How probate works in Tulsa County: the District Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Tulsa County · 14th Judicial District
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Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
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 Tulsa, probate runs through the District Court at 500 South Denver Avenue, Room 200, Tulsa. The court sits in the 14th Judicial District. Tulsa County is one of 13 Oklahoma counties that accept probate e-filing; most probate courts in the state still take filings on paper.
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 Oklahoma intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Oklahoma estates take 6 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 2 monthsOkla. Stat. tit. 58, §§ 331, 333, 591Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What probate costs in Tulsa County, Oklahoma 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 500 South Denver Avenue, Room 200, Tulsa. The court is part of the 14th Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: A final account in a probate, guardianship or conservatorship case is heard by the Probate Judge after it is set for hearing and statutory notice is given.
The District Court charges $19828 O.S. § 152; 12 O.S. § 1809; 28 O.S. § 86(D)(2); 19 O.S. § 220(C)–(D); Laws 2025, c. 87 (SB 600)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open a probate case. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Oklahoma are negotiated, typically 1.7%Modeled estimate under 58 O.S. § 525 (all necessary expenses of administration allowed; no statutory attorney fee schedule — court-determined reasonableness): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.6%Modeled estimate under 58 O.S. § 525 (all necessary expenses of administration allowed; no statutory attorney fee schedule — court-determined reasonableness): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Oklahoma sets executor compensation by statute — about $12,600 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.5%58 O.S. § 527 (5% first $1K, 4% next $5K, 2.5% remainder)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Oklahoma requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under 58 O.S. § 171Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Oklahoma typically runs 6 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate documents in Tulsa County can be filed in person at the District Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available. The court sits in the 14th Judicial District. Tulsa County shares the 14th Judicial District with Pawnee.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Probate, Civil, Courthouse switchboard, and Broken Arrow Satellite.
Oklahoma has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Tulsa County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Probate forms may be available in the Law Library or in the Probate Department.
SourceThe Court Clerk keeps wills for safekeeping under 84 O.S. § 81.
Viewing or copying a will held in safekeeping takes an Order to Present Record from a probate judge, granted on a showing of good cause.
SourceGetting to the District Court
Parking
The Civic Center Parking Garage at 520 West Third Street is a short walk from the courthouse. Lots sit at Sixth Street and Denver Avenue and at Sixth Street and Elwood, and two-hour meters line the west side of the courthouse.
Filed with the opening petition at the District Court: Original will and any codicils (custodian must deliver the will to the district court) (Okla. Stat. tit. 58, § 21); Verified petition for probate / for letters, stating the requisites of Okla. Stat. tit. 58, § 23 (jurisdictional facts, executor consent/renunciation, heirs/legatees/devisees, value of estate, person for whom letters are prayed); Certified copy of the death certificate (standard district court filing requirement); Notice of hearing on the petition, mailed/published per Okla. Stat. tit. 58, §§ 25-26, 32-34Okla. Stat. tit. 58, §§ 1, 23, 101-125, 171-178 (probate jurisdiction, petition requisites, letters, bond)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
In Tulsa County certified copies of the death certificate come from Oklahoma State Department of Health - Vital Records Service.
Vital Records Office Record
Tulsa County · State vital records office
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| First certified copy | $15 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Tulsa County · Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
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Serves this county
Mail and offices
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Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
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 Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Tulsa County are recorded with the County Clerk at 218 West 6th Street, 7th Floor, Tulsa, OK 74119. Phone: 1-918-596-5801. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Clerk charges $18 for the first page plus $2 for each additional page.
Tulsa County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, ePN, Indecomm and CSC.
Recording Office Record
Tulsa County
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| Base fee (first page) | $18 |
| Each additional page | $2 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | No transfer tax applies to TOD deeds |
28 O.S. § 32
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Oklahoma uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Tulsa County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.
Probate attorney fees in Oklahoma are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Tulsa 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.
FirmTulsa, OK
Bundren Law Firm has been serving Tulsa since 2008, providing probate, guardianship, and elder law services to families throughout Oklahoma.
PracticesProbateElder LawGuardianship
Solo PracticeTulsa, OK
Gary W. Crews serves Tulsa and the surrounding metro with probate, estate planning, and elder law, drawing on over 20 years navigating Oklahoma probate. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Elder Law Matters Alliance.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder Law
Solo PracticeTulsa, OK
From Tulsa, Julie A. Evans handles probate, adult guardianship, and estate planning for Tulsa County families, drawing on over 35 years of experience and an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianship
FirmTulsa, OK
Founded in 2016 and now working from a single Midtown Tulsa office, the firm limits its practice to estate planning and elder law. Handles probate and estate administration, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs and Medicaid planning, and guardianships for Tulsa-area families.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Solo PracticeBroken Arrow, OK
B.A. Law Center has over four decades of experience in estate planning and probate, serving Broken Arrow and the Tulsa metro with wills, revocable trusts, trust amendments, deed transfers, powers of attorney, and adult guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipBusiness Succession
FirmOwasso, OK
Baysinger Henson Reimer & Cresswell serves Owasso and the Tulsa metro with estate planning and probate, preparing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance directives, and handling probate representation including will contests.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
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.
Data sourced from Oklahoma statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in Oklahoma: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Oklahoma.
Settling an estate in Oklahoma: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 days58 O.S. §§ 281, 289Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 2 monthsOkla. Stat. tit. 58, §§ 331, 333, 591Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
Settling a trust in Oklahoma happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code60 O.S. § 1601.1 et seq. (Oklahoma Uniform Trust Code, HB 1850, eff. Nov 1, 2025); 60 O.S. § 175.1 et seq. (Oklahoma Trust Act, residual)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 days60 O.S. § 1601.1 et seq. (Oklahoma Uniform Trust Code, Laws 2025, c. 254, eff. Nov. 1, 2025)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
Oklahoma has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Browse vetted Oklahoma attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see Oklahoma attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether Oklahoma lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
