Quick answer: Opening an estate in Delaware costs a Register of Wills filing fee on a sliding scale, roughly $30 to $1,905 or more depending on estate value. Unusually, there's a second fee layer too — a closing-cost percentage charged when the estate closes. Each of Delaware's three counties sets its own numbers. See the full picture in the Delaware probate cost calculator.
Two separate fee layers
| Fee | When charged | Approx. amount |
|---|---|---|
| Register of Wills filing fee | Opening the estate | ~$30–$1,905+, sliding by estate value |
| Closing-cost percentage | Closing the estate | ~1.25%–1.75% of net personal estate |
| Distribution Without Letters | Small estate only | $0 (not filed as full probate) |
Each county's governing body sets its own Register of Wills fee schedule under 12 Del. C. § 2510; New Castle, Kent, and Sussex figures differ. Confirm with your county Register of Wills.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — newspaper notice, three consecutive weeks; claims are barred 8 months from the date of death.
- Bond — generally required unless waived by the will or all interested parties.
- Appraisal — if real estate or a business must be valued.
- Executor commission & attorney fee — the real variables, both reasonable amounts under 12 Del. C. § 2305, per Court of Chancery Rule 192.
Not the biggest cost: the filing and closing fees are small next to the executor commission and attorney fee. Delaware has no estate or inheritance tax, so there's no death-tax layer.
Ways to keep costs down
- Distribution Without Letters — personal estate up to $50,000, no Delaware real estate, no full probate filing (12 Del. C. § 2306).
- Ask your county Register of Wills for the current filing fee and closing-cost percentage before budgeting.
- Executor waives the commission if a family member and beneficiary.