Required for attorneysUnder a General Order entered April 12, 2021, Chancery Court files, including probate, have been paperless since July 1, 2021, and every case except real and personal property delinquent tax cases is e-filed through the statewide TNCIS portal. Probate e-filing instructions are posted on the court's E-Filing News page. Tybera charges a convenience fee on each filing. On paper: Real and personal property delinquent tax cases.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Clerk & Master publishes Word and PDF versions of its probate forms (petitions to admit a will to probate, petition for administration, personal representative oaths, estate inventory, accountings, small-estate petitions for limited letters, waivers, and others) on its forms page. A combined civil and probate court cost schedule PDF is also posted on the site.
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 Williamson County, probate runs through the Chancery Court at 135 Fourth Avenue South, Room 236, Franklin. The court sits in the 21st Judicial District. It is one of 1 Tennessee counties where probate e-filing is mandatory rather than optional.
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. Creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. §§ 30-2-306, 30-2-307, 30-2-310, 30-2-314, 30-2-317Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Williamson County
What probate costs in Williamson 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 135 Fourth Avenue South, Room 236, Franklin. The court is part of the 21st Judicial District.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Accounting backup documentation is filed in paper, not e-filed.
The Chancery Court charges $275Tenn. Code Ann. § 8-21-401(c)(1) (as enacted by Pub. Ch. 486, HB 487, 114th Gen. Assemb., eff. 1/1/2026)Verified Oct 17, 2026 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 Tennessee are negotiated, typically 1.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentage: the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentage: 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.
Tennessee allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payT.C.A. § 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Tennessee 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 T.C.A. § 30-1-201(a) (bond required unless the will excuses it, the PR is the sole beneficiary, the adult beneficiaries consent, or § 45-2-1005 excuses a bank); § 30-1-201(a)(2) (penal sum)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.
How to File Probate at the Chancery Court
Probate cases in Williamson County, Tennessee are filed at the Probate - Estates of the Chancery Court. The court sits in the 21st Judicial District. Williamson County is one of 21 Tennessee counties that accept probate e-filing; most probate courts in the state still take filings on paper.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
Tennessee has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
Original will is delivered in paper even though the petition is e-filed
All probate filings (decedent estates, conservatorships, guardianships) must be e-filed, but the original Last Will and Testament must be mailed or hand-delivered to the Clerk & Master. Letters are issued after the original will is received; filers who want Letters mailed back include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Filed with the opening petition at the Chancery Court: Verified petition for letters with the contents required by Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-1-117 (petitioner, decedent, heirs/devisees, value estimate unless bond waived); Original will and any codicils, attached to the petition as an exhibit and lodged for probate (if testate); Proof of will (self-proving affidavit, or affidavit/testimony of an attesting witness) where the will is not self-proving; Oath of the personal representative for faithful performance (before the judge, clerk, or notary) (Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-1-111); Order admitting the will to probate / granting lettersTenn. Code Ann. §§ 30-1-101 (letters required), 30-1-102 / 32-2-101 (venue), 30-1-106 (intestate priority), 30-1-111 (oath), 30-1-117 (verified petition contents)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Williamson County
In Tennessee a death is registered locally, and in Williamson County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Williamson County Health Department as well as by Tennessee Department of Health - Office of Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Williamson County · Williamson County Health Department
A completed application for a death certificate brought to the office expedites the request. A second clinic is at 2629 Fairview Boulevard in Fairview.
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 Williamson County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 1320 West Main Street, Suite 201, Franklin, TN 37064. Phone: 1-615-790-5706. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $10 for the first 2 pages plus $5 for each page beyond 2.
Williamson County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm, Simplifile and eFile Anytime.
Tennessee uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in Williamson 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, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Williamson 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.
Brentwood estate planning and estate administration firm serving Williamson, Davidson and the rest of Middle Tennessee. For executors and trustees it probates wills, prepares affidavits of heirship, collects and values estate assets, and handles will contests. Russ Cook was the first attorney recognized as an estate planning specialist by the Tennessee Board of Certification and Specialization.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
Estate planning and probate firm with offices in Nashville, Clarksville, Franklin, Springfield, Chattanooga and Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Its attorneys open estates and obtain letters testamentary, handle small estates and real estate transfers, assist trustees with trust administration, and litigate will contests over undue influence and capacity. Fees are flat rates quoted upfront.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
Franklin probate and estate practice serving Williamson, Davidson and Rutherford counties. Shanone Emmack assists executors in administering estates under court supervision and litigates will contests, executor and beneficiary conflicts, breach of fiduciary duty claims and partition of inherited property. She also handles conservatorships, including emergency conservatorships.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
Evans Petree PC has practiced in Memphis since 1907, with a second Memphis office and one in Brentwood. Its tax, trusts and estate planning group represents executors, trustees and administrators in probate and trust administration, prepares fiduciary tax returns, and handles will contests and breach of fiduciary duty actions.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more
Office
1715 Aaron Brenner Drive, Suite 800Memphis, TN 38120
Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin is a downtown Nashville firm of 29 lawyers with a Franklin office, practicing for more than 80 years. Its estate planning and probate team represents families and fiduciaries in probate and trust administration, conservatorships and guardianships, and estate and fiduciary litigation, and builds business succession plans.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 8 more
Office
150 Third Avenue South, Suite 1700Nashville, TN 37201
Patterson Bray has offices in Memphis and Brentwood, serving Shelby County and Nashville-area clients. Its estate attorneys handle probate and post-death administration of estates and revocable living trusts, and its estate litigators take on will contests, undue influence and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Lindsay Jones is President of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Memphis.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Office
8001 Centerview Parkway, Suite 103Memphis, TN 38018
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. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Tennessee
Free tools for settling an estate in Tennessee: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Tennessee.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Tennessee: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-301Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. §§ 30-2-306, 30-2-307, 30-2-310, 30-2-314, 30-2-317Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Tennessee happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeTenn. Code Ann. § 35-15-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 35-15-813(b); § 35-15-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
Tennessee has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is not available.
Enter the estate value to see Tennessee attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
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.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Tennessee 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.
