Probate cost in Maine
In Maine, estates up to $52,500 can often skip full probate. For a $300,000 estate, the court fee is $500.
Maine's small estate limit is $52,500. Above it, the estate usually goes through probate.
- Court fee to open probate source$500
- Attorney feeNo legal schedule: set by agreement or the courtset by agreement
- Executor fee sourceNo legal schedule: set by agreement or the courtset by agreement
Probate total$500+
The total leaves out the costs shown without a number.
- Quicken WillMaker & Trust Plus sourceOne-time price for one person$149
- Yearly feeoptional yearly renewal$40
- Moving a home into the trustSet by your county recordercounty recording fee
Trust total$149+
Assets left outside the trust can still need probate.
Probate cost by estate size
| Estate value | Court fee | Attorney (law) | Executor (law) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $250 | not set by law | not set by law | $250+ |
| $250,000 | $450 | not set by law | not set by law | $450+ |
| $500,000 | $625 | not set by law | not set by law | $625+ |
| $1,000,000 | $750 | not set by law | not set by law | $750+ |
"Not set by law" means the fee is agreed with the lawyer or set by the court, so it is not in the total. Use your own numbers.
The rules in Maine
- Small estate limit: $52,500 (Collection of personal property by affidavit (18-C M.R.S. 3-1201)). Does not cover real estate. Heirs wait 30 days after the death. Statutory base $40,000, adjusted yearly for inflation under 18-C 1-108 by year of death. The Probate Courts' table gives $52,500 for deaths in 2026 ($51,100 for 2025, $49,700 for 2024). Limit is the value of the entire estate, wherever located, less liens and encumbrances. Personal property only. Table: (read via Wayback in the first pass; not re-checked in this pass). Source
- Simplified probate: Small estates; summary administrative procedure (18-C M.R.S. 3-1203). Source
- Court fee: $500 for a $300,000 estate. 18-C 1-602(2) (last amended PL 2021, c. 250): fee for each petition or application, testate or intestate, by estate value. $300,000 falls in the $250,001 to $300,000 band: $500. Above $2,000,000 the fee is $1,200, plus $250 for each further $500,000 or part above $2,500,000 (bands to $5,000,000 listed; continue the same steps above that). No surcharge in the section. Filing a will with no probate is $15; a will probated without appointment is $20. Source
- Attorney fee: No legal schedule: set by agreement or the court. No statutory attorney fee schedule is known. Not verified against statute text.
- Executor fee: No legal schedule: set by agreement or the court. 18-C 3-719: personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation. Read in the first pass. Source
General information from official state sources, not legal advice.