Tarrant County Probate Guide
Tarrant County · Updated January 2026
Filing & Fees
Complete Fee Schedule
Probate Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
Small Estate Affidavit For estates under threshold (no court filing needed) | $400 |
Accepted Payment: cash, check, credit card, money order
Note: Small Estate Affidavit filing fee is $400. Affidavits of Heirship are filed with County Clerk Official Public Records (Room B20), not probate courts. Attorney representation required for probate except Small Estate Affidavits.
Document Fees
Small Estate Affidavit filing fee is $400. Affidavits of Heirship are filed with County Clerk Official Public Records (Room B20), not probate courts. Attorney representation required for probate except Small Estate Affidavits.
Required Documents
E-Filing & Filing Methods
Source ↗Timelines & Proceedings
Deadlines & Creditor Claims
Key Deadlines
- Will Deposit
- 0 days
- Creditor Claims
- 4 months
- Known Creditor Notice
- 60 days
Creditor Claims
- Period Starts
- first publication of notice to creditors
- Statute
- Texas Estates Code Chapter 308
Publication Requirements
Notice to Creditors
- Duration
- Once
Notice of Petition/Administration
- Beneficiaries
- Known creditors
- Surviving spouse
Related Proceedings
Property Recording
Source ↗Guardianship
Texas guardianship is governed by the Texas Estates Code and requires court approval.
guardian of person
Guardian responsible for the physical well-being and care of the ward
guardian of estate
Guardian responsible for managing the ward's property and finances
Guardian Training
Court Rules & Orders
Local Rules
- Attorney representation REQUIRED for probate (except Small Estate Affidavits)
- Small Estate Affidavits do NOT require an attorney
- E-filing mandatory; subsequent documents must be filed as lead documents
- Court coordinators handle hearing date scheduling by phone
- Affidavits of Heirship filed with County Clerk Official Public Records (Room B20), not probate courts
- Annual reports can be submitted in person, mail, or online
- Local rules available in PDF format on court website