Quick answer: Opening an estate in South Dakota costs a modest circuit court filing fee — roughly $70 to $125 depending on the county — among the lowest in this series. The collection-by-affidavit procedure needs no court filing at all. Publication and bond are extra. See the full picture in the South Dakota probate cost calculator.
Circuit court fees, by county
| Example county | Reported filing fee |
|---|---|
| Codington County (Watertown) | ~$75 |
| Yankton County | ~$122 |
| Clay County | ~$122 |
| Statewide reported range | ~$70–$125 |
Each county Clerk of Courts sets its own fee within a similar range; confirm the current figure with your county before filing.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — newspaper notice once a week for three successive weeks (~$100–$200); creditors have 4 months from first publication or 60 days from mailed notice, whichever is later.
- Bond — generally required unless waived by the will.
- Appraisal — if real estate or a business must be valued.
- Personal representative commission & attorney fee — the real variables: a tiered schedule for the commission (SDCL § 29A-3-719), a 7-factor standard for the attorney.
Not the big cost: the filing fee is small next to the personal representative commission and attorney fee. South Dakota has no estate, inheritance, or income tax, so there's no death-tax layer.
Ways to keep court costs down
- Collection-by-affidavit — entire estate up to $100,000 net of liens, no filing fee at all (SDCL § 29A-3-1201).
- Ask your county Clerk of Courts to confirm the current filing fee.
- Informal probate — the default UPC track, no hearing fee for uncontested estates.