond or be entitled to receive any commission for the performance of duties as personal representative.
What this means: In a small-estate proceeding the personal representative receives no commission.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC small-estate PR no commissionmatched
- ✓DC 20-354 section identitymatched
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Simplified-procedure rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on March 27, 2027. · Verified October 3, 2026
(1) The value of the decedent's entire probate estate, less liens and encumbrances, as of the date of the decedent's death, wherever located, exceeds the estate's known liabilities but does not exceed $40,000, and that such estate does not include an interest in real property; (2) At least 60 days have elapsed since the decedent's death as shown in a certified copy of the decedent's death certificate attached to the affidavit;
What this means: A separate, out-of-court route added by D.C. Law 25-302. It is not the route the calculator screens: its $40,000 cap is net of liens on the whole estate wherever located, the estate must exceed its known debts, real property disqualifies it, and 60 days must pass after death. This page carries temporary amendments that expire on March 27, 2027.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC affidavit $40,000 net-of-liens solvent cap, no realtymatched
- ✓DC affidavit 60-day waitmatched
- ✓DC 20-361 section identitymatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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Court cost rule
District of Columbia Courts · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
(1) Court costs are assessed on the value of a decedent's estate, conservatorship estate, and minor child's estate subject to a guardianship, excluding the value of real property, as follows: $500.00 or less N/C Over $500 to $2,500 15.00 Over $2,500 to $15,000 50.00 Over $15,000 to $25,000 100.00 Over $25,000 to $50,000 150.00 Over $50,000 to $75,000 250.00 Over $75,000 to $100,000 350.00 Over $100,000 to $500,000 575.00 Over $500,000 to $750,000 825.00 Over $750,000 to $1,000,000 1,275.00 Over $1,000,000 to $2,500,000 1,800.00 Over $2,500,000 to $5,000,000 2,300.00 Over $5,000,000 to $50,000,000 2,300.00 plus 0.02% of amount over $5,000,000 Over $50,000,000 11,300.00 (2) Court costs in the total amount of $25.00 are assessed for all real property in the District of Columbia.
What this means: D.C. Code § 15-707 leaves probate fees to the court, so this court rule sets the operative amounts. Rule 108(a)(5)(A) collects them when the petition for probate is filed, and Rule 204 makes a small estate a petition for probate, so the same schedule prices small estates. The court's Small Estates web page and its 2022 petition form still describe the older $40,000 small-estate limit; they are linked for procedure only. The PDF carries no edition stamp; the court's rules index lists it as the rules in force for cases from August 22, 2022.
What was published from this source
DC D.C. Super. Ct. Prob. R. 108(a)(1)-(2)
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC Rule 108 identitymatched
- ✓DC Rule 108 basis excludes real propertymatched
- ✓DC Rule 108 bands to $1Mmatched
- ✓DC Rule 108 bands above $1Mmatched
- ✓DC Rule 108 $25 DC real propertymatched
- ✓DC Rule 108 collected at petitionmatched
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Court cost rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), the Register of Wills may demand and receive in advance for services performed by him such fees as shall be set by the court having jurisdiction over probate matters in the District of Columbia. (b) Where the estate does not exceed $500 in value the Register of Wills shall receive no fees, and where the estate does not exceed $2,500 in value the fees may not exceed $15.
What this means: The statute delegates the amounts to the court and fixes two limits Rule 108 respects: nothing at $500 or less, and at most $15 up to $2,500.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC 15-707 delegates fees to courtmatched
- ✓DC 15-707 no fee to $500, max $15 to $2,500matched
- ✓DC 15-707 section identitymatched
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Executor compensation rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Mar. 21, 1995, D.C. Law 10-241, § 3(ddd), 42 DCR 63 · Verified October 3, 2026
Except as may otherwise be ordered by the Court for good cause shown in respect to a supervised personal representative or a special administrator, a personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation for services.
What this means: The District publishes no percentage schedule. Compensation may be paid without prior court approval and is reviewed only on petition under § 20-753.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC PR reasonable compensationmatched
- ✓DC 20-751 section identitymatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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Executor compensation rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
(1) the reasonable relationship of the compensation to the nature of the work performed;
What this means: The factors the Court weighs when an interested person asks it to review compensation; there is no default amount.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC compensation reasonableness factorsmatched
- ✓DC 20-753 section identitymatched
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Creditor deadline rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · Publisher states no currentness signal; manual session review required · Verified October 3, 2026
unless presented within 6 months after the date of the first publication of notice of the appointment of a personal representative
What this means: The period runs from the first publication of the notice of appointment, not from death or from mailed notice, and it is stated in months.
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC claims barred 6 months after first publicationmatched
- ✓DC PR-conduct claims 6 months from arisingmatched
- ✓DC 20-903 section identitymatched
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Creditor deadline rule
Council of the District of Columbia (D.C. Law Library) · This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on March 27, 2027. · Verified October 3, 2026
(a) Within 20 days after appointment, the personal representative shall, unless notice has already been given under this subsection, publish a notice of the appointment in a legal periodical or newspaper of general circulation in the District or any other publication as the Court may provide by Rule once a week for 2 successive weeks.
What this means: Two successive weeks comes from permanent D.C. Law 25-302 (previously three). The words "or newspaper" come from temporary D.C. Law 26-164. Mailed notice to heirs, legatees and known creditors is due within 20 days of appointment under § 20-704(b).
What was published from this source
Conditions checked against the live text
Each condition below must be found in the page as the publisher currently serves it. If any one of them stops matching, the build fails and the figure is withheld rather than published from memory.
- ✓DC publish notice within 20 days, 2 successive weeksmatched
- ✓DC mailed notice within 20 daysmatched
- ✓DC 20-704 section identitymatched
- ✓currentnessmatched
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