How much does probate cost in Nevada?

The short answer

Nevada is one of the states where the core probate fees are set by statute — fixed by law rather than negotiated. Here’s how those fees work, what else gets added on top, and the ways many families avoid full probate entirely.

Attorney fees

Under NRS §150.060(2) an attorney for a personal representative may be compensated on the attorney's hourly rate, on the value of the estate accounted for, under a §150.061(4) agreement, or by any other method the court preapproves. Where compensation is based on the value of the estate, §150.060(4) sets the ordinary-services schedule at 4 percent of the first $100,000, 3 percent of the next $100,000, 2 percent of the next $800,000, 1 percent of the next $9,000,000, 0.5 percent of the next $15,000,000, and, above $25,000,000, a reasonable amount determined by the court. Subsections 5 and 8 require a written agreement signed by the personal representative and court approval before compensation on that basis is paid.

Executor / personal representative fees

NRS §150.020(1) sets the personal representative's compensation, but only where the will provides none or the representative renounces all claim to it: 4 percent of the first $15,000, 3 percent of the next $85,000, and 2 percent of all above $100,000, on the whole amount of the estate accounted for less liens and encumbrances. Under §150.020(4) the court may allow further fees it deems just and reasonable where that schedule is not sufficient. The attorney's and executor's fees apply separately. Family executors often waive their commission. §150.020(2) allows the same fees where there is no will, and §150.020(3) requires the court to apportion the compensation among two or more personal representatives "according to the services actually rendered by each". A separate section, NRS §150.025(1), provides that notwithstanding any contrary provision in the will, a personal representative who is an attorney retained to perform services for the personal representative "may receive compensation for services as a personal representative or for services as an attorney for the personal representative, but not both", unless the court approves a different method in advance and finds it to be for the advantage, benefit and best interests of the estate.

What the fee is based on

Calculated on the value of the estate accounted for, less liens and encumbrances. The attorney and the executor each draw a percentage under separate schedules (NRS 150.060 and NRS 150.020), so the two are charged on top of one another.

Appraisal / probate referee

Not used. Nevada does not appoint a state appraiser. The personal representative files an inventory and may retain a disinterested appraiser for real estate or unusual assets.

How long probate takes in Nevada

We found no published source for how long probate takes in Nevada as of September 2026. No Nevada court publishes case-duration data, and the ranges that circulate come from law firms and from sites paid to refer customers to them, so none is cited here. The statutory floor is the creditor period: Ninety days after the first publication of the notice to creditors under NRS §155.020, or ninety days after the mailing for those required to be mailed (NRS §147.040(1)). A creditor who receives the notice by mail under §155.020(5) must file within 30 days after that mailing or 90 days after first publication, whichever is later (§147.040(2)). §147.040(4) reduces the 90 days to 60 where summary administration is granted under chapter 145. Under §147.040(3) a claimant who shows they had neither notice under §155.020 nor actual notice of the administration may file at any time before the final account is filed.

Creditor claim period

Ninety days after the first publication of the notice to creditors under NRS §155.020, or ninety days after the mailing for those required to be mailed (NRS §147.040(1)). A creditor who receives the notice by mail under §155.020(5) must file within 30 days after that mailing or 90 days after first publication, whichever is later (§147.040(2)). §147.040(4) reduces the 90 days to 60 where summary administration is granted under chapter 145. Under §147.040(3) a claimant who shows they had neither notice under §155.020 nor actual notice of the administration may file at any time before the final account is filed. In practice, this window is often the real floor on how quickly an estate can close, because the personal representative usually waits it out before making final distributions.

How to skip full probate (or shrink the bill)

• Small-estate procedure. NRS §146.070(1)(a) lets the court set aside an estate without administration where the value of the decedent's estate does not exceed $150,000. The section imposes no surviving-spouse or minor-children condition on that subsection; the spouse and minor children appear in subsections 3 to 6, which govern how a set-aside estate is divided and when the court may set it aside without paying creditors. NRS §146.080 separately allows transfer without letters where the decedent left no Nevada real property and the gross value of the decedent's Nevada property, above amounts due for service in the Armed Forces and the value of registered motor vehicles, does not exceed the "applicable amount", which §146.080(7) defines as $150,000 where the claimant is the surviving spouse and $25,000 for any other claimant. The affidavit route runs 40 days after the death.
• Transfer-on-death deed. Nevada has a deed upon death. NRS §111.655 provides that NRS 111.655 to 111.699 "may be cited as the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act". §111.671 provides that the owner of an interest in property "may create a deed which conveys his or her interest in property to a beneficiary or multiple beneficiaries and which becomes effective upon the death of the owner", and that such a deed "must be known as a deed upon death". §111.681 provides that it "is valid only if executed and recorded as provided by law in the office of the county recorder of the county where the property is located before the death of the owner or the death of the last surviving owner". §111.685 provides that during the owner’s lifetime the deed does not affect the owner’s interest or right, "including, without limitation, the right to transfer or encumber the property".
• A funded living trust. Assets in a properly funded revocable living trust skip probate entirely. The successor trustee distributes them privately, usually in a month or two.
• Beneficiary designations and joint ownership. Life insurance, retirement accounts, payable-on-death (POD) accounts, and jointly held property pass directly to the named person and never enter probate.
• Family member as executor. When a relative serves as executor, they can often waive the commission — meaningfully cutting the total bill.

Whether representation is required in Nevada

Nevada does not require an estate to be represented by counsel in every proceeding; the court’s self-help materials set out where a personal representative may file without an attorney. Full probate carries formal filing requirements and statutory deadlines, and estates qualifying for a small-estate or summary procedure follow a shorter track with lower filing costs. Legal document preparers operate in some states at a flat fee, subject to state rules on unauthorised practice.

What the record shows

Probate cost in Nevada is the sum of separately-set components: statutory or court-approved attorney fees, executor commissions, court filing fees, and appraisal costs. Each is documented above with its citation.

Assets that pass outside probate — by beneficiary designation, joint ownership with survivorship, transfer-on-death instrument, or a funded living trust — are not part of the estate these fees are calculated on. Nevada’s small-estate threshold, above, determines which estates can use the simplified procedure.

Frequently asked questions about probate cost in Nevada

How much does probate cost in Nevada?

Nevada lets the attorney and the executor each take a statutory percentage of the estate — 4% of the first $100,000 scaling down for the attorney (NRS 150.060) and 4% of the first $15,000 scaling down for the executor (NRS 150.020) — so a $500,000 estate runs roughly $24,000 in combined statutory fees, plus a few hundred dollars in court costs.

What is the small-estate limit in Nevada?

NRS §146.070(1)(a) lets the court set aside an estate without administration where the value of the decedent's estate does not exceed $150,000. The section imposes no surviving-spouse or minor-children condition on that subsection; the spouse and minor children appear in subsections 3 to 6, which govern how a set-aside estate is divided and when the court may set it aside without paying creditors. NRS §146.080 separately allows transfer without letters where the decedent left no Nevada real property and the gross value of the decedent's Nevada property, above amounts due for service in the Armed Forces and the value of registered motor vehicles, does not exceed the "applicable amount", which §146.080(7) defines as $150,000 where the claimant is the surviving spouse and $25,000 for any other claimant. The affidavit route runs 40 days after the death.

Who pays the probate costs in Nevada?

The estate does. Attorney fees, the executor’s commission, court filing fees, and any appraisal costs are all paid out of the estate’s assets before anything is distributed to the beneficiaries — so in practice the heirs bear the cost through a smaller inheritance rather than paying out of pocket.

Can you avoid probate costs in Nevada?

Nevada sets attorney and executor compensation as separate percentage schedules, each charged against the estate, so both are measured on what passes through probate. Nevada is a community-property state and levies no state estate or inheritance tax. The transfers that pass property outside probate are a deed upon death on the home, community property with right of survivorship, beneficiary designations, and property titled into a trust.

How long does probate take in Nevada?

We found no published source for how long probate takes in Nevada as of September 2026. No Nevada court publishes case-duration data, and the ranges that circulate come from law firms and from sites paid to refer customers to them, so none is cited here. The statutory floor is the creditor period: Ninety days after the first publication of the notice to creditors under NRS §155.020, or ninety days after the mailing for those required to be mailed (NRS §147.040(1)). A creditor who receives the notice by mail under §155.020(5) must file within 30 days after that mailing or 90 days after first publication, whichever is later (§147.040(2)). §147.040(4) reduces the 90 days to 60 where summary administration is granted under chapter 145. Under §147.040(3) a claimant who shows they had neither notice under §155.020 nor actual notice of the administration may file at any time before the final account is filed. The deadlines that run alongside it: How Long Does Probate Take in Nevada?.

Related reading

• What Is Probate and How Does It Work? — the full plain-English explanation of how probate works in the US.

• How to Avoid Probate in Nevada — the state-specific avoidance playbook.

• Executor Deadlines in Nevada — the statutory dates the executor works to, quoted from Nev. Rev. Stat. §147.040.

• How Long Does Probate Take in Nevada? — the companion timeline guide for Nevada.

• Will vs. Trust: How They Differ — the documented differences between the two instruments.

• Estate Planning Checklist: Everything in One Place — the documents and decisions that determine what passes through probate.

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This page explains Nevada probate costs in general terms as of 2026. It is not legal advice, and fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs change and depend on your specific situation. Confirm current figures with the Nevada courts or a licensed Nevada attorney. Sources: NRS §150.020, NRS §150.060, NRS §146.070, NRS §146.080, NRS §147.040, NRS §111.655 et seq. (deed upon death).