Quick answer: Opening full probate in Wyoming costs roughly $160 in district court filing fees. But Wyoming's $400,000 small estate threshold — one of the highest in the country — means many estates skip full probate's filing costs (and its statutory percentage fees) entirely. See the full picture in the Wyoming probate cost calculator.
Two routes under the same $400,000 threshold
| Route | Scope | Where filed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Estate Affidavit (§ 2-1-201) | Personal property only | County clerk | No court filing fee; no PR appointed |
| Summary Distribution (§ 2-1-205) | Real + personal property, incl. minerals | District court | ~$160 filing fee |
| Full probate | Everything | District court | ~$160 filing fee + statutory PR/attorney fees |
Both simplified routes share the $400,000 threshold, raised from $200,000 effective July 1, 2025. The affidavit is the cheaper route when the estate is personal property only; summary distribution is needed once real estate or mineral interests are involved.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — notice of admission to probate; creditors have 3 months from first publication.
- Bond — required by default, routinely waived if the will excuses it or all heirs consent; the court can also set a lower amount.
- Appraisal — if real estate, mineral rights, or a business must be valued.
- Personal representative & attorney fees — the real cost drivers in full probate: a genuine 10/5/3/2% statutory schedule (Wyo. Stat. § 2-7-803, § 2-7-804), and unusually, potentially owed to both.
The filing fee isn't the main cost: in full probate, the statutory percentage fees dwarf the ~$160 filing fee for anything but a tiny estate. Wyoming has no estate or inheritance tax, so there's no death-tax layer either.
Ways to keep costs down
- Use the $400,000 affidavit or summary distribution — skips the statutory percentage fees of full probate entirely.
- Ask your county District Court clerk to confirm the current filing fee.
- Serve as both personal representative and attorney if qualified, to avoid two full statutory fees.