Use This County Probate Reference Before You File
This page is built for the detailed county-level checks that generic probate guides usually miss: local filing fees, Clerk & Master contact details, administrative orders, e-filing rules, and hearing logistics for Davidson County.
Local Fee Schedule
Review county-specific probate filing charges before you estimate total case cost.
Court Rules and Orders
Check the local rules, judge procedures, and administrative orders that can change how a case moves.
Clerk and Filing Logistics
Confirm where to file, whether e-filing is allowed, and how hearings or notices are handled locally.
Davidson County Clerk & Master Guide
20th Judicial District of Tennessee · Clerk & Master information · Updated June 2026
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Filing & Fees
Fee Schedule Signals
Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Formal Administration Standard probate for larger estates | $335 |
Small Estate Affidavit For estates under threshold (no court filing needed) | $335 |
Note: Davidson County's Probate Court Clerk (Seventh Circuit Court) handles probate matters in the 20th Judicial District. The statewide statutory clerk fees apply as the documented baseline: about $230 to open and close a full estate and about $41 to file a small estate petition (Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401), plus local litigation taxes, publication, and certified-copy charges. Davidson County is a charter-form-of-government county; its probate clerk uses the itemized statutory fee schedule in Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-409 instead of the flat $230 fee, and county add-ons make the practical all-in opening cost higher (commonly observed around $334). Verify current local amounts with the Davidson County Probate Court Clerk before relying on a figure.
Davidson County's Probate Court Clerk (Seventh Circuit Court) handles probate matters in the 20th Judicial District. The statewide statutory clerk fees apply as the documented baseline: about $230 to open and close a full estate and about $41 to file a small estate petition (Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-401), plus local litigation taxes, publication, and certified-copy charges. Davidson County is a charter-form-of-government county; its probate clerk uses the itemized statutory fee schedule in Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-409 instead of the flat $230 fee, and county add-ons make the practical all-in opening cost higher (commonly observed around $334). Verify current local amounts with the Davidson County Probate Court Clerk before relying on a figure.
Required Documents
- Original Will
If a will exists, the original must be filed with the Clerk and Master (or Probate Court). Tenn. Code Ann. 32-1-104 / 32-2-110.
- Petition for Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
Opens the estate: Letters Testamentary when there is a will, Letters of Administration when there is none. Local Clerk and Master form.
- Oath of the Personal Representative
Signed and notarized oath of the executor or administrator.
- Fiduciary Bond
Required unless waived by the will or by the court/beneficiaries. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-1-201.
- Order Admitting Will to Probate and Granting Letters
The court order appointing the personal representative and (if applicable) admitting the will.
- Notice to Creditors
Published notice to creditors; the four-month claim period runs from first publication. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-306(b).
- Inventory of the Estate
Filed within 60 days of appointment unless waived by the will or all residuary distributees. Tenn. Code Ann. 30-2-301.
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Source ↗Records portal
Use this county-linked source to check live court-record information when available. Search results may not include every probate record.
Tennessee's statewide Public Case History portal covers appellate-level cases (Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals) and does not include county trial-court probate records. Tennessee has no unified statewide trial-court probate search; county probate records are held by the local Probate Court Clerk. Confirm specific estate case details directly with the Davidson County Probate Court Clerk.
Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- Verify locally
- Creditor Claims
- 4 months
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first publication of notice to creditors
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Sources (9)
- https://circuitclerk.nashville.gov/probate/
- https://www.tncourts.gov/clerks
- https://www.tncourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/public-case-history
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-8/chapter-21/part-4/section-8-21-401/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-4/section-30-4-102/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-4/section-30-4-103/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-2/part-3/section-30-2-306/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-30/chapter-2/part-3/section-30-2-307/
- https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-32/chapter-2/