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 Utah 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 Utah reference. Every figure below is compiled from the statutes and state authorities listed at the bottom — the same sources cited on our Utah probate pages.
Utah probate fees
| Item | Utah |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $375 to open a probate case in Utah district court. The fee is set by statute, not by the Judicial Council: Utah Code §78A-2-301(1)(a) charges $375 for “any civil complaint or petition invoking the jurisdiction of a court of record not governed by another subsection,” which is the subsection a probate petition falls under. The version of §78A-2-301 effective 1 January 2027 keeps the same $375. Publishing the notice to creditors is a separate charge billed by the newspaper. |
| Attorney fees | Not statutory. Utah Code §75-3-718 entitles both the personal representative and the attorney to 'reasonable compensation.' Attorneys charge a flat fee or an hourly rate; the court may review fees for reasonableness. |
| Executor / personal representative fees | Utah Code §75-3-718 allows the personal representative reasonable compensation — there is no percentage schedule. A family member serving as personal representative often waives the fee. |
| Fee basis | reasonable |
| Appraisal / referee | Not used. Utah does not appoint a state appraiser. The personal representative prepares an inventory and may hire appraisers for specific assets when needed (Utah Code §75-3-706). |
Worked example
Utah publishes no schedule for a personal representative's fee and sets no fixed statutory figure; the amount is driven by the work performed. The estate's attorney fee is separate.
Utah thresholds and deadlines
| Item | Utah |
|---|---|
| Small-estate threshold | Estates whose total value (less liens and encumbrances) does not exceed $100,000 and include no real property can be collected by a small-estate affidavit 30 days after death, with no court case, under Utah Code §75-3-1201 (threshold raised to $100,000 effective 2025). |
| Creditor claim period | Three months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, which the personal representative "may publish" rather than must, under Utah Code §75-3-801(1)(a). A creditor given written notice by mail or other delivery has the later of 90 days from the published notice or 60 days from the mailing or delivery (§75-3-801(2)). Claims arising before death are barred at the earlier of one year after the decedent's death or the applicable §75-3-801 period (Utah Code §75-3-803). |
| Statutory floor (creditor period) | Three months after the date of the first publication of the notice to creditors, which the personal representative "may publish" rather than must, under Utah Code §75-3-801(1)(a). A creditor given written notice by mail or other delivery has the later of 90 days from the published notice or 60 days from the mailing or delivery (§75-3-801(2)). Claims arising before death are barred at the earlier of one year after the decedent's death or the applicable §75-3-801 period (Utah Code §75-3-803). |
| Simplified real-property transfer | The small-estate affidavit covers personal property only; real property titled solely in the decedent's name is not transferred by affidavit and generally requires probate, a TOD deed, or a living trust. |
| Transfer-on-death deed | No transfer-on-death deed statute for real property was found in the Utah statutes, and no source publishing one is cited here. The Utah statutes could not be read at a primary source from the environment this page was checked in, and the only source previously cited for this field was a commercial reproduction of the code. |
What passes outside Utah 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 — No transfer-on-death deed statute for real property was found in the Utah statutes, and no source publishing one is cited here. The Utah statutes could not be read at a primary source from the environment this page was checked in, and the only source previously cited for this field was a commercial reproduction of the code.
- Assets titled into a funded living trust.
Sources for this sheet
- Statutes: Utah Code §75-3-718; Utah Code §75-3-801; Utah Code §75-3-803; Utah Code §75-3-1201; Utah Code §75-6-401 et seq.
- State authority: Utah Code (Utah Legislature, le.utah.gov)
- Attorney fees: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title75/Chapter3/75-3-S718.html
- Creditor claim period: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title75/Chapter3/75-3-S801.html
- Small-estate procedure: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title75/Chapter3/75-3-S1201.html
- Court filing fees: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title78A/Chapter2/78A-2-S301.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 Utah court before relying on it.
The full Utah guides
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How Much Does Probate Cost in Utah? — the full cost breakdown.
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How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Utah? — the fee rule in detail.
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How Long Does Probate Take in Utah? — the timeline and its statutory floor.
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How to Avoid Probate in Utah — the transfers that pass outside it.
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How Much Does a Will Cost in Utah? — execution requirements and pricing.
Fee sheets for other states
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This sheet sets out Utah 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 Utah courts or a licensed Utah attorney.