Publication
A court or statute may require creditor notice in a newspaper. Publisher pricing is set commercially and is not a statewide fee.
Washington court costs
Washington probate filing cost: $290
Formal probate costs $290 statewide: a $200 base fee plus $40 and $50 surcharges that the same section makes mandatory for probate filings.
$290 is the amount the statute states. Sources reviewed August 7, 2026.
What the statute charges
Every line below is computed from the statutory schedule quoted at the end of this page. These are court charges only. They are not an estimate of the total cost of settling an estate.
Instituting probate proceedings
| Charge | $25,000 estate | $100,000 estate | $400,000 estate | $1,000,000 estate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior court filing fee, first document | $200 | $200 | $200 | $200 |
| Judicial stabilization surcharge, subsection (5)(c) | $40 | $40 | $40 | $40 |
| Clerk operations surcharge, subsection (6) | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 |
| Total from this schedule | $290 | $290 | $290 | $290 |
Not included in this total
- County law library charges
- Certified copies
- Publication of notice
The surcharges are not optional. Subsection (5)(c) applies to all fees under this section except (2)(b), (d) and (h), and subsection (6) lists (2)(f) expressly, so both attach to a probate filing.
Source: RCW 36.18.020(2)(f), Washington State Legislature. Verified August 7, 2026.(f) In probate proceedings, the party instituting such proceedings, shall pay at the time of filing the first document therein, a fee of $200.
Costs no statute prices
These are the costs executors most often meet after the filing fee. None of them has a statewide statutory amount, so this site does not estimate them.
Bond
A bond may be required unless a will, consent, or court order waives it. Premiums depend on the bond amount, the estate, and the applicant.
Copies and local charges
Certified copies, recording, inventory, accounting fees, and county surcharges are billed separately from the filing charge.
Professional fees
Attorney, accountant, and appraiser fees are negotiated or court-reviewed. They are not part of any filing schedule.
State-specific limits
- Solely owned real property counts toward the $100,000 limit but is not transferred by the affidavit. A separate proceeding is required for the house.
- The statute excludes a surviving spouse or domestic partner's community-property interest from the count. That figure is asked for separately, because characterising community property is a legal judgement this tool cannot make from an asset list. Until it is entered the route stays undecided rather than being resolved as though the interest were zero.
- The $290 total is the statewide statutory amount. County law library charges and certified copies are additional.
- Debts, funeral expenses, and expenses of last illness must be paid or provided for before the affidavit is used.
- Other successors generally must receive advance written notice.
Use this as a starting point.
This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Probate law varies by state and county and changes over time. Verify the current rule with the court or a licensed attorney in the relevant state.
Continue in Washington
Filing-cost source
Each legal input links to the government source reviewed for this page. Source text can change; confirm the current rule before acting.
RCW 36.18.020(2)(f)
Reviewed source note: (f) In probate proceedings, the party instituting such proceedings, shall pay at the time of filing the first document therein, a fee of $200.