Quick answer: Minnesota's probate filing fee is $310 for the first paper, set statewide by Minn. Stat. § 357.021, plus a small county law library fee, so the counter total is often around $322 and varies slightly by county. It does not scale with estate value.
How the Minnesota filing fee works
Minnesota probate is filed with the District Court of the county where the person lived — Hennepin (Minneapolis), Ramsey (St. Paul), Dakota, Anoka, Washington and the other counties. The $310 first-paper fee is set statewide by statute, so it is the same base amount everywhere. On top, each county adds a law library fee under chapter 134A, which is why the published total differs by a few dollars from county to county.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| District court first-paper fee (§ 357.021) | $310 |
| County law library fee (ch. 134A) | varies (~$10–$15) |
| Typical counter total | ~$322 |
| Small estate affidavit (§ 524.3-1201) | $0 (no court filing) |
The $310 base is statewide; the county law library add-on varies. Confirm the exact counter total with the county district court before filing.
Other court-related costs
- Notice to creditors — publication once weekly for two weeks; roughly $50–$120. Creditors then have 4 months to file claims (1-year absolute bar).
- Certified Letters — needed by banks and title; a few dollars each.
- Surety bond — not required by default in Minnesota (§ 524.3-603), which saves a common cost.
- Small estate affidavit — costs nothing in court (presented directly to asset holders).
Don't forget the estate tax
For Minnesota, the filing fee is trivial next to the potential estate tax on estates above $3,000,000. If the estate is large, that is the number that matters — see the Minnesota probate cost breakdown for the estate-tax table, or estimate your total with the Minnesota probate cost calculator. For attorney costs, see Minnesota probate attorney fees.