The figures on this page are general estimates. Laws, fees, thresholds, and prices differ by state and change often, and your own situation may change the result. Before you act, confirm the current numbers and rules for Maine with a licensed professional — an attorney, tax advisor, or licensed agent as appropriate. Reading this page does not create a professional relationship.
This page is built to print. Use your browser's Print command and choose "Save as PDF" for a one-page Maine reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Maine probate pages.
Maine probate fees
| Item | Maine |
|---|---|
| Attorney fees | Not statutory. Maine attorneys charge a flat fee or an hourly rate; the estate pays fees as a reasonable administrative expense. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | Under 18-C M.R.S. §3-719 the personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation (no fixed percentage); family representatives frequently waive it. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
| Appraisal / referee | Not used. Maine does not appoint a state appraiser; the personal representative prepares an inventory and hires appraisers only as needed. |
Worked example
There is no set formula. Under 18-C M.R.S. §3-719 the amount turns on the time spent, the difficulty of the work, and the results achieved. No published source is cited here for what that works out to on an estate of a given size.
Maine thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Maine |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | 18-C M.R.S. §3-1201(1)(A) sets the affidavit threshold at $40,000, "adjusted for inflation pursuant to section 1-108" (as amended by PL 2025, c. 76, §1). The figure in force in any year is therefore the §1-108 adjusted amount rather than the $40,000 in the text. §3-1201(1)(B) requires thirty days to have elapsed since the death. |
| Creditor claim period | Four months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, which the personal representative must publish on appointment, once a week for 2 successive weeks (18-C M.R.S. §3-801(1)). A creditor given written notice by mail or other delivery has the later of that four months or 60 days after the mailing or delivery (§3-801(2)). Claims arising before death are barred at the earlier of nine months after the decedent's death or the applicable §3-801 period (§3-803(1)) — the nine months is a cap that applies whether or not notice was published, not only a fallback where it was not. |
| Statutory floor (creditor period) | Four months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, which the personal representative must publish on appointment, once a week for 2 successive weeks (18-C M.R.S. §3-801(1)). A creditor given written notice by mail or other delivery has the later of that four months or 60 days after the mailing or delivery (§3-801(2)). Claims arising before death are barred at the earlier of nine months after the decedent's death or the applicable §3-801 period (§3-803(1)) — the nine months is a cap that applies whether or not notice was published, not only a fallback where it was not. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | Maine DOES authorize a transfer-on-death deed for real estate under the Maine Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, 18-C M.R.S. §6-401 et seq. An owner can record a TOD deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes outside probate at death, and the deed can be revoked anytime before death. |
What passes outside Maine probate
These transfers are not part of the estate the fees above are calculated on:
- Beneficiary designations — retirement accounts, life insurance, payable-on-death accounts.
- Joint ownership with right of survivorship.
- Transfer-on-death deed — Maine DOES authorize a transfer-on-death deed for real estate under the Maine Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, 18-C M.R.S. §6-401 et seq. An owner can record a TOD deed naming a beneficiary; the property passes outside probate at death, and the deed can be revoked anytime before death.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: 18-C M.R.S. §3-719; 18-C M.R.S. §3-1201; 18-C M.R.S. §3-803; 18-C M.R.S. §6-405; 18-C M.R.S. §6-401
- State authority: Maine Legislature (legislature.maine.gov)
- Small-estate procedure: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/18-C/title18-Csec3-1201.html
- Transfer-on-death deed: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/18-C/title18-Csec6-405.html
- Creditor claim period: https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/18-C/title18-Csec3-803.html
Compiled August 15, 2026 from the sources listed above. Fee schedules, thresholds, and court costs are amended by legislatures and courts — confirm each figure against the cited statute or the Maine court before relying on it.
The full Maine guides
- How Much Does Probate Cost in Maine? — the full cost breakdown.
- How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Maine? — the fee rule in detail.
- How Long Does Probate Take in Maine? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
- Executor Deadlines in Maine — inventory deadline, creditor-claim period and outer bar, each quoted from the statute.
- How to Avoid Probate in Maine — the transfers that pass outside it.
- How Much Does a Will Cost in Maine? — execution requirements and pricing.
Fee sheets for other states
California · Texas · Florida · New York · Pennsylvania · Illinois · Ohio · Georgia · North Carolina · Michigan · Connecticut · Arkansas · Indiana · Oklahoma · Oregon · New Jersey · Washington · Arizona · Colorado · Massachusetts · Maryland · Minnesota · Missouri · Alabama · Alaska · Delaware · Hawaii · Idaho · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Mississippi · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Mexico · North Dakota · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming
This sheet sets out Maine probate figures as published at the time of compilation. It is not legal advice. Figures and statutes change and their application depends on the specific estate. Confirm current figures with the Maine courts or a licensed Maine attorney.