What to Do When Someone Dies in Burleigh County, North Dakota
Probate in Burleigh County runs through the District Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Burleigh County, settling their estate runs through the District Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Burleigh County, probate runs through the District Court at 514 E. Thayer Ave., Bismarck. The court sits in the South Central Judicial District.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under North Dakota intestacy law when there is no will.
Most North Dakota estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. The 3 monthsN.D.C.C. § 30.1-19-03(1)(a)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Burleigh County
What probate costs in Burleigh County, North Dakota comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the District Court at 514 E. Thayer Ave., Bismarck. The court is part of the South Central Judicial District.
North Dakota charges $160N.D.C.C. § 27-05.2-03(1)(a)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
E-filing is mandatory for attorneys filing at the District Court (https://www.ndcourts.gov/district-courts/e-filing-resources). Self-represented filers can request a paper-filing exemption.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in North Dakota are negotiated, typically 1.8%N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-21 (court reviews the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage schedule); § 30.1-18-20 (estate pays reasonable attorney's fees)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.9%N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-21 (court reviews the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage schedule); § 30.1-18-20 (estate pays reasonable attorney's fees)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Probate in North Dakota typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the District Court
If you're handling probate yourself in Burleigh County, North Dakota, you can file at the District Court in person or by mail. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys but families filing without one are exempt and can use paper forms. The court sits in the South Central Judicial District.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person or by mail. While attorneys are required to e-file in Burleigh County, families handling probate themselves are exempt and can file on paper.
E-Filing Also Available
If you prefer, you can file electronically through the state's online system. This is optional for families filing without an attorney.
•Self-represented litigants and prisoners are exempt and may file paper documents in person, by mail, or by commercial carrier (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5(a)(2))
•Original wills, codicils, and other documents of independent legal significance may be filed on paper (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5(a)(3))
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the District Court is realistic.
You can file in person without an appointment. Self-represented filers may file paper probate documents in person at the Clerk of District Court counter during courthouse hours; no appointment required (N.D.R.Ct. 3.5(a)(2) exempts self-represented litigants from mandatory e-filing).
What to Bring
To file at the District Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Burleigh County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Burleigh County are recorded with the County Recorder, led by County Recorder Missy Hanson, at 221 N 5th St, Bismarck, ND 58501. Phone: 701-222-6749. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm.
Documents submitted by mail go to PO Box 5518, Bismarck, ND 58506-5518.
The County Recorder charges $20 for the first 6 pages plus $3 for each page beyond 6.
Burleigh County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile / CSC / Indecomm / ePN.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Burleigh County · County Recorder · Missy Hanson
Address
221 N 5th StBismarck, ND 58501Mailing: PO Box 5518, Bismarck, ND 58506-5518
North Dakota allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Burleigh County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in North Dakota are based on reasonable compensation — typically 1.8%N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-21 (court reviews the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage schedule); § 30.1-18-20 (estate pays reasonable attorney's fees)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.9%N.D.C.C. § 30.1-18-21 (court reviews the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage schedule); § 30.1-18-20 (estate pays reasonable attorney's fees)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Burleigh County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the District Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Bismarck firm founded in 1998, representing clients across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. A separate probate administration practice handles distributing a decedent’s assets and contesting or defending wills, alongside estate planning aimed at probate avoidance, providing for minor children, estate tax, charitable giving, and incapacity.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBankruptcyBusiness Lawand 4 more
Office
418 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 240Bismarck, ND 58501
Bismarck solo practice serving families throughout North Dakota. Handles probate and estate settlement, guardianships and conservatorships, and succession planning, along with wills, durable powers of attorney covering asset transfers, trust amendments, tax dealings and gifts, and health care directives. Probate and estate planning consultations are free.
Downtown Bismarck firm representing clients in the Bismarck-Mandan community and throughout North Dakota. Handles probate, wills, and estate planning for families settling a relative’s affairs, and petitions for guardianship and conservatorship where a vulnerable family member needs one appointed.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipBusiness Law
Office
400 East Broadway Avenue, Suite 303Bismarck, ND 58501
Bismarck practice serving Bismarck and its surrounding communities. Attorney Theresa Kellington draws on more than 33 years in estate planning and probate, and is direct with families weighing self-filing: probate can be done alone, but has many steps and is easy to misstep through when unfamiliar. Also handles wills naming guardians for minor children.
Bismarck firm serving families across North Dakota. Represents a relative seeking appointment as personal representative, a representative administering an estate, or an heir needing guidance, through valuing assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing under a will or North Dakota’s intestate laws. Separate estate litigation and claims-against-fiduciaries practices.
Bismarck practice serving central and western North Dakota. Estate planning runs from wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives through revocable living trusts, mineral trusts, and tax-driven vehicles including GRATs, QPRTs, life insurance trusts, and special needs and charitable trusts. Also advises on ancillary probate for out-of-state decedents.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Living trust assets, and accounts with a named beneficiary or surviving joint owner. These skip probate; some states charge the court fee only on what remains.
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Probate fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value, or net property after debts. This calculator provides educational estimates only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Actual costs vary significantly by county, attorney, and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
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This tool provides general information about self-filing probate and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
Burleigh County Guides
Step-by-step tools for families in Burleigh County, North Dakota.
