What Drives Probate Cost in New Hampshire
Court filing fees are the visible starting point, but many estates also pay for certified copies, notice or publication, property recordings, appraisals, and legal help.
New Hampshire probate filing fees are statewide, so there is no county schedule to shop. The Supreme Court sets one equitable fee schedule for every court in the state under RSA 490:26-a, and the Circuit Court Probate Division publishes it as Rule 169, so all 10 counties charge identical amounts. The fee to open an estate is a flat three-tier charge on the GROSS value of the estate rather than a percentage: $150 at $10,000 or less, $205 over $10,000 to $25,000, and $305 above $25,000. The top tier is open ended, so a $30,000 estate and a $30,000,000 estate both pay $305. Three things surprise people. The $10,000 and $25,000 breakpoints price a filing and do not simplify one, because New Hampshire has no dollar-threshold small estate and no small-estate affidavit at all: the two simplified routes are waiver of administration (RSA 553:32) and summary administration (RSA 553:33), and both are qualified by relationship and consent rather than by value, with summary administration adding a $105 motion fee. The $55 cost of publishing the notice of appointment is already inside the entry fee above $10,000 and is not required at or below $10,000 under RSA 553:16, so no separate newspaper bill lands on top. And the officer New Hampshire calls the Register of Probate is not the filing office; RSA 548:17 sets that salary at $100 per year and the office coordinates preservation of closed files, while fees go to the clerk of the applicable circuit court under RSA 490:27. Venue is fixed by RSA 547:8 at the county where the decedent was last an inhabitant, and the court there is named by circuit and city, for example the 9th Circuit - Probate Division - Nashua rather than a Hillsborough County probate court. What still varies locally is small: the registry of deeds copy fee, which RSA 478:17-g, III leaves to each register to set and post, and the per-document surcharge of up to $2 that RSA 478:17-j lets a county adopt. New Hampshire sets no statutory percentage for administrator or attorney compensation, so no dollar figure is estimated for either. Confirm the current total with the Circuit Court Probate Division where the decedent lived.
Cost componentsFiling fees, add-on charges, and attorney work compared
Court Filing Fees
The court procedure chosen is often the biggest first driver of cost. Simplified procedures usually cost less than full administration.
Additional Charges
Certified copies, publication or notice costs, appraisals, and document recordings can materially change the final number.
Attorney Work
Legal fees depend on the estate's issues. A modest estate with title or creditor problems can cost more than a larger estate with clean paperwork.
How to Use the EstimateWhat the number means and which check to run next
Use the result to set expectations, not to lock in a final fee quote. If the number looks high, the next question is whether all of the property really needs probate or whether some assets already transfer outside court.
From here, compare the estate structure with the estate value calculator, review transfer structure with the beneficiary checker, and use the New Hampshire courts page if you need the next local filing contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are New Hampshire probate costs and filing fees?
Do I need an attorney for New Hampshire probate?
How long does New Hampshire probate take?
Official Sources and Further ReadingOfficial references used for this page
- N.H. Circuit Court Probate Division Rule 169 (Fees): the statewide entry-fee table, including the three Petition for Estate Administration tiers ($150 at $10,000 or less, $205 over $10,000 to $25,000, $305 above $25,000), the $105 Motion for Summary Administration, the $180 Motion to Reopen or Bring Forward, and the $10 certificate
- New Hampshire Judicial Branch published Circuit Court filing-fee schedule (07/01/2025), the Probate Division page: the same three tiers plus $0 accounting for an estate of $25,000 or less and $105 above it
- RSA 490:26-a, I: the supreme court establishes by rule an equitable fee schedule for all courts in the state, which is the authority Rule 169 rests on
- RSA 490:27: probate court fees are paid to the clerk of the applicable circuit court for the benefit of the state, and $5 of every entry fee goes to the mediation and arbitration fund
- RSA 490-F:4: each New Hampshire county is a judicial district for the probate division of the Circuit Court, and probate records are kept at the circuit court site at each county seat, which is why the fee is statewide and there are exactly 10 probate divisions
- RSA 553:16: publication of the notice of appointment is not required at all when the estate has a gross value of $10,000 or less, which is why no separate newspaper cost is added at the bottom tier
- RSA 553:32 (Waiver of Administration): no inventory, no bond and no accounting where a sole beneficiary or heir serves or all of them assent, qualified by relationship and consent rather than by estate value
- RSA 553:33 (Summary Administration): a motion filed at least 6 months after appointment that closes the estate without a final account and receipts, charged the additional $105 motion fee under Rule 169(I)(w)
- RSA 547:8: in New Hampshire, probate of the will and the granting of administration belong to the judge for the county in which the decedent was last an inhabitant, so venue is fixed and there is no cheaper court to shop for
- RSA 556:3: a creditor must exhibit the demand within 6 months of the ORIGINAL grant of administration (not from death and not from published notice), which is what sets the practical floor on how long an estate stays open
- RSA 478:17-g: registry of deeds recording is $10 for the first page plus $4 for each additional page, with a $25 land and community heritage investment program surcharge on each deed, mortgage, discharge or plan; only the copy fee under paragraph III is set locally
- RSA 548:17: the annual salary of the registers of probate is $100 per year, the clearest signal that the register is a vestigial records office and not the filing office
- N.H. Circuit Court Probate Division Rule 88 (Fees and Expenses - Fiduciary and Attorney): both administrator and attorney compensation are subject to court approval and must be reasonable for the work, responsibility and risk, with no statutory percentage or fee schedule
- IRS Publication 559 for survivors, executors, and administrators
- CFPB guide to managing someone else’s money
Information current as of May 31, 2026
Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in New Hampshire can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.