Quick answer: Opening an estate in Mississippi costs a chancery clerk filing fee starting around $140, set under Miss. Code § 25-7-9 and varying slightly by county and filing type. Unlike a value-scaled fee, this is a modest, largely flat cost — the real variables are the executor and attorney fees, which have no fixed percentage. See the full picture in the Mississippi probate cost calculator.
Chancery court fees
| Item | Approx. fee |
|---|---|
| Opening an estate (letters testamentary/administration) | ~$140+ |
| Small estate affidavit | Modest filing fee |
| Certified copies | A few dollars each |
Set under Miss. Code § 25-7-9 (chancery clerk fees); confirm the exact fee with your county Chancery Clerk, since it can vary slightly by filing type.
Why the fee doesn't scale much
Largely flat: Mississippi's chancery clerk fee is not a percentage of the estate the way some states' court costs are. It's a modest, mostly uniform cost — the big variables in Mississippi probate are the executor fee (§ 91-7-299) and the attorney fee (§ 91-7-281), both reasonable amounts with no fixed percentage.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — newspaper notice for three weeks (~$100–$200).
- Bond — may be required unless waived (§ 91-7-45); priced on estate value.
- Appraisal — if real estate or a business must be valued.
Ways to keep court costs down
- Small estate affidavit — whole estate up to $75,000, no real property (§ 91-7-322).
- Muniment of title — a lighter process for will-based real property transfers, personal property $75,000 or less.
- Ask the Chancery Clerk for the current fee schedule so you budget the exact amount.