Probate in Knox County runs through the Chancery 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 Knox County, settling their estate runs through the Chancery 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 Court Record
Knox County · 6th Judicial District
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
Accepted paymentCash, Check, Credit card, Debit card. Cash, check, and credit/debit card accepted for the estate filing fee; checks payable to "Knox County Chancery Court Probate Division." The separate creditor-notice publication payment is made by cash, check, or money order payable to the publishing newspaper.
Departments
Verified July 4, 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 Knox County, probate runs through the Chancery Court at 400 Main Street, Suite 352 (City County Building, Third Floor), Knoxville. The court sits in the 6th 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 Tennessee intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Tennessee estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. The 4 monthsT.C.A. § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(A) (4 months from the date of first publication or posting); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(B) (60 days from receipt of actual notice, where actual notice arrives within 60 days of the 4-month date); § 30-2-306(b) cl. (2) and § 30-2-310(a) (12-month outer bar from the date of death); § 30-2-307(a)(1) (claims barred unless filed within the period prescribed in the § 30-2-306(b) notice); § 30-2-321 (that period is computed from the date of first publication). Verified 2026-09-08.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 Knox County, Tennessee 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 Chancery Court at 400 Main Street, Suite 352 (City County Building, Third Floor), Knoxville. The court is part of the 6th Judicial District.
Probate matters are handled through Probate Division and Clerk and Master (Chancery Court main office). Filing and payment go through these offices, not the main clerk window.
Tennessee charges $275Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401(c)(1) (as enacted by Pub. Ch. 486, HB 487, 114th Gen. Assemb., eff. 1/1/2026). Re-verified 2026-09-08 against the enrolled act at publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0486.pdf, whose "FILING FEES IN COURTS ADMINISTERING ESTATES" table reads "Probate estates (including general administrations, small estates, insolvent estates, and muniment of title); conservatorships; or guardianships — $275 [as of January 1, 2026] / $300 [2027] / $325 [2028]", and whose SECTION 9 reads "This act takes effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it." No later act amends the section: all 1,142 published public chapters of the 114th Gen. Assemb. were downloaded and scanned 2026-09-08 (positive control "Tennessee Code Annotated" matched 1,136 of 1,142; nonsense control 0) — the only chapters mentioning § 8-21-401 are Pub. Ch. 268 and Pub. Ch. 1115, both of which merely CROSS-REFERENCE it (expunction clerk fees; victims assistance assessment) rather than amend it. Corroborated by Davidson Co. (Nashville) Probate Court 2026 fee schedule ($334.50 total = $275 base + state litigation tax).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.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Tennessee are negotiated, typically 1.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.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.
Tennessee requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%T.C.A. § 30-1-201(a) (bond required unless the will excuses it, the PR is the sole beneficiary, all adult beneficiaries consent, or the PR is a bank excused under § 45-2-1005); § 30-1-201(a)(2) sets the penal sum at not less than the value of the estate subject to administration and not more than double it. Verified 2026-09-08.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Tennessee typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
Probate cases in Knox County are filed at the Chancery Court. File in person during business hours or by mail. The court sits in the 6th Judicial District.
Filings here are routed through Probate Division and Clerk and Master (Chancery Court main office). Confirm with the office which intake handles the petition type you're filing.
How to File Your Documents
You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Chancery Court is realistic.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Knox County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
A will in a person's possession is delivered to the named personal representative, with a copy to the clerk of the court with probate jurisdiction
Tennessee law requires a person or corporation in possession of a written instrument purporting to be a decedent's will to mail or deliver it to the personal representative named in the instrument as soon as they have knowledge of the death, with a photographic copy mailed or delivered to the clerk of the court having probate jurisdiction in the decedent's county of residence. T.C.A. 32-1-113.
Source: T.C.A. 32-1-113
Fax filing is accepted under Tenn. R. Civ. P. 5A with the Uniform Facsimile Filing Cover Sheet
Every fax transmission must include the Uniform Facsimile Filing Cover Sheet, and the fax-filing service charge must be paid within 10 days of sending the fax. The court does not confirm receipt of fax filings; the filer bears the risk of transmission failure. Probate Division fax: (865) 215-4289.
SourceAn original or copy of the death certificate must accompany the probate petition
The Probate Division new-estate packets list an "Original or Copy of the Death Certificate" as a required item with the Petition for Letters Testamentary or Petition for Letters of Administration.
SourceNew estates for self-represented filers are opened at a New Estate Review Hearing conducted by the Clerk and Master
Unrepresented filers schedule the hearing by phone after completing the packet forms. Hearings are informal, generally last 15-20 minutes, and cover statutory-compliance review of the forms. Only the persons seeking appointment as personal representative are required to attend; several packet forms require notarized signatures, which a court clerk can verify at the hearing if signed on arrival.
SourceBefore You Go
You can file in person without an appointment. Filings are accepted by hand delivery, mail, or fax-filing without an appointment. To open a new estate, self-represented filers schedule a New Estate Review Hearing with the Probate Division at (865) 215-2389 once all packet forms are complete, and must arrive 30 minutes before the hearing for docketing, file-stamping, and payment processing.
Cash, Check, Credit card, Debit card. Cash, check, and credit/debit card accepted for the estate filing fee; checks payable to "Knox County Chancery Court Probate Division." The separate creditor-notice publication payment is made by cash, check, or money order payable to the publishing newspaper.
To file at the Chancery 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.
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 Register of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Knox County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 400 Main Street, Suite 225, Knoxville, TN 37902. Phone: (865) 215-2330. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
The Register of Deeds charges $10 for the first 2 pages plus $5 for each page beyond 2.
Recording Office Record
Knox County
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording fees
| Base fee (first 2 pages) | $10 |
| Each page beyond 2 | $5 |
| Register's Data Processing FeeRequired with most deeds | $2 |
| Additional Instrument Fee | $5 |
| Electronic Filing (eFile) Submission Fee | $2 |
| Transfer Tax Receipt Fee | $1 |
Tenn. Code Ann. 8-21-1001(b)(3)-(5), (c), (j); 67-4-409(a), (d)(3)
Verified September 8, 2026 · Source
Tennessee uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Knox 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 Tennessee are based on reasonable compensation — typically 1.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (attorney fees are a first-priority cost of administration — "reasonable compensation to the personal representative and the personal representative's counsel"); see also § 30-2-606. No statutory percentage or fee schedule.Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Knox County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Chancery 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.
FirmKnoxville, TN
Carpenter & Lewis PLLC has served Knoxville and Knox County since 1989, handling estate planning, probate, and trust administration. The firm has guided over 6,000 clients through wills, trusts, asset protection, and powers of attorney, and offers a free initial consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateAsset Protectionand 2 more
FirmKnoxville, TN
Elder Care Law of Tennessee (formerly Elder Law of East Tennessee) is a Knoxville firm founded in 2010 by Certified Elder Law Attorney Amelia Crotwell, with a Tri-Cities office in Johnson City. It serves Knox, Anderson, Blount, and Loudon counties with Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance planning, estate planning, asset protection, special needs planning, and Life Care Planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawSpecial Needs Planningand 2 more
FirmKnoxville, TN
Foust & Foust, PLLC is a boutique estate planning law firm in Knoxville, TN, offering personalized solutions for wills, trusts, probate, and asset protection. The firm also has an additional location in Morristown, TN.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawAsset Protectionand 2 more
FirmKnoxville, TN
Hodges, Doughty & Carson, founded in 1931, has served Knoxville and Knox County for over 90 years. The estate practice handles wills, durable powers of attorney, trusts, asset protection, conservatorships, guardianships, and probate litigation.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGuardianshipPowers Of Attorneyand 2 more
FirmKnoxville, TN
Kennerly, Montgomery & Finley, established in 1916, is a Knoxville-based general practice firm recognized in 10 practice areas by Best Lawyers. The firm provides custom wills, trusts, and estate plans, with advanced wealth planning specialists on staff.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningEmployee Benefits
FirmKnoxville, TN
Kramer Rayson LLP, established in 1948, has served Knoxville and Knox County for over 75 years. Services include wills, multiple trust types, powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, business succession planning, and estate litigation, with 20 attorneys selected for Best Lawyers in America 2026.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 2 more
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 Tennessee statutes and official state code. How we research.
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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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